Guess what I've had for dinner? Yes, pizza. It's simply the cheapest food besides no food. But I was really hungry. I walked for 5 hours and twenty minutes (but slowly), climbed 770m and went down 1000m. My highest point was 2490m. Tomorrow, almost in theory, I could sleep long. Tomorrow is a travelling into Engadine. I will meet Maurizio tomorrow, he will be in the bus I will catch in the morning, so we can do most of the journey to Maloja together.

Hhm. A nice little impression of a part of the village I believe not everyone sees:

Impressions of Splügen, a beautiful albeit very touristy place. Lots of Italians and motorbikes. And rich Swiss people. 

My shelter for tonight. Hotel Piz Tambo. I tried the Weiss Kreuz first (where the Swiss couple is staying) because it was the first place I passed. Posh place and to be honest I would have loved to stay because it is absolutely beautiful. Mix between very old and very modern, but definitely too expensive. Now I'm in a room under the roof with a tiny window, but it has everything I need and it is fairly cheap. I did some washing and discovered a sort of roof-top garden. Nice. It was still early and very hot when I went for a stroll in the small village of Splügen.

Walking into Splügen. Please note that the flowers have roofs.

After the cow the path became steep, really steep, leading first over an unpleasant tarmac road and then over beautiful pastures full of colourful flowers, a tiny path crossing the road now and again. I had to walk very carefully because the path was so narrow and rather overgrown and STEEP. The last bit down into Splügen especially.

After I walked for a long time on more or less level paths I came into cow territory. The cows here are so pretty and there is loads of young cattle around. This one here was incredibly nosy and followed me for at least 10 minutes.

And this is what the path looked like for a long time. The last part of the climb to the pass was steep and there was some snow, but nothing problematic. At the top I met the Swiss couple I sat at the same table with last night at Turrahus. We had't talked though, they were rather secretive and I didn't mind. I forced them into a small chat and then started to descend, slowly. Walking down was pleasant and there were a few walkers coming up.

The path lead beyond this beautiful mountain and waterfall.

I wanted to get up late and leave late, but it didn't work. Had breakfast at 7:30 and Turrahus offers a really good breakfast, lovely bread, lovely cheese and pc course ovomaltine, it's a must. When I left the sun was shining and again there was a strong wind. The path up to Safienberg was very, very nice and very comfortable. Nicer than the trek over the Tomülpass.

And this is Turrahus, which is more like a proper restaurant and "Gasthaus". It had a dorm though and, again, I'm the only one in it. I got here much too early though, it was only two o'clock. And was greeted by name!

I was impressed, but only shortly because I learned soon enough that it was only because Hotel Alpina had called to know if I had taken the room key with me. Which I had, it was in my pocket all the time and I didn't notice. How embarrassing. I called immediately to apologise, but they were all cool about it and told me to send the key by post, which I did straight away with the help of the Turrahus boss.

I showered and rested a bit in the dorm to be out of the sun. They couldn't open the umbrellas because the wind was too strong. Then I tried conversation with boss and other locals, which worked quite well. I was offered a free white wine, which Made me tipsy because I hadn't eaten, and learned that the Swiss don't really like the Germans very much (?).

Meanwhile I have eaten well (veggie burger with bavette, vegetables and creamy mushroom sauce) and am contemplating when to leave tomorrow. Not early, that much is sure, because tomorrow's walk to Splügen is like today's. And I don't want to get there as early as today.

I walked a little over five hours today, climbed 1120m and went down 680m, my highest point was 2412m.

The view walking down was wonderful.

The last long stretch to the pass was a broad winding path ideal for mountain bikers and there were a few (even though they were pushing rather than riding). Walking down I talked to a man who was counting young cows and feeding them salt. It turned out that it was a German from Baden-Würtemberg, who was working at an Alp for three months with his wife and a friend. Paid work, my mouth fell open when he told me that between the three of them they earned 40,000 francs in three months. Money the Swiss apparently were not willing to do the job for. They were "Gastarbeiter", so to say.

Strangely enough I was fast today, I reached Tomülpass in less than the four hours the sign said it would take. Maybe because I'm in a more touristy region where times are more generous, or I'm slowly getting back "in the groove". Or both. When I realised how early it was I tried to slow down so I wouldn't reach Turrahus too early and talked to anybody I met who was willing. And for the first time since I have been walking I actually met other walkers. I talked at length to a Swiss local from Flims who was part of a 35 year group heading to Alpe Tomül for lunch. A nice person. Tomülpass isn't anything special, but there were lots of lovely pinkish purplish flowers flanking the path.

After the cows the path was truly beautiful. A winding stream and impressive waterfalls accompanied the path up to Alpe Tomül. Everything was intensely green.

It was fine and comfortable walking and climbing felt a lot better. The first 700m went by without any effort, then cows blocked the way and I had to make a small deviation, they just stood their ground (I move for no man...).

I was really tired when I woke up because my night was restless. I wouldn't have thought that a tiny peaceful place like Vals could be so loud. People, noisy English-speaking people, sat outside into the small hours. Maybe celebrating Italy's victory over Germany. It is a terrible pity that I was not at all hungry in the morning, the buffet was wonderful and what an assortment of cheeses! But I had to force myself to eat. At eight I was already on my way.

I walked about four hours today, climbed 770m and went down 720m, my highest point was at about 2260m.

And this is my hotel, the "Hotel Alpina", it's a designer hotel and very, very nice. Somehow the wi-fi is not working though, probably because Vals is high up (at 1254m) but somehow blocked by the surrounding mountains.

The pizza was good and so was the wine. It was lovely sitting in the piazza of this beautiful place and thinking of what an absolutely good day it has been. I think Germany is losing against Italy though. I heard hysterical frenzy twice and I suppose they are on Italy's side here even though I'm in the German-speaking part of Switzerland now. Which I still have to get used to.

And this is where I had dinner, pizza for a change, more because it was the cheapest option. I would have liked to eat the local spatzl, but didn't want to pay 25 francs and opted for some local white Merlot instead. Everyone was rich but me. I suppose it was obvious, they stared at me as if I had fallen from space. But then again I'm not surprised, I looked into the mirror today, first time since a while, and saw an eighty-year old sherpa. But a happy one.

The church at Vals.

Vals is enchanting. This is the tiny square where my hotel is. The journey here was really nice, I met terribly nice and helpful people and saw parts of the region from a different and interesting perspective. I had to change at Disentis and Ilanz and the last part of the journey, from Ilanz to Vals, was spectacular. We rode very slowly through an incredibly narrow and beautiful canyon with crazy rocks and wonderful waterfalls. Then we arrived at the small village of Vals, which seems to be some kind of rich people's mecca. A pleasant surprise at my hotel was that they offered me a cheaper room than announced on the phone. And a very nice one too. They were also extremely helpful and researched and printed a map for me in the Internet seeing I didn't have one and it was too late to buy one. But it seems that the walk over the Tomülpass is a very easy one.

The walk up to Passo Bareta was nice and comfortable. Nice landscape, a bit like in the moon and somehow it felt lonelier than for example in the much higher Barone area. It took me an hour longer to get up there than the signs said. And I didn't walk to Passo di Lucomagno (Lukmanierpass), because I would miss the bus. Instead I stopped at Acquacalda. I was studying the timetable, realizing I had to wait one and a half hours in the sun on the road when a man materialised out of a hotel that was being rebuilt and asked if I needed a lift to the pass. And he didn't even have to go, it was just to help. Isn't that awfully nice? That way I could sit in the cafe at the pass and have a drink while I waited for the bus.

My night wasn't an easy one. I feel good but my dreams are bad. Last night was a sort of end-of-the-world night, I woke up just when zombies were about to eat me up. Then I couldn't go to sleep anymore. Still I didn't feel bad when I woke up at seven, just a little gaga. It wasn't easy to leave Piandioss, but when I left it was in the clouds, the Rheinwaldhorn hidden behind them.

This is a wonderful view of Rheinwaldhorn, the mountain I had first planned to climb and later to walk round to get to Hinterrhein via Läntahütte and Zapporthütte. But that is not possible. And now things are sorted. For now. I suppose there is a deeper meaning to things not going entirely as I had planned. And I am happy with the way everything is evolving. It makes me even more "open" for what is to happen and in the end things just fall into place. After using the Internet and making some calls and with advice from Aaron I now have a new plan (let's see how long this one lasts). Tomorrow I will not walk to Dötra as I had planned, but to Lukmanierpass, where I will take a bus and eventually arrive at Vals. The next day I will walk to Turrahus over the Tomülpass, then climb Safienberg on the way to Splügen, and on Sunday I will get on a bus and train to Maloja. I need to change at St. Moritz where I will meet Maurizio and maybe marry a rich Russian in a fur coat.

Oksana went down into the valley today and will come back tomorrow. So it was Aaron who cooked for me today. I had another taste of the cheese his parts (his PARENTS) make, a different, but also delicious, kind, served with pickled onions and gherkins and the home-made bread. Then penne with freshly made tomato sauce, slightly hot and chocolate cream for pudding. So good. If you ever come this part of Ticino, you must stop at Piandioss. You will not regret it.

What a wonderful day of rest. I didn't do much more than wash my clothes, chat with Oksana and Aaron and figure out what to do, how to carry on. I went to the back of the house once in a while to take in the lovely view of the grassy mountains and all the nice yellow flowers.

Breakfast in the sun. Looking down at Valle di Blenio.

And this is tonight's view after the sky has opened a bit and offered wonderful light. I am perfectly happy to be here, it is a wonderful place run by wonderful people. It must have been intuition that kept me from having a day of rest at Faido. I will rest here tomorrow instead, which will be great. And I will have enough time to wash clothes, recover and figure out what to do next, seeing I can't go to Scaradra, Läntahütte and Zapporthütte.

This is capanna Piandioss. I highly recommend this place. Such a warm welcome by such nice people. I was served a huge cup of steaming Ovomaltine to warm me up, it wasn't cold, but I had sweat so much and when I stop moving I cool out immediately. Aaron and Oksana have taken Piandioss over from someone, who ran the place down completely. They said they spent two weeks only cleaning and painting and all before they dared to let people in. It is the young, dedicated and extremely nice couple's intention to make you feel really well taken care after.

I was allowed to use the shower and occupied the dorm, which again is all mine tonight. We talked a lot, which was very nice and interesting and then I was served dinner. Oksana is a perfect cook and so friendly. I had fresh but spicy cheese from the produce of Aaron's parents with wonderful tomato salad and freshly baked bread. That was only the beginning because then there was a vegetable soup with cheese tortellini, then mashed potatoes with mushrooms and then two cakes, a typical Ticinese bread pie and a wonderful apple tart. I'm about to burst and it was delicious.

That's what the path was like walking down to the hut. Nice. And a change to all that walking in the woods and steep grass hills with thoroughly overgrown paths.

And this is at Bassa di Nara, a nice Wales-like scenery. And the sign pointing the way to Piandioss. Exactly where I wanted to go. I was glad the climbing was over, it was a lot better than I had thought, but I was happy I didn't have to go any further up.

At around two I reached Alpe Nara and its pretty and happy looking goats. The alpe is run by young, alternative looking people who waved at me.

I slept well eben though I didn't have an easy night. I woke up in the middle of the night because of the severe pain in my right thumb. I don't know how but I managed to procure a new wound, another small but terribly painful cut just underneath my nail. So I got up at two, tried to clean the cut in case it was infected, took the toothpick from my Swiss army knife and applied Betaisodona (hail Betaisodona!). After a while the pain grew less and I fell asleep again. I still found I had rested when I got up at seven. Packed my stuff and went to Osteria Marisa where I had Ovomaltine and a cornetto. The owner was nice enough to fetch me butter and jam from her own kitchen, because I asked for it. I felt I needed some sugar for the long climb. And I didn't have to pay for it, which is very nice.

I knew I would have to climb 1400m and I started really, really slowly. At the pace of a snail more or less. But I didn't care, I just wanted to get there. After 700m of climbing I discovered that once again I had take another path than planned, which didn't matter, because there are various paths that lead up to the Bassa di Nara. Bad map reading.

I ended up in Molare instead of Cassin. I sat down in the tiny village to rest and call they landloard of the Läntahütte to find out about the snow conditions. He was very nice, but it became clear that I would't be able to go through with my plans in that region. Too much snow, too dangerous.

Then it started to rain, quite heavily. I called capanna Piandioss to ask if it was ok to go up to Nara in the rain, apparently it was no problem. The landlord was very nice, he already had been on the phone yesterday. Today he even called while I was creeping up to Nara to see if everything was ok. The climb went well considering how I felt yesterday, and going up all the time was good for my arms.

I'm knackered today. Completely. Maybe it's the famous third day or what happened on the snow yesterday or that I'm simply not in form. My arms feel like I have lifted heavy weights for hours and hours, my legs are a little sore and I feel so exhausted I didn't even manage to eat half of my Pizza (yes, PIZZA) at the Osteria Marisa, where I will also have breakfast tomorrow. I was on my feet for eight and a half hours, climbed 650m and went down incredible 1850m. I am writing this in bed. Proper bed with sheets and all. And after I've checked the map for tomorrow I'm going to sleep. Would't want to be anywhere else now.

And this is where I am sleeping tonight. Albergo Barudoni, which is, well, strange. It is an ancient run-down house (350 years old) run by an ancient, tired woman. Too tired to make me even breakfast in the morning, I sympathise. She is nice in an ancient and tired way. And the place is cheaper than a mountain hut. I am very much reminded of a place in Meana di Susa in Piedmont where I stayed a night with Ute last year. Only this time the water was not cold, but luke warm, but warm enough for me. I was so glad to get out of my sweat through clothes and wash my hair. In a real albeit ancient shower.

Looking down at Faido from above, from a rather spectacular waterfall. It started to rain when I was on my last 500m down and into the town, it was a looooong descent. And I was glad when I finally got there. Faido is at about 750m. I can hardly believe that only yesterday I was at about 2600m.

No, that is not my supper, but it looks very nice, doesn't it? Like a giant rose in a fairy tale forrest.

There used to be a hotel on Piumogna plane. It was built in the late 19th century and destroyed in 1925 by an avalanche.

I walked downhill for a long time and actually met someone, a hippie-like man with long grey hair, who was leading a goat and was accompanied by five sheperd dogs. The walking was mainly in the woods, but not easy walking because of all the stones, roots and hotbot grass. Some parts were like a swamp, I'm glad I didn't have to build a castle in it (har, har). I came through all these tiny villages. First Cala, which I didn't actually mean to, but I took a wrong turn, it wasn't a problem, but I lengthened my walking day and added some additional metres to today's balance of ups and downs. Then there was Doro and then Ces, which apparently was a hippie commune with ecological products on sale. Very nice. Then Gribbio, where I took a short break. And then Piumogna plane here in the photo, with Campo Tencia in the background, this time from the other side.

This is Sponda hut in the morning when I left. In the background are the mountains I came down from, but Bassa del Barone is hidden behind the corner. I was packing my backpack when I heard the helicopter, it was delivering goods and men who came up to do work like renewing the water pipes. We had a nice Chat and they invited me to stay, but I had a long day in front of me and was already leaving later than I had planned.

Look at all that water, it is amazing. I don't know how many rivers I crossed and the last bit was often like walking through marsh lands. I feel exhausted from the digging episode in the snow but at least my finger nails are really clean now! My left hand feels a little burnt, snow burnt? I saw some marmots and a pheasant (?) On the way to the hut. The weather was really good for walking, but the forecast was actually - and still is - for really good weather. Nothing but clouds since I arrived at Sponda. Glad to be here, if had walked the other way round and had seen all that snow I wouldn't have gone up. But from the Bassa I didn't see any snow and after that first part of the descent which was really bad, I decided to go through with it and now all is well. Maybe even my shoes will be dry tomorrow.

No more snow but loads of water! And rivers and streams to cross. That was really difficult because the water was deep. There was one place I wasn't sure I would be able to pass. A possibility would have been to take of my shoes, but seeing my left foot was already completely wet from the episode in the snow I thought it would only be fair to get the other foot wet too and it was slurp slurp for the next hour and a half to Sponda.

I could't see any snow from the pass so I started to descend. Horrible descent, lots of scrambling and moving rocks, very steep, some snow and ice. Thank god my foot was ok. When I came to better ground I saw all that snow and was not too happy. Orientation wasn't the problem, I saw enough signs and I had my gps, but I was afraid to fall into a hole. Put on the crampons and was greatly relieved to find that I could very well on the snow which tends to become very soft at this time of the year. I tested the snow with the sticks before each step but that didn't always help. I went in with my left leg again. Really deep and I was stuck. I didn't panic, but it cost me a lot of strength to dig myself out again. Zigzagged my way to rocks and left the crampons on, just in case there was more soft snow. Only after a while I felt relaxed enough to look back and take a photo. The problematic passage is way back in the clouds.

I am all alone here, when I arrived there were two Italians I chatted with, they were just leaving for Chironico like the guardiano who had come up to do some work. Sponda is not pretty, but comfortable, there is warm water and electricity, which means I can charge my phone and as I have just discovered Internet works here! Amazing.

I'm glad for all that after the day I've had. Woke up at six because the Augsburgers were making a racket, but stayed in bed until after eight. I had breakfast and checked the bus schedule to Sonogno in case I had to go down there. Then I left for Bassa della Barone at 2585m. After a 200m climb I arrived at Lago Barone which was really still frozen over and looked very interesting. I had to walk around the right side which was full of snow. I went quite well but once my left leg went into the snow and it was a little trouble getting it put again. It was then a steep climb to Bassa della Barone. This is the view on the like from there.

I've declared war on the the cold I am feeling. I've lit the fire in the kitchen stove here at Sponda hut, had a plate of "angle hair" pasta with butter and Grana and opened a bottle of red wine. A small one. You see wine and other drinks as well as coffee, tea etc are always there. I'm sitting on a blanket and my clothes are hanging over the stove.

Saturday 23.6.2012

I was really cold, made tea (tea, milk powder etc is free) and ate "Butterkekse" some German had left behind. I'm sitting there with a Swiss army blanket, the ancient Augsburgers have abandoned attempts to light the fire. So it's red wine to warm up. This is such a beautiful place. It was strange to leave Soveltra though. Walter, Arturo and Carla were busy preparing did the "Campus" kids to arrive, Arturo wanted me to call from the Campala pass to see if I was ok with the snow, but I couldn't, no problem with snow.

Saturday 23.06.2912

I have arrived at Capanna Barone, it is completely hidden in the clouds. So, no photo of the beautiful Barone. When I left Soveltra it was sunny and hot with clouds I was happy with in the long ascent to Bocchetta della Campala with the rabbit-shape rock I remembered well from when I climbed up there three years ago with Dayal, so even if orientation had been a problem I would have known where to go. Photo shows the first view, but with lots of clouds. 


The descent to Barone is not nice, I remember that too, what I did not remember was some serious scrambling with some secured spots, better to go up than down. My foot hurt but as I discovered it was that special bandage that hurt because it put pressure on the tender spot. I took it off in the descent and it was better immediately. When I arrived at Barone I was surrounded bg thick clouds, I thought I was alone, but then two men from Augsburg materialised. They had been up to Lago Barone and said it looked like Iceland, lots of snow. I wonder how far I will her tomorrow because that is my direction to Sponda hut.

Before they arrived I had washed myself and picked the best place in the beautiful dorm, you con see the view in the photo, but only about because of the weather. 

When I was making myself comfortable a mountain goat (Gemse, camoscio) arrived right outside my window. See in the photo.

This is serious rain. Oh, no, stop, not just rain, thunder (far away, but thunder) and lightning too. The weather is mad. I woke up to clouds, but it was very warm and it didn’t rain until the late afternoon. Then it rained hard, then the sun came out and now it is raining hard again…

My two guests did not show up. I tried to call them at five in the afternoon to see if they were coming or not, but - no answer. I do not know who is going to eat the caponata, quiche and the cake I baked today and am glad that I didn’t start cooking the other stuff I had planned.

It was a busy day today. I slept until nine and after doing the usual things – drinking ovomaltine, cleaning the fire place, airing the hut etc.- I baked an apricot cake and then went into Terminator mode on the grass. Let’s see if you see a difference between the two pictures:

Before...

After...

To be honest, I think it looked nicer before that after, but I was told that cutting the grass and nettles, especially now that the kids are arriving, was very important. So, no arguing, but mowing. I spent four hours cutting grass and I must say I enjoyed myself. I had to get used to the equipment and how to use it, but had a good time. It is again the kind of work that agrees with my sense of order and I tend to do it thoroughly. But I was terrified that I might kill something after I first stirred a frog (a frog? At 1500m in the heat?) and then a viper. Yes, a real and quite long viper. I hope I did not end the lives of too many small or very small creatures. Anyway, this is the Terminator’s weapon:

In between attacking the grass and other green stuff I had to check on the cake and also on some passers-by. First a lone man, whom I had already seen from a distance passing by in the morning, had beer, coffee and cake and then two, rather stressed, Germans came, gulped down two big beers and hurried off again towards Prato Sornico. After putting away the equipment and massaging my now sore shoulders and neck I set out with a small bucket and scissors to collect flowers for the small vases that we put on the tables in the dining room and I did not only cut flowers, but also my finger. I have never cut myself with scissors before. Idiotic. Now I have various blisters and a fresh, rather deep, cut on my hands. Sigh.

Tomorrow is my last day here at Soveltra and my feelings are mixed. On the one hand I can’t wait to get going, despite doubts about my ankle and my general condition, and I am excited about all the things that are going to happen, on the other hand I am almost a bit sad and envious of the next guardianos, who will have lots of guests to take care of. I have been taking some reservations, but all of them for July. I will really miss the open fire.

I have finished my list for Fiorenzo, which will reach him somehow. Arturo will take care of that, but, most probably, neither Arturo nor Fiorenzo will be able to read my handwriting. I’ll see what has come of it when I arrive at Piano delle Creste at the end of July. I have also made reservations for the first three places I plan to stay and have been told that the weather forecast for the weekend is good.

Today is the longest day of the year, but it is almost dark at not even quite ten o’clock here. I imagine that in Germany now, if the weather is good, it will be light until almost eleven. Well, we’re south from Germany here. I wonder what all my friends and family are doing. But, wait, isn’t Germany playing today? I haven’t had any news from my Bernd-hotline yet.

Tomorrow morning I will do some more washing (clothes) and then Claudio is coming up (he just sent an SMS) to finally repair the wheel barrel’s wheel. I’m glad I will see him once more before I leave. I have no idea if I have guests in the evening, the ones that didn’t come today apparently said they may stay two nights. A misunderstanding maybe. But I will be busy. I have agreed to bake four cakes for Walter. And there is a lot of other work to do. And my washing, and, and, and.

I was up at quarter to eight, cleaning a bit, having a hot ovomaltine, preparing the fire place etc when Walter Lösch and Claudio arrived. Walter is another guardiano over sixty. These men have all worked for this hut for many, many years and are continuing to do so as long as they can, it seems. And almost all of them are still fit enough to walk at least the path from the first bridge, which is a steep, one hour-long ascent.

I am nothing compared to them, a complete new-comer, but ignorant compared to them, I have ended up here for very specific reasons, know nothing really about the region, their lives, the written and unwritten laws and ways. I suppose they consider me an exotic kind of tourist with good intentions and high morals concerning interest, work and service. They accept me in a way, but in another they do not. Which is their right. And I apologise for anything I have done wrong or continue to do wrong without knowing.

After coffee and ovomaltine, Claudio started to replace the broken wheel barrel wheel and mow the grass and Walter and I went through all the provisions. He had lists of all the food he needed and the dishes he planned to prepare for a total of about 35 persons in one week and checked everything on his list, adding the amounts he needed to be delivered. He seems to me to be a very amiable man with a good sense of humour.

They had originally planned to leave very early again, but I managed to persuade them to stay for an early lunch, so I could give them my caponata and the planned quiche. I abandoned plans to bake a cake, because they would definitely not stay long enough and nobody else was scheduled to come. They were hesitant about staying a little longer, but Walter, who, as I discovered later, is a sweet tooth, was hooked when I told him I had already prepared tiramisu the night before.

We had lunch together at about twelve, I must say the caponata with toasted slices of white bread with garlic was delicious. I wasn’t too happy with the quiche, the dough was a bit too thick and I had no adequate alternative to “schmand”, “crème fraiche” or the likes. And the tiramisu didn’t turn out as nearly perfect as usual. The crème wasn’t as it usually was, maybe it was the weather, I had trouble beating the cream and the mascarpone was a little too thin. Maybe it was the “thunder storm weather”-effect (remember the same situation in Berlin, Bernd?), but still it is quite edible and Walter and Claudio seemed very happy and content with the food.

Claudio did not succeed in repairing the wheel barrow, so the piles will remain where they are for the time being. Instead, he showed me how to use this special “lawn-mowing”-machine before he left because he had not managed to finish everything and I was glad to have some work to do. Then, at one in the afternoon they were gone again. I put on the wellies and got ready for some orange-clad, extraterrestrial-looking law-moving action when it started to rain. And I found the mouse. It was dead. My mouse was dead. Dead, right on my door step. I don’t know why. I took it to the river for a proper “sea funeral” and am now mourning.

It RAINED. So I put everything away and went to bed. I normally never lie down during the day or sleep, but these past days I have. It rained and rained and rained and I was in bed. Until four. It was still raining when I got up again. Definitely no lawn moving today. So I started to prepare things for Saturday, what maps, clothes and other things to take with me, make a to-do list and a list of food for my week as guardiana at Piano delle Creste. I will leave the list here for Arturo to give to Fiorenzo as well as my parcel that will be brought up to the hut and will be there when I arrive.

I will have two guests tomorrow, at least they haven’t called yet to cancel their stay. I have loads of food ready and ideas how to feed them. Tomorrow morning I hope to get some lawn-mowing done, weather permitting, and then bake a cake. Collect new flowers for the vases on the tables, do some washing and call at least the first three huts I plan to stay to make reservations.

Those who have actually read all the stuff I have been writing at length and maybe even found it interesting, must prepare themselves for a probably long silence from me now. When you read this many days will already have passed by and I will no longer have anybody to take care of my blogging. When you read this I, hopefully, will already have walked for at least a week and will be somewhere on my way towards Engadine. There will be no more entries in the blog, unless I happen to stay in a pension or similar place with Wi-Fi or other Internet access.

I am telling you this because the next two days will go by quickly and then I will be writing on my HTC and taking photos, but I will not be able to send them off. And then it will be back to short texts, because updating the blog by HTC, even though it is a really good device, is a lot more complicated than with a normal computer. I can hardly believe I will actually be walking again in two days. My foot feels quite good, not normal and there is a spot that is still quite tender. I am optimistic but careful. Tomorrow it will be exactly two weeks ago that I hurt myself. Maybe I am too optimistic. We will see. After the first day of walking to Barone hut I will already have an idea of the state I am in.

I made fire and breakfast for my guests at seven and went back to bed again. No guests today and nothing much to do. The second night in a row I dreamt about fire, lots of fire, and always in places it was not supposed to be, in houses, on rocks, even on animals like my now long dead and beloved cat Trusca. I dream a lot about cats too. I am dreaming a lot in general, and most of my dreams are unpleasant ones, maybe it is all the accumulated stress that is coming out, slowly… After I got up again I spent two hours working outside, doing this:

It may not look like a lot of work to you, but it was and it was hot. I stopped moving wood and cleaning up when I felt I had blisters on my hands. Well, it’s my own fault, I forgot to put gloves on again just like last time. I couldn’t get rid of the piles because the wheel barrel is still “out of order”. Claudio has bought a new wheel and will bring it up tomorrow or on Thursday.

Even though there were many clouds the sun was really strong and I sat under the big red umbrella for some time after I’d had a shower and washed my few clothes again:

I sat there for some time, studying my maps and eating the last piece of cake, seeing nobody else was going to. I have decided to start really slowly on Saturday, considering my hurt ankle and all this time I have done hardly anything but cleaning and working a bit and feeding a few guests. It has been more like a special kind of holiday than a typical “guardiano” week. Instead of going directly from Soveltra to Capanna Sponda on Sunday, I will leave on Saturday and stop at Alpe Barone, which I already know and which is very, very nice. This way I split the tour in two and have two short walks. You can see the path on the map:

I’ve walked it before, but the other way round, coming from Barone and arriving at Solvetra. My highest point will be the “Bocchetta della Campala” at around 2300m. I should be at the hut, even in “slow motion”, in about four hours. So, weather permitting, I can leave in the early afternoon after having putting everything in order for my fellow guardianos, who will arrive in the morning to take over. Everything has to be clean and tidy. Normally we also prepare food to make the start easier for them, according to the bookings etc. This time Carla, whom I already met ten days ago, will come up with a group of at least 25 children aged 6 to 10, a cook and kitchen crew. It is a regular event for children called “Campus”. During that week no reservations are taken for Soveltra, only those who pass by can stay of course. Early tomorrow morning the cook, Walter Lösch, who is also a regular Soveltra guardiano, is coming up to take stock of the food there is and make notes of what he needs. He is a “real” cook and I have heard of him, but haven’t met him yet.

Today I also spoke to Fiorenzo, who is responsible for the Piano delle Creste hut, where I worked for a weekend past September and will be guardiana for a week from 28 July to 4 August. He told me that for the first day, the Saturday, I already have 21 bookings. Once again I am on a guardiano duty on my own, which is unusual, nothing I wanted and nothing to be recommended. Fiorenzo told me that during that week, which is one of the busiest, it would be simply impossible to cope on my own. So he will be coming up on the Saturday to help and will maybe stay the whole week. On Saturday also my friends Baggy (Bernd), Olaf and Paul plan to come up to the hut and stay a few days. They will be on their way back home from their walking holiday in the “Seealpen” in France and Bavona valley is no great deviation.

It is raining slightly. I had a plate of penne with my fresh pesto and feta cheese tonight, which was very yummy, and then prepared caponata and tiramisu. Both will keep for a few days. I have at least two guests on Thursday and Friday. And if Walter and Claudio come tomorrow there will be something nice for them to eat. I also plan to make another apricot cake and a quiche with green asparagus tomorrow. Anybody coming?