Pride & Innocence

While in Bezau, in Bregenzerwald we stopped for dinner at a very traditional restaurant. Like most things in Europe, there was a story that surrounded the restaurant.

The old building was purchased by a man who was very skilled with wood working and committed to the traditions and history of the Bregenzerwald region. I loved how it was redone. The original beams, flooring and so on were all maintained and resurfaced. Although the updates within maintained the traditional look of the region, a slightly modern feel also exists. As expected the food was as well very traditional (I had to have käsespätzle). I wish I had pictures to share of the building and restaurant – however that will have to wait until the next time I visit.

While flipping thought the restaurants albums that documented the buildings physical transformation, a news clipping which I posted with this blog caught my attention. Directly translated it means “strong cheese year.” It made me giggle to see something like this make headlines. However, properly interpreted, the headline is sharing that the areas cheese sales were great that year. Still kinda cute - and also somewhat indicative of the innocence and pride of this very traditional region.

A Satisfied Longing

I am so excited. After a year of longing, I have them.

It all started when one day while looking for a flat I noticed an unusual pair of boots that a woman was wearing. I told her that I liked them. “These are quite special,” said the woman with the cool boots. She then launched into a story about a man who wasn’t overly social in Bregenzerwald, who had one day started making these “special boots” by hand. The demand for the boots became such that he had to expand and move to manufacturing plant.

“And look, they are wood.”

Anyone who knows me is aware of my shoe, and in particular my boot “thing” so all of this was making me even more enthusiastic about the boots. “They are so comfortable and the cow skin makes them warm,” she added.

Cool boots with a story – could it get any better?

I wanted these boots like I have never wanted boots before. So I Googled. Dropped not so subtle hints to my Austrian friends – but still these darn boots evaded me. Beyond knowing I had to go to Bregenzerwald, I had no clue where to find them.

But finally, my not so subtle mention of the boots I so wanted fell upon the right ears. Friday evening I made my way to the town of Bezau, a teeny ski town nestled in beautiful Bregenzerwald and within it was the shop I had longed to visit.

As much as I try to be as emotionally restrained as the average Vorarlberger, I simply can’t hide what I feel. Most of the time I manage to dull it down a little, but when I entered this boot shop – all sense of restraint was lost. Surrounded by so many cool boots, the shop full of customers was soon amused by my childlike glee.

I saw my companions laughing with the other shoppers, but I didn’t care. So excited and in the moment I could not remember any German, my English was so quick that no one understood that either – but that was okay, it was pretty clear that I was having a super cool moment.