Swiss cheesiness

Appenzell was our destination after the St Gallen interlude. So, on a sleepy Sunday morning, we saddled up the trusty steeds and cycled the relatively short leg to a region renowned for its culinary comfort food. And beer.

Here's an interesting fact. Swiss shops don't open on Sundays. Closed. On Sundays. Wow. I'm old enough to remember this state of affairs in NZ but modern enough to expect 24/7 access to food and wine.

Leaving St Gallen, this cycle/pedestrian bridge swoops
 over a deep valley, lulling the rider into a thrilling
 but short-lived downhill frenzy

It was another hot ride, so it was with a sense of relief that we arrived at the BP service station in Appenzell at the start of a rain storm, buying enough basic supplies to see us through to the resumption of retail normality the next day.

Hof Mazenau, according to the photos on Booking.com was a delightfully Swiss self-contained apartment on the outskirts of the town. After a 20 minute ride in the rain along a busy road, not a pleasant experience, we reached the bottom of the world's longest and steepest driveway. Hof Mazenau was at the other end.

 By this stage, I think we both would have happily checked in to Norman Bates' motel if we had come across its neon flashing sign, but we persevered in pushing ourselves up the mountain to a warm greeting from Ruedi and his family. With net curtains, low doorways, busy floral carpeting and the inevitable feather duvets, Hof Mazenau was our cosy retreat on a working farm perched on a steep hillside. A pig farm, did I mention? Pigs in their concrete bunkers, chooks and cows-with-bells free-ranging outdoors . . . a gloriously multi-sensual symphony of a farm.

I have to admit, the reality of Appenzell (steep hills) didn't quite match my expectations. Was I a little naive in thinking there would be flat bits to cycle along? In Switzerland? Possibly. But we had fun. The Appenzeller region is big on tourism, welcoming visitors with a card providing free train and gondola rides, along with other benefits.

We couldn't believe our luck. One of these benefits was a day's free e-bike hire. Flat terrain? Just pedal. Steep gradient? Just press the button and keep pedalling. Such fun! Lunch that day was at a gasthaus on Hoher Hirschberg, a setting with breath-taking views straight out of The Sound of  Music some 400 metres above Appenzell. The middle of nowhere, we thought as we took a seat.

While grazing on french fries, I allowed myself the luxury of some people-watching. Travelling encourages armchair sociology, I think. We observe a small sample; we make grandiose generalisations. It's a way to pass time.

Powered bikes; feeling powerful!

 Anyway, it's stating the obvious to say that the Swiss embrace their outdoors in all its steepness. First, a school group arrived, noisily. Couples our age and older, some in biking lycra, others equipped with sturdy shoes and walking poles, drifted in. Young couples arrived for romantic interludes. Where do all of these people come from? Why are they not at work? Would Maria run across the meadow below us, bursting into song? The hills certainly were alive that day.

Yep, that high

The idyll was soon over;  time to farewell Appenzell.  We'd biked up and down hills, with and without motors, drunk beer, ridden trains, ascended steep slopes in tiny red capsules, eaten mac n cheese - a local delicacy, it would've been rude not to - at 1600 metres, and had genuinely enjoyed the verdant Swiss countryside. Did I mention drinking beer? It would've been rude not to. Cheers!