The European Chronicles 2022.7. Some R&R and Sud Tyrol History
Gaining Perspective
I needed a riding break! And to wash out my helmet liner...too much information? 😆. I extended my stay at Bemelmans Post through the weekend, slept in, explored Collalbo, enjoyed the spa, rested my back (now completely fine), learned some history and generally "took a breath."
Racing through Europe, after all, is not the objective.
So, what did I learn? A few things...
Saturday morning in Collalbo appears to be the time where the locals (about 1800) shop at the local market, drop things off at the post office, frequent the pharmacy but perhaps most importantly, connect. Walking down the street is an "event," with hearty greetings exchanged and frequent adjournments to a sidewalk cafe for a coffee or even a spritz, notwithstanding the morning hour. The encounters are unhurried, enthusiastic and genuine.
It was entertaining people watching. I've never experienced anything quite like it in the US. Have you?
Panda Post...the post office has a fleet of Fiat Panda
What are the odds that due Citroen 2CV show up to run errands in a town of 1800 residents? Quite high, it seems.
Thought this juxtaposition was interesting. A new VW electric ID4 and the 2CV. Worlds apart.
The VW T-Roc, a "right size" SUV, unfortunately not imported to the US.
A failed pharmacy experiment.
The pharmacist explained that he bought this machine in the hope of better serving his community. He stocked it with "standard" items used frequently, so that residents could purchase them even when the pharmacy was closed. He thought it would be especially important during Covid...but it didn't work out. Very few people used it, preferring to wait to come into the pharmacy for their supplies, so he no longer stocks it and it looking to sell, "perhaps to a bigger city community." Points for trying, but I can see why the residents want to talk to him...he has a warm, welcoming, helpful personality and certainly fixed my back right up!
The local bank also serving the community with an e-bike charging station.
New construction...concrete everything.
Silverstone Motogp qualifying, with some local wine. Lagrein, specific to the Alto-Adige region, with only about 1000 acres planted in the world.
It is stunningly good, this bottle less than 11 euro at the local market. If you don't believe me...check out Wine Folly, where "we learn by drinking."
By the way, Zarco's on pole, with a new lap record... 😎
Had dinner with one of my Academy-mates, Rahul, and 3 of his friends who had driven up from Milan to extend their vacation together on to Cinque Terre. Interesting conversation about world events, with an Indian millennial perspective. Two lawyers, one in Zurich, the other London, a London-based financial person, and Rahul, in the family India concrete business. Travel is priceless.
Sunday dawn.
Scattered showers predicted, with T-storms later in the day. Although I've got a loop laid out to collect some photos from the previous week's rides, decide another laid back day would be better.
The "feel" of the town on Sunday is completely different, very few people out and about, all the shops and grocery store closed. Very quiet. Great breakfast, as always, and another stroll.
Local health clinic around the corner.
As is the bus station
Flower boxes everywhere
Even the local petrol station.
Can you even imagine seeing this in the US? Also notice something...there's no garbage. And this station is unattended on Sunday, automated pumps only.
Local ice rink
Betty says, "enter the rotary and take the third exit."
The parade through Collalbo a few days ago spurred an interest into Sud Tyrol's history. Every town has a German and Italian name, and German is spoken more than Italian. Learning the history explains why.
Sud Tyrol, South Tyrol, has a complicated history, swinging back and forth between Austria/Germany and Italy.
The area was conquered in 15 BC by the Romans. By the Goths in 493. By the Lombards in 568. By Napoleon in 1805.
In the "modern" era, after World War I and the signing of the Treaty of Saint-Germain, Italy was given the "German territories south of the Alpine watershed," and Italy annexed the area the following year. The Germanic population in the area was generally allowed to continue their traditions, and most towns retained their Germanic names.
That didn't last long. With the rise of fascism in the 1920s, the Italian government rescinded all the special dispensations that protected the German minority. Among other things, Italian became the exclusive language in public offices, German schools were closed and incentives for immigrants from other Italian areas were introduced.
In 1939, Mussolini and Hitler, to solve further disputes, gave the German-speaking population of the area the "option" to emigrate to neighboring Germany (that had annexed Austria at the time) or stay and accept "complete Italianisation." The population was deeply divided, with those wanting to leave decried as Nazis, and those wanting to stay considered traitors.
To make it more complicated, when the Allies invaded Italy through Sicily in 1943, Mussolini was deposed, Italy surrendered to the Allies, and Germany promptly invaded Northern Italy and annexed Tyrol. Messy.
After WW II, Italy and Austria negotiated an agreement that recognized the rights of the German minority, although the region would be part of Italy. German and Italian were both made official languages, and German-language education was permitted. There was considerable friction because the area was not self-governing.
This unrest led to a second round of negotiations between Austria and Italy, A new agreement was signed in 1969, stipulating that disputes would be heard by the International Court in The Hague, that the province would receive greater autonomy within Italy, and that Austria would not interfere with South Tyrol internal affairs.
Today, Sud Tyrol is (allegedly) peaceful, the wealthiest Italian province, and enjoys a high degree of autonomy.
So they march, in "on mode," to assert that autonomy. It helps to know why.
The wine is gone, the race over (Bagnia, Vinales, Miller), and I'm off to the spa. Back on the road tomorrow.
Ciao!
