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Graubunden: a Swiss Enclave
By Caroline M. Jackson
Traveling south from Zurich Airport, my husband and I had
little idea of what lay ahead of us. Ignoring the sophisticated brochures
promoting Interlaken, Lucerne and Lugano, we were on a mission to find a pocket
of Switzerland which lay on a road less trammeled - a pristine land of remote
valleys and rugged gorges where overseas visitors are more the exception than
the rule.
Bordered by Austria, Lichtenstein and Italy, the region of
Graubunden, the largest of the Swiss cantons, is tucked into the southeastern
corner of Switzerland. Our scenic three-hour train journey took us past famous
ski resorts such as Klosters and Davos through to our first destination, the
small sub-alpine town of Scuol in the Lower Engadine.
After unpacking at the cozy Hotel Gabriel, we decided to
explore this picture-book town on foot. Our unplanned route took us along
cobbled streets and between houses with facades elaborately decorated with
designs of whorls and arabesques.
On one of the well-worn wooden benches built into each
front entrance, we ran into a local octogenarian who was enjoying his pipe in
the late afternoon sun. With a rheumy eye, he acknowledged us with the typical
friendly greeting: " Allegra!" which means "Be glad". Romansh (a derivative of
Latin) is traditionally spoken in the Lower Engadine and depending on which
valley we visited, we heard German, Romansh and Italian being spoken.
As we continued our walk past deep-set arched doorways, and
flower-decked oriel windows, we only saw one moving car. Later, we were
intrigued to learn that driving is not permitted after 10 pm.
Situated on the mountainside leading down to the River En
(or Inn) from which Engadine got its name, Scuol is famous for its many mineral
springs. In each town square we came across a fountain with twin spouts flowing
into a divided basin. The first one I dared to taste was from an iron-rich rusty
bowl. The other side produced salt water known to act as laxative.
The best way to experience these health-giving waters is to
visit the famous Engadin Spa Scuol. Most popular is the Roman-Irish bath which
blends the traditional European bathing cultures enjoyed by the classical Romans
and the Irish. Deciding to pamper our jet-lagged bodies, we opted for an early
evening visit. When my husband was told he would not be able to bring his
camera, it didn't occur to me that the reason was because the guests prefer to
swim sans apparel. Shelving my Scottish modesty, I was relieved to be handed an
authentic toga on arrival. We were given a diagram of the ultra modern aquatic
facilities and a note of how long we were to spend in each room of this
self-guided bathing ritual. In the next two hours, we showered at various water
temperatures, subjected ourselves to an enervating soap-and-brush massage,
languished in mineral pools and steamed like clams in a sauna. The grand finale
was a dip in icy water but, not being much of a polar bear, I grabbed my toga
and headed for the elegant spa bar where local champagne and crystallized fruits
were on offer. Feeling totally rejuvenated, we ambled down the hill to enjoy an
evening meal at our hotel which already felt like home.
 Over the next few days, we explored the storybook villages
and castles of the River En.
Our final eastern destination was the Benedictine Convent
of St. John, a UNESCO World Heritage Site close to the Swiss/Italian border.
Since no trains traverse this mountainous route, we took a spectacular one-hour
Post Bus journey through the Swiss National Park, Europe's oldest nature
reserve. Our driver skillfully negotiated hairpin bends, crossed wooden bridges
and edged along precipitous gorges. Later the countryside opened up into a
spacious green valley dotted with picturesque farming villages.
On arriving at the walled convent, one of the Sisters
directed us to our accommodation via the adjacent farm.
With a cumbersome key in hand, we trundled our cases
through a quadrangle past an odiferous manure pit, a squealing sow, a frisky
goat and a
 cow byre. The large wooden door opened into a dark stone-flagged
courtyard and for a fleeting moment I wondered if my speculative Internet
booking had been such a wise idea. But things improved. We found a modern
elevator which whisked us up to our comfortable and meticulously clean bedroom.
The silence was broken only by the tolling bells in the adjacent 8 th century
church with its exceptionally well preserved Romanesque frescoes.
 The meals served in a communal dining room included local
cheeses and fresh home-grown produce from the convent garden and orchard.
Our days passed all too quickly with walks to local
villages, picnics and Post-Bus trips across the border into Tyrolean Italy. My
favorite place was the small medieval town of Glurns. As we sat in the town
square sipping our cappuccinos and watched carts of fresh hay being trundled
down the main street, I savored the timelessness of this tranquil part of the
world.
Contacts:
Switzerland Tourism:
http://www.myswitzerland.com
Hotel Gabriel:
http://www.hotel-gabriel.ch
Convent of St. John:
http://www.muestair.ch
Engadin Tourism Office:
http://www.scuol.ch
Swiss Rail:
http://www.sbb.ch/en
Images by Hamish M. Jackson
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