Hi from Rick: Cow-Bell Culture
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| Let Rick, and our 2004 Guide to European Railpasses, help your 2004 dollar travel farther than you might expect. |
Dear Traveler,
On my last hike in the shadow of Switzerland 's Jungfrau, I noticed how up here, man and nature seem to have shared the same crib, and how old and new play comfortably side by side. A pierced-and-tattooed teenage girl tosses bundles of hay into the wagon while her grandmother (looking like she just pushed the Grim Reaper over the edge) marches up the nearly vertical hayfield with her long scythe.
Back in my favorite Swiss village (Gimmelwald), a friend attached my name to their "Tree of Visitors" which honors guests who've come here for ten years or more. They chose a linden tree — 300 years growing, 300 years staying, 300 years dying — to honor their special guests. At local weddings, another occasion where steadfastness and loyalty is important, a linden tree is often planted.
Glancing up at a parade of weathered cow bells lining the eve of a rough plank home, I remember how village weddings here offer a fine excuse for a party. Before a wedding, all the singles gather for the groom's drinking party. The boys in the "bell club" arrive late, swaggering in time together, ringing their cow bells. The boys — with clappers swinging — are as proud of their 40-pound bells as their grandfathers were.
Later that night, I step onto my balcony and feel thankful for the magic moments I've enjoyed high in the Alps and how a traditional village like Gimmelwald can survive in the 21st century. I watch the moon slowly rise, like a celestial searchlight over the cut-glass peaks, and softly illuminates the sleeping village. Above it all, the Big Dipper seems to pour blessings on an idyllic slice of Europe that epitomizes my love of this continent.
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| Swiss grandmothers can be seen marching up steep hillsides with their nail-heeled shoes. |
There's really no price-tag you can put on a lifetime of travel memories. Travel is accelerated living, and if you've got a little Europe in your dreams, the sixty of us here at Europe Through the Back Door can help you make those dreams happen.
In this month's Travel News we'll take time to savor some of Europe's most magic moments, from the beaches of Salema to the vineyards of Provence. Then we'll take a winter photo safari through Rome, and wrap things up by helping your 2004 dollar travel farther than you might expect — thanks to our 2004 Guide to European Railpasses, two dozen free-spirited tours with guaranteed prices, and great deals in our online Travel Store.
So jump-start your next trip . . . with our February Travel News.
Happy travels,
Rick Steves