After walking about the village for a while, talking to a few of the residents and visiting the chapel, Pete said he would like me to meet some REAL Swiss folks--an old couple who lived about a half hour's walk further down the valley.
This elderly pair lived year-round in this most isolated part of the country. They owned a few cows and grew their own food as much as possible. They had lived in this valley their entire lives
and lived almost as the Swiss people did before the modern world encroached so thoroughly with railroads, highways, tourist resorts and ski lifts.
We left our bicycles in the village and walked the little-used path on down the valley for a half hour until we came to a green meadow pasture, unfenced, of course, with deep lush grass sprinkled with pretty wild flowers-- and at the foot of the pasture a postcard view alpine cottage where Pete's friends lived.
We walked up to the low doorway and Pete knocked lightly.
An old man dressed in what looked to be coarse but soft hand-made clothing and hand knitted sweater answered the door and welcomed us in with a delighted smile. His wife rose from a cozy-looking hand-made chair to offer her hand and to turn off their television set.
To my great surprise--they were watching Dallas when we came in!
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