We decided to investigate the area and walked from the
campsite along the road that we had arrived on but further on towards the
mountains. The location is beautiful with 360° mountain views. Here the
valley has opened out into a plateau and many farms are dotted around. It felt
like Austria with the alpine houses and the sound of bells as the cows wandered
around looking for tasty pasture. The peace and quiet was only interrupted by
the occasional logging lorry carrying huge quantities of timber down the valley
for processing. The vast forests in the area are an important source and every
house has beautifully stacked wood sufficient for a number of winters.
I had spotted a photograph of a church in the restaurant and asked the owner
about it. He was obviously very proud of it and it had some connection with the
Pope but I wasn’t quite sure of the details. We found the church, which turned
out to be Our Lady of the Snows and it had been consecrated by Pope John-Paul
II in 1987. Very modern from the outside, it is beautifully simple on the
inside, an all wood construction gives it genuine rustic appeal. The wooden
construction is entirely appropriate for the location and the church, despite
its modern appearance, fits well into the countryside.
Photos: Our Lady of the Snows in its setting; And inside; My friend and Master Baker Bob Burns is always amused that I take my sourdough culture with me on my motorhome trips, so here it is collecting all of those wild mountain yeasts.
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