St Gallen and Appenzell (5/15/1982)

Saturday, May 15, 1982

Train day pass

Took the 9:13 train to Zürich. Someone stood a small suitcase vertically in the over head rack, and it fell managing to puncture a hole in the foot of a lady, who was indignant more than in pain. Arrived in Zürich at 11:00 to change to the orange express train leaving at 11:08. I had to walk the entire length of the train to find a seat, but should have just waited until after we left the airport station! Arrived in St Gallen at 12:20. Because it was lunch time, I couldn’t go to the museum, but entered the Klosterhof/Abbey Court to see the Benedictine Abbey and church, with an interior that was a cool white with ice green moulding. The ceiling and dome frescoes were dark in contrast, along with the dark carved wood confessionals. The chancel behind a fancy ironwork grille was rich in color with paintings, sculptures, gold accoutrements, etc. The library door was locked.

Klosterkirche/Abbey church

Followed St Gallusstrasse with buildings of medieval architecture, but I could not find the Haus zum Greif (NB. Gallusstrasse 22).

Gallusstrasse building

Tried the parallel Schmiedgasse to not find the Haus Zum Pelikan (NB. Schmiedgasse 15). The next parallel street was Multergasse which became Spisergasse, full of timbered houses with oriel windows and wrought-iron signs painted gold.

Spisergasse

Headed north along Marktgasse to Marktplatz, then took Neugasse all the way down to Gallusplatz with Gallusbrunnen/Gallus Fountain. Returned to the train station to find the narrow gauge St Gallen-Appenzell-Bahn (STA). I didn’t realize the STA went to Trogen, which holds a semi-annual Landsgemeinde/town meeting outdoors in the town square. I boarded the 12:59 STA train for Appenzell, heading into the hills of pastured land containing mostly the typical chocolate brown cows, but also a few black and white ones. There were many calves in evidence.

Arrived in Appenzell at 13:55 where a man lowered the crossing gates using a hand crank. The town seemed to be a good size, but it is considered a “Flecken/community” rather than a town or village.

St Gallen-Appenzellbahn train

Followed the medieval Hauptgasse/Main Lane with many souvenir shops.

Hauptgasse

I was greeted by several darker-skinned young men; the foreign workers are back for the summer! Back at the station I caught the 14:23 train and got off in Gais to switch to a one-car train leaving at 14:40 to Altstätten. Continued through the dairy farm hills with snow-covered mountains in the background. Passed the area called Stoss where the Appenzell battle for independence was fought in 1405. There was a tiny chapel on someone’s farm with a commemorative obelisk. The train hooked onto a cog rail to head down, down, into the flat valley of the Rhein River, the same valley that holds the country of Liechtenstein. The train dropped us off next to the medieval old town of Altstätten and I walked along Marktgasse with its arcades. Turned right out of the old town and followed the perfectly straight Bahnhofstrasse straight to the main train station. Caught the 15:36 local train to St Gallen. Passed apple orchards with the trees in bloom, and a few cherry trees. Arrived in St Gallen at 16:30, and took the 16:47 orange express train to Bern. Saw hot air balloons and more blossoming fruit trees, also flowers and fields of yellow (safflower). Arrived in Bern at 19:30, changed to the 19:41 train to Biel. I was really thirsty and was going to drink from the Schützengasse fountain, but someone had hooked up a hose to water his garden!