Call it a rainy day.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Our plan today, the last in this area, was to visit the town of Schleitheim , Switzerland and to walk the streets of the town and pathways surrounding the town.

A stream runs through the centre of most towns

It is quaint and unique little village in a valley surrounded by high mountains.  Much of the agriculture is based within the town - tractors with machinery are seen coming and going from within the town.  Originally a group of farms with the fronts facing each other and the farmer’s fields radiating out from the centre.

Schleitheim from the surrounding hills.

Over the centuries, the town has grown with residences and businesses  surrounding the farms but the farms have continued to flourish from within the community.

Searching for the Taufersteig Pathway in the rain

One particular goal was to find and walk along the Taufersteig Path outside of town.  We had seen it listed in publications and wanted to experience it as well as to get some exercise.
Soon upon arrival, it began to rain.

Which way to go??

 Undaunted we went to the Post Office to ask for directions.  Unfortunately the folks there did not speak English but did refer us to the local delivery man outside getting ready to leave on his rounds.  He did speak English but very abruptly stated he was a delivery person and we should go inside for Tourist Information.  We had already been there.  Next it was off to the COOP grocery store - I had seen a young manager there several days previous - most of the youth do speak English so thought he might be able to help.  He could only state that the nearest TI office was in Schaffhausen some 30 km south. Since it was raining we decided to drive the surrounding roads ourselves since we had learned the path was between 2 villages close by.  It was over the river and through the woods for an hour or so in the rain but Nien!!

Our apartment in Bonndorf, Germany

Why try to walk in the rain anyway so we ate lunch as we drove and headed back to the apartment and began to pack our things for the next leg of our wanderings - in Appenzell, Switzerland 

Our apartment in Bonndorf, Germany

We were grateful to Alexandra Maier our hostess taking us in

on short notice.  It had everything that we needed except internet.