This year, we discovered the tour group "Valsesia Incoming." It is run by two absolutely terrific young people, Marco and Claudia. They will organize private excursions of any kind, taking you up into the mountains into remote places you might otherwise never find for yourself, for a really reasonable price!
We chose to try out a "donkey tour" which they already had scheduled. Unsurprisingly, we were the only Americans on the trip - possibly the first Americans they'd ever had! It's always so much fun to be surrounded by people from other countries. On this trip, the other families were all Italian.
We started off by meeting in Piode, a town only about 45 minutes from Orta. There, our stuff was loaded onto the donkey's packs, and off we went into the mountain!!
This is John, discovering his first blueberries. After a little while, he refused to walk with me, because he discovered that Claudia would feed him as many and as often as he liked, while I was just concentrating on surviving the walk up the hill!!
We began encountering the occasional mountain hut. These were privately owned places that had been restored by their owners. None was new. Apparently, you cannot built a new structure in the Alps, though you can restore old ones if you abide by very strict rules.
When we finally reached a plateau near the summit of the mountain (3,000 vertical feet up in 3 hours!!), we found ourselves at a simple mountain inn called Rifugio Meggiana. We thought we saw a CAR driving away, but our guides laughingly convinced us we must be hallucinating due to exhaustion. We almost believed them until we saw another - this kind of mischievous humor is so typical of Marco and Claudia - I love it! :)
Anyway, you can drive to Rifugio Meggiana rather than hike - and many people do, to enjoy the unbelievable food and view.
We ate the most incredibly delicious lunch imaginable with (obviously) locally-grown food. As usual in this part of Italy, part of the fun was hearing all the other languages. I don't like to encounter other Americans, I have to admit. We're plenty enough Americans wherever we go. ;)
I had to take this picture because there in the background was the Simpsons playing on t.v. SIGH!!!!!! You see? More than enough America already, even high in the Alps!!
The next morning, when we woke up, we saw this sign affixed to the front of the rifugio: "Oggi: stufato d'asino" ("Today's special: stuffed donkey.")
The owner of the rifugio had gone out, along with a willing member of our group, and "hidden" one of the donkeys behind a little hill where it couldn't easily be seen. Once he told us all of his prank, we all laughingly waited for Marco to come back and see the sign. Our plans were foiled, though, when he heard the donkey braying and became worried, running in to ask if anyone had seen it. We had to confess - at which point he still burst out laughing.
This good-natured kidding around just tickles me so much.
We continued climbing upward - this time, only an hour or two. That day, I started out "guiding" a donkey and marched like one of Napoleon's soldiers up the hill until I was gently advised by Marco to let the animal's pace guide my own. I didn't need to walk so furiously, he told me... and of course, he was right.
On the way, Brian and I saw this outcropping and took pictures of each other. We both saw birds (maybe hawks?) circling below us. I was just giddy with happiness.
At the top of this peak, there was a tiny, TINY village overlooking the valley below, with a small pond where cattle came to drink.
Life doesn't get much better than this. I was continually so touched by how patient and full of humor both Claudia and Marco were - and so, so good with all the kids on the trip.
Peering into a shrine at the top of the hill...
The cattle were walking fast, and almost overcame us... we had to run in the end to avoid them! :)
The cattle were driven by the best-dressed shepherdess I could imagine - only in Italy do the shepherdesses look so chic! :) I am sorry I did not get a picture of her...
Heading home at last, Brian was assigned to his least favorite donkey, whom he was determined to control... this is Star's reaction, listening to him hollering at her...
On our way down, we ran into Claudia's parents at a little "fest" at the chapel in the woods where we'd first stopped on our way up. It was lucky for me that we did, because by that point my knees had begun bothering me. Although I'd had no trouble on the way up, on the way down I was overcome by this awful joint pain and Claudia's father nearly carried me down the mountain, finally driving me the last half-hour. No words can express my gratitude for that kindness (and pure embarrassment kept me from taking a picture) - but here we are, almost home at last.
GRAZIE A VOI, VALSESIA INCOMING!!
