Altenberg : The Tale of A Tiny Town

Sharvari, Sachin, Smita, Shekhar, Ashwini, Narendra, Sangita, Chandan

The road ahead looks marvelous and welcoming. We are now all by ourselves on the cycle path. We cross small streams, bridges, farms and barns. Some of the very small villages exhibit neatly decorated houses and churches. There is no sign of human beings however the well-maintained roads and meticulously cut grass speak volumes of their existence. 

Milind

We have now reached a small village called Orth. As per the guide there is a church and a fort, worth visiting. However There is a ceremony today at the church and hence the visitors are prohibited. We now while away some time in the town center and decide to proceed further. As we are discussing the route for our onward journey, Sachin reads out loud, 'Graveyard road'! All of us are wondering now as to where on earth did he read this. Finally after deep research and long debate we realize we need to look for the gravel road. Come on Sachin you were not all that wrong. We search for the gravel road. To our astonishment we have now entered the forest area. Lush green trees, chirping of birds and cool wind accompany us through the journey. This road in fact leads us to the park of Schloss Eckartsau ( Fortress). As we proceed further, each one of us is already looking for a photo opportunity. The scenic beauty of country side Europe is enchanting. We keep peddling and fighting with our photo obsession at the same time. The speed is good since our stomachs crackle for food. Some of us are  already thinking about  lunch. However we see no cafes or restaurants on our way. It is already 12.30 pm.

We have now reached the Schloss Eckartsau. Milind and I proceed to check if it is worth visiting. They tell us that the guided tour will be only after an hour or so. And one cannot enter it without the guide. We do not want to wait anymore hence we decide to proceed further. The road leads us via another small village and along the farms. We are engrossed in observing the surroundings. 

As we proceed further, we are now on the motorable road. Cars are really fast. They drive past us by keeping a safe distance. However their mere speed threatens us and we become extra cautious. We see a cyclist picking up something under the tree. As Shekhar observes keenly, he beams with absolute delight, “the cherries are ripe. We must eat those cherries!” all of us alight from our bicycles and here it starts. Cherry picking. Each one of us finds a tree loaded with ripe cherries. The grass underneath is covered with red cherries freshly fallen down. We simply pick up the nature’s treasure and satisfy our taste buds. We no more want any food. Our hunger is taken care of by the mother nature. We take many halts and eat the fruit to our full satisfaction. As we proceed towards Altenburg we see many Vintage cars passing by. We suddenly realize we are going be part of one historic event of the town. The Vintage car rally. As we enter the town of Altenburg, there are people everywhere. The main square of the town is occupied by the villagers. Each one of us is now eager to see the rally. Cars are coming in one after the other. We see hundreds of vintage models and are short of words in admiration. The entire atmosphere is scintillating. There is enthusiasm and excitement in the air. None of us want to leave this place though we know that our hotel is just a minute away. After much observation and discussion on the vintage car rally we finally proceed to our hotel.

Hotel Stokle is a family run descent hotel with excellently decorated rooms and warm owners. The

Hotel Stockle and the Lady Stokle 😃

owner is a middle aged  lady at the counter. She hands over the keys and asks us with much concern if we are Vegans. I tell her that we are Vegetarians and not Vegans. She is relieved and looks more welcoming.

We unpack our bags and come together for a cup of coffee. Some of us resign to the swimming pool and the others to the lawn. It is an awesome weather.

Cherry Picking

As we assemble back for the dinner, the Stokle  lady comes back with her refreshing smile and warm gesture. Delicious Austrian food is served on our platters. As we relish the food, our noise levels also catch attention of other guests. We meet Rolf and   Marion from Germany. They are also cycling on the same route. They tell us about their cycling expedition in other parts of Europe. Our limited knowledge of Deutsch and their mere knowledge of a few English words does not come in the way of our conversation. We talk for several minutes and also get over with  a round of introduction.

 Graveyard Road? No Gravel Road

A short walk after dinner is quite enriching. Same town which hosted a vintage car rally looks very peaceful and accomplished. We roam around the place for some time however most of us do not want to talk now. We are afraid, our mere sound might disturb the quietude in the air. 

With dreams in our eyes we finally surrender  to our rooms. Every day is going to be a fresh new day now. New day of new aspirations, new people, new route and new experiences. Life is so captivating, surreal, yet real. 

To be continued ............