Day 2: St. Gallen Through Herisau To St. Peterzellq

Leaving St. Gallen we do some more road walking: sidewalks, suburbia, industrial district and transition to countryside. On the outskirts we cross a small marsh with beautiful wild flowers.

Then we observe the real border between farming and commuting:

And then we are in the country.

Finally we are in the real Appenzell.

Arriving in Herisau we missed the pilgrim fountain (bad route planning), so we continue to the 1000 year old St. Laurentius church to get our credential stamped.

Aside: Also known as a Pilgrim’s Passport, the credential is used to collect stamps from locations along the way: churches, hostels, bars or whatever. These serve as proof of the walker’s status as a pilgrim, and so give the pilgrim access to pilgrim’s hostels, specially priced meals and a certain deference along the road… or so we hope! Here is what we have collected so far.

(The stamps themselves are often quite interesting. We are looking forward to showing off our full collection at the end of the trail!)

Since it is nearing lunch time, we head to a COOP to buy a couple of Schinkenbrötchen (ham sandwiches) and a small bag of paparika potato chips (honestly, it was only a small bag). As we are finishing lunch, the sky opened up and we got our first taste of rain while on the Weg. After quickly donning our rain gear, we head off. The next hour is wet!

But what a walk! Easier than yesterday, though longer, mainly because we are getting used to required hydration and nutrition. Some more rain along the way, but what landscape!

And finally we arrive! And even better, our destination is directly on the Weg well above the village: Casa Claudia!

After 16.8 miles, we have arrived! Our hostess (Claudia, naturlich) is not only welcoming to the nth degree (can you say 2 appenzell beers?) but is a world traveller who has walked the Camino to Santiago twice, once from Zug! After settling in we realize all the local restaurants are closed for “Ruhe Tag” (i.e. “Rest or Quiet Day”), so what to do? Claudia solves things by calling her friend Heidi 5 km away to say we are coming to her restaurant, and we will be there in 15 minutes…because she will drive us (pouring rain btw)!

Well, what a dining experience! Tiny locals’ only place, owner/manager/cook seats us at a table with a Swiss couple (other open tables available), suggests (strongly) that we order the same meal as the other couple, and we (being quick on the uptake) order the same red wine as theirs.

Great decisions!

This couple is wonderful! We converse on all sorts of subjects in German, and a little English, Spanish and French, and share a bottle of local wine (Pinot Noir, very good).

Now to tomorrow!