Scott and I just returned from an 8-day European adventure. We met a group of friends in Germany to experience the Oktoberfest in Munich, and then drove toward Bolzano, Italy, in order to celebrate the marriage of our dear friends, Brooke and Guy.
We had visited Munich before, so it was fun to return and have a pretty good sense of direction as to where we were. This time we got to visit a famous Munich landmark, the beautiful Frauenkirche with its twin onion dome towers.
Neither Scott nor I had been to Italy before. Even so, I thought I had a good idea as to what to expect based upon the experiences of our friends and what we have seen in films. I imagined rolling hills filled with vineyards and villas a la Tuscany, and the rugged seashores of places like the Amalfi Coast and the island of Capri.
Beautiful Bolzano is neither of those things. It is much more mountainous region, which makes sense, given its close proximity and historical ties to Austria.
Upon our arrival in the city, we stopped to ask a gracious local for directions to our hotel. It turned out we weren't staying in Bolzano at all. The hotel Bad-Schörgau was 20 minutes up a curvy mountain road in Sarentino.
The ride up was breathtaking for a number of reasons. Hillsides were dotted with lovely alpen-style homes, draped with cascading flowers of every imaginable color. Every now and again you'd see a majestic castle, either tucked into the mountainside or perched atop a rocky bluff. And there were plenty of dark, curving tunnels as we made our way up the winding road.
At the mouth of one of those tunnels, we came face to face with the front of a bus, missing each other by mere molecules, I'm sure. Scott handled our little car beautifully and we arrived at the hotel with nary a scratch, but perhaps a little queasy.
The road up to the church was even steeper and curvier. Brooke and Guy had arranged transportation for their guests so we didn't have to worry about driving. Some folks chose to look out over the side of the mountain as the vans climbed. Knowing my limitations, I kept my eyes straight ahead and tried to imagine the beauty as they described it.
Brooke and Guy were married in a 400-year-old church atop a hill in the Sarner Valley. The final portion of the road leading to it was so steep and narrow that the vans were unable to climb it. We all laughed as we navigated our way, then gasped as we crested the top and looked out over the lush, gorgeous mountains with the town of Bolzano nestled in the valley below.
The church was intimate and absolutely stunning inside with its ethereal frescoes along the ceiling and ornately decorated altar. The scent of incense permeated the air as we found seats in the tiny wooden pews.
As Brooke and Guy recited their vows, it was impossible not to be overcome by the beauty and magnitude of this experience. We were experiencing something truly magical.
When we recessed out of the church following the ceremony, we were greeted with flutes of champagne and a haunting, strangely familiar sound. Two alpenhorn players stood about 20 feet away, blowing into their majestic instruments. The music reverberated against the magnificent mountainside and bathed us in its beauty.
The melodies lasted for nearly 20 minutes. As the players rested, I asked for a photo with them and they happily obliged.
After the pictures were taken, one of them offered the massive horn to Scott to try. We'd been informed by our host, Gregor, that the horns are nearly impossible to play but Scott managed a clear, straight note. When they offered me a turn, I produced something more akin to a distressed animal's call, which gave us all a good laugh.
Both horn players were named Josef, and both had carved their own instruments. They explained that it takes about 10 solid days to craft a single horn, from the harvesting of the tree to hollowing out and smoothing the wood, to piecing it together.
They were dressed traditionally, in lederhosen and caps, and their ties were handcrafted by a local woman and made from wood. It was an unforgettable sight to watch them hoist their alpenhorns and prop them against their shoulders as they made their way back down the hillside.
Back at the hotel, we enjoyed more champagne and an indescribable wedding feast. There were four courses for dessert alone. A three-piece band serenaded us as we ate. Afterward, guests released written wishes for the couple attached to balloons and swung giant sparklers on the lawn outside as a final celebration of the union.
Looking back, I still can't believe that we got to experience something so incredibly romantic and unforgettable. It was truly an event of a lifetime.
n Amy Roby can be reached at ranchosroundup@hotmail.com.
