Castles & Mountains Tour Insight

Rick's Castles and Mountains Special Airs Throughout the USA in November and December on Public Television

All Aboard! Travel with Rick to Jungfrauroch, Europe's highest train station.

Our new episodes on the Rhine, Rothenburg, Munich, Bavaria and the best of the Swiss Alps have been woven together into a two-hour special airing this December during pledge season on public television.

The special finishes in our favorite Alpine village, Gimmelwald, where Rick really settles in with the locals.

Chatting with Olle, the village's only schoolteacher, Rick gains a quirky insight into the cow culture. Olle explains that even cows become victims of the mountains, occasionally wandering off cliffs.

"Alpine farmers expect to lose some of their cows in 'hiking accidents.' These days cows are double the weight of cows a hundred years ago and no less stupid," he said. "If one wanders off a cliff in search of greener grass, the others follow. One time at the high Alp above Gimmelwald, 40 cows performed this stunt...and died like lemmings. The meat must be drained of blood immediately or it's wasted. Helicopters fly them out, but even then, it's only meat for the dogs."

As those on Rick Steves' tours learn, with a local friend leading the way, the Alps become a lively world of tumbling cows, joyriding helicopters, and local grannies scampering along alpine ridges. The scene is trimmed by a pastel carpet of flowers: gold clover, milk kraut, bell flowers, and daisies.

Rick's tours through Germany, Austria & Switzerland take you to the scalps of the Alps.

Strolling through the flowers, schoolteacher Olle explains, "This is a good mix for the cow's milk." Suddenly all but abandoning us for the flowers he declares, "For me, it's like meeting old friends when the flowers come out again in the spring."

Tune in to Rick's Mountains and Castles special on your local public television station. Or, to actually experience the wonders of Germany and the Alps yourself, hop on our Best of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland tour.

For all the details, check out our 16-day Germany, Austria, & Switzerland tour or Rick's new 2004 guidebook to the region.