Sleeping in the Straw

Sleeping in the Straw - Thursday, June 17, 2010

Today we left our Zimmer in Merlingen early before the hosts were up. They did not offer breakfast this morning so we opted to eat our good old cereal along the Thunersee beside the ducks.
Since it was damp and looked like rain we drove north to Wattenwil area where we found our “sleep in the straw” accommodation for one night - a very large house/barn combination that will house not only the Kunzi family but a separate apartment for Omma but a zimmer as well as the straw mow and large dining room beneath.
Out of town we found several flat paths so we biked out through the countryside for several hours, came back to the car and ate lunch then out on the bikes again for a couple more hours.
It was back up the high winding roadway again to our “straw” farm where we met M&P who will be with us for 2 weeks as we tour Switzerland.
Our accommodation is literally up in their straw mow above the stable. Cows bawling and rattling their chains in the night and the owner started the milking machines around 6 a.m. this morning. It was dry but cold so we each used 4 heavy army blankets and slept in our clothes. When we were still getting ready, 2 Swiss hikers joined us in the straw mow at the other side of the mow. They had been hiking the Jacobsweg, a trail that runs past the high mountain farm and extends from one side of Switzerland to the other. We had “schlaf Im Stroh” in 2002 and wanted to experience it again this time and M&P were eager to experience it as well.