Arriving in Bolzano

Those who do not know Bolzano will be enchanted by the Austro-Italian charm. Bozen is considered the most Italian city in South Tyrol. With its 110,000 inhabitants, the capital of the province is clearly surrounded by tourists in the center. Only when you go to the outskirts of the city you discover the endemic lifestyle of the urban population.

I live in the Italian influenced district „Europa-Neustift“ in the Via Torquato-Taramelli in a simple apartment building. Of course, with balcony! There I learn the everyday „Imponterabilia“ of the average citizen: lack of parking space, carrying garbage to the garbage can at the other end of the street, traffic noise and inner-city traffic jams during rush hour. And where do I chain my bike to be theft-proof? Here you meet more people who are not bilingual (German and Italian), they only speak Italian.

This circumstance gives me the flair being in „Bella Italia“, to drink the best caffè and cappuccino and to enjoy Austrian-German comfort at the same time. It reveals itself in the form of Kaiserschmarrn and dumpling dishes of all kinds and that EVERY WORD is also shown in German. Doesn’t help my Italian, but it is extremely relaxing.

Prelude on two wheels

My first trip was on the mountain bike from Bozen to the Montiggler Lake. For swimming. in

After I had worked my way uphill through the Montiggler Forest over field and narrow hiking trails, I met two sporty gentlemen my age who took pity on me. I had lost my way and was looking for a suitable trail to the Montiggler Lake. „Come on, Georg,“ one said to the other in a typical South Tyrolean-German accent, „let’s accompany the lady to the lake!“ Georg nodded and smiled at me friendly. No doubt! They surely knew every path here. This was their territory!

Narrow, winding trails in a magical forest. Best weather. Warm and sunny. The perfect flow. While I was driving behind them, I thanked fate for the encounter. „The coffee‘ s on me!“ I shouted after them. The two of them jumped off every heel and bounced down the rocky passages, “cucumbering” in hairpin bends like butter. Uphill I pedaled after them at a proper distance. „Oh G, what am I doing here?“, I asked myself panting.

While I was struggling a little harder I shouted: „I have more courage than riding technique,“ just to let them know. So challenged, I mastered to my own surprise more uncomfortable passages than I would have liked. After a good one-and-a-half-hour mountain bike trail we stopped at the cozy snack station at the “Lago Piccolo di Monticolo”. Franz and Georg and me. Tough mountain bikers among themselves! Really dirty and without „E“. We had earned the cappuccino fairly.

„But now I have to go back to Bolzano,“ I say. „The way is very easy,“ Franz answers. „But first you have to come with us to the lookout point up there! A wonderful view. You mustn’t miss it. He points his finger at a wooded mountain top. „Hight isn’t so bad. Only downhill there’s a tricky part. You can get off the bike then.“ Alright, I think. And noticed Georg looking doubtfully at his buddy, raising his eyebrows.

It’s late afternoon and I really have to go! We’re heading back. Trails, roots, stones, flow. All good. Until the „tricky bit“ comes. I didn’t even know I was already on it, I experience myself floating in slow motion over my bike. I hit a big stone with my helmet and somehow roll myself with my bike into the rocky descent. Nothing was soft there. No forest ground. No moss. A pity!

One has to be brave and so do I. In fact, nothing hurt me. A scratch on my nose and minor bruises. There was some damage to my right hand. Cracked my helmet. Scratched my goggles. Stand up, adjust the crown, keep going. „Yoo-hoo, I survived it!“ I murmured to myself as I waved goodbye to them at a crossroad.

That same night my right hand swelled up and hurt a lot. The pain by the bruises also appeared punctually the next morning. My adrenalin level was back to normal.

Pursued by bad luck

The accident in the Montiggler Forest was to be the beginning of a small series of misfortunes. Only one week later I fall again on my bike. This time out of pure carelessness on an asphalt road downhill. Without shin and elbow protection. Without gloves. „How stupid can you be?“, I am thinking in that millisecond when it pulls me off the bike and I slide over the asphalt with my hands and elbows first.

Andy, whom I meet at the arranged meeting point with a makeshift supply of bandages, looks at me with a mixture of disbelief and pity when I arrive: „How do you always manage to do that…?“ I sit down next to him without a word and order a cappuccino. 

From now on it is hiking. After a „day off“ at the lake, we’ll take a nice hiking route near Bruneck. Beautiful landscape. Fresh meadows. Pure nature! Nearly 23 km walk, 980 meters of altitude difference, three dumplings, five breaks, a sandwich (Butterstulle) and finally a proper thunderstorm got me through.

I paid for this wonderful hike, the magnificent view, the „accomplishment“ of the route the next day with backache and a migraine.

Okay. Compulsory break. We’re gonna have a quiet day. Stroll through Bruneck. Drinking cappuccino. Browse through alpine outfitters for the ultimate functional sport shirt. The very same evening, I feel sick.  I feel uncomfortable. High temperature. In the emergency room at the hospital in Bressanone, the unspectacular finding was „bladder infection“. For a moment I was overcome by corona panic. With antibiotics I am sent home.

Another three days later the same thing. Andy just left. His two weeks‘ vacation are over. I wave goodbye to him and go back to my little apartment. I feel so queasy again. Weird back pain. Then chills. Oh G, 37.8 temperature. Shortly afterwards I drive myself to the hospital in Brixen. Inflammation of the renal pelvis. The in-patient admission is quick. My data is already in the system. Let’s do a coronary test. It’s negative. From now on medication comes I.V. (Intravenous): Antibiotics, fluids, painkillers. I’m staying two nights.

In all that darkness, there’s still light. I have a message from Brigitta. A dear and close colleague and friend of mine. She’s currently on the E5, hiking over the Alps. From Obersdorf to Meran in sneakers and backpack. Just around the corner. „I’ll come and take care of you,“ she says when she learns of my fate.

The next day, at the exit of the hospital I am hugged by a hiking woman in a proper outdoor outfit. Since then we have been spending a wonderful week together in the Bozen area. Me in a gentle pace and Brigitta in the worry mode. „Thanks, Brigitta! For extensive breakfast conversations, letting the day run without a plan, hiking with „Kaiserschmarrn“, evening cocktail at the cozy Kalterer See. And thanks for the Ho’oponopono.“