New things!

As the summer season finally draws to an end and the weather is reminding us that Autumn is really coming (although today is glorious!), we have been looking at things to do to encourage a few more off-season visitors. For a bit of fun we have bought an electronic dartboard (help for the mathematically challenged!) and have already enjoyed introducing our friends to this very British pastime. (Also introduced them to Marmite with cheese at the same time!). We're hoping we will soon be home to the first Malta Darts Team!

The next big event in the valley is the amusingly named First Malta Valley 'Vertical Feet Contest' - a specialist climbing/bouldering event to be held on October 3rd with award presentation party afterwards, DJ'd by our very own Mayor, Klaus Rüscher!

To celebrate the event we have a special offer - 2 nights for €55 to include a large Guinness, foot plasters and muscle rub! It would be great to see some English speaking competitors there but for the German speakers amongst you, here is the information again!

“1. Maltataler vertical feet contest”

Am 3. Oktober findet im Maltatal der “1. Maltataler vertical feet contest” statt.

Der Teamgedanke und Spass steht im Vordergrund, ein faires Punktesystem sorgt für Chancengleichheit.

Geklettert wird in 2er Seilschaften, Mandl und Weibl, oder gemischt. Das Kletterkönnen spielt natürlich eine gewisse Rolle, aber auch Taktik und Organisation stehen mit im Vordergrund des Wettbewerbes. So kann man sich durch viele Begehungen, auch leichter Routen, ein fettes Punktekonto holen. Und man kann dieses auch mit einer schnellen Teambegehung am Wasserfall Klettersteig aufbessern.

- bitte meldet Euch alle vorher an

- nehmt die € 20.- Startgeld mit und bezahlt direkt am Veranstaltungsort

- füllt das Anmeldeformular aus und gebt dieses bei der Anmeldung ab

los geht es um 9.15 Uhr mit dem “briefing” der Teilnehmer, um 10.00 Uhr erfolgt der Start des Bewerbes selbst!

Die genauen Infos und ein Anmeldeformular gibt es auf www.gerhardschaar.com

Read more: http://www.soisses.at/2009/09/19/1-maltataler-vertical-feet-contest/#ixzz0Rjbu0wkd

Will report on the event when it happens.

Also next weekend is the first ever 'Almcamp' -

www.barcamp.at/AlmCamp_09. Sadly we have a house full of bus group this week so couldn't help out with accommodation for this event, but are helping to sponsor it and will be acting as the meeting point for guests arriving by public transport on Friday. We are looking forward to meeting some of our Facebook 'friends' in the flesh and sharing a Guinness or two!

We are also looking forward next week to the return of our favourite Viennese schoolteacher - a fellow Star Trek and Doctor Who fan, with a talent for music (Reveille at 6.00am!), near perfect English and a great sense of humour! He is bringing 28 pupils with him, but we won't hold it against him!

Our new National Park Authority

September 13th 2009 – the launch of the new Hohe Tauern National Park Regional Authority.

Political leaders from Kärnten, Osttirol and Salzburg joined together to launch the new combined Hohe Tauern National Park Region incorporating the former National Park Holiday Region, The National Park Region, Kärnten, the Osttirol Tourist Authority and the Grossglockner High Alpine Road. The new Authority will work across regional boundaries to promote the area as the ‘Yellowstone Park’ of Europe, advertising the largest protected area in the alps and Austria’s biggest National Park to a worldwide audience and establishing the double aim of nature protection and accessibility.

The invited audience of local dignitaries, National Park employees and accommodation owners were told that this new co-operation was something ’the whole of Austria should take notice of’. At a time of falling tourist numbers generally, the Grossglocknerstrasse has seen a rise in visitor numbers of between 7% & 8 % this year, due, it is believed, to its international status and excellent reputation. The new Authority aims to raise awareness internationally of the whole of the National Park area by creating a new ‘Hohe Tauern’ brand. To achieve this the Authority has identified 5 main areas that typify the National Park – driving the Großglockner, winter sports, waterfalls, park ranger activities and life on the alms – and has made a short introductory film which it is releasing to highlight these. In so doing the Authority hopes to establish mental pictures for tourists that they can associate with the area – much as a picture of the Campanile reminds people of Venice, or the picture of the Yellowstone Geyser immediately identifies that particular area of the world in people’s minds.

Certainly the speakers at today’s event came across as enthusiastic and committed to this new joint venture. It remains to be seen whether the methods used to promote the new Region will reach the international audience it needs to. Hopefully the introductory film will soon be available to download – a first but important step – and if so, we too will be adding it to our website! Watch out too for a TV programme on Dec 8^th called ‘Nutzung & Schönheit – Hohe Tauern National Park’ – a documentary on what the National Park has to offer to visitors and to those who live there.

Another group dances!

Another of our bus groups has found the holiday spirit and amazed the locals by conga-ing in the street! (Not to mention through the hotel, taking the staff with them as they went!). Even Matt ended up in the line! I, too, was 'forced' to dance with one of the male guests who proved very light on his feet for an 84 year old and John joined in the rock and roll while pulling a few glasses of Guinness (not all for the staff, honest!). Lovely to see them all having a good time. This is the penultimate bus group of the season but the largest so far. Our last one comes in 2 weeks time and then we will finally have to accept that the summer is over and start planning for our winter customers. Ski brochures are starting to appear and requests for bookings for New Year are also coming through. Summer is just never long enough! Check our our new Facebook Fan Page http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Maltaberg-Austria/Gasthof-Hochalmspitze/155646895759?ref=ts for updates too!

The Aftermath

One week on and the wheels of the Insurance Company vehicle turn slowly! After an initially encouraging response, everything reverted to type. Nothing happened at all until after the weekend. The drying machines finally arrived on Friday afternoon following an assessment visit on Tuesday and only after we had had to take up the wet lino (very well stuck down many years ago!) ourselves! The dryers will have to be in for a week to 10 days at least and then we have to have a new floor laid before we can even think about moving back in. Meanwhile our insurance agent has gone on holiday! One positive though - the drying machine in the laundry is also very affective at drying the wet clothes and bedding - and the insurance company is paying for the electricity!

Next week and 2 weeks later we are full with bus groups, so the insurance company will be paying additional accommodation costs as well I guess. In the meantime some stuff has gone to the laundry and other stuff to the tip and we are running around getting quotes for replacements so that when the insurance man comes back with his tan, we can try and get everything sorted as soon as possible. Interestingly a German guest, Dieter, who we know from last year, and who is himself an insurance agent, told us that in Germany the dryers would have been in within 12 hours of the report to reduce the long term cost. Oh, for some German efficiency here!

Autumn has also begun to arrive. Although the sun is still shinig the temperatures are no longer in the high twenties/thirties. Rather a relief really! Rain last night turned to snow on the tops until the sun warmed up this morning. Against the clear blue sky it looked wonderful (but we didn't get round to getting a photo - sorry!). As you will see from the photo - we also have Matt back - he was a really welcome sight! We also have my Uncle & Aunt here visiting, so we are pleased the weather has perked up for them. Still the change of temperatures has reminded us that we need to start planning our winter program - skiing season is only just around the corner!