I leave our empty parking lot and I notice that our skiroom is empty but I see no guests waiting for the ski-bus. As soon as I cross the station Mallnitz-Obervellach, the 'Tauernschleusse' is not departing in time 10 minutes before every hour. I continue my walk to the centre of Mallnitz, but there are no cars passing by where I can wave too... The doors of the Tourism Office stay closed when I passes by. I see that there are no cars at the parking lot from camping HochOben and that the restaurant is dark. As soon as I cross Hotel BergKristall, i know that the chef is not preparing dinner for their guests, and that there is nothing to clean after the breakfast hours, because breakfast did not take place and that there are again no rooms booked for the coming night... The bakery is open, and happy to see that bread / milk / cakes are being sold to the inhabitants of Mallnitz. The ski rental Wolliger Sports is closed because they have to, but there is as well no possibility to ski anymore. I know that if I am turning left, I will enter the beautiful Tauerntal, but I know that i can't drink a cup of coffee at Gasthof Gutenbrunn or Stockerhutte Mallnitz. So I decide to go right where I cross Sport Café, one of my favourites spots to have home made traditional food. It makes me a bit sad that they will not receive guests in the coming weeks. As soon as I cross Pension Edlinger i start to smile, because of them we knew that Fewo Lerchbaumer (Mallnbach Apartments) was for sale. But the smile goes immediately away because I do know that they also have no rooms booked, and that they can not open their cozy & nice beer garten at 16 o clock. And what about Hotel Eggerhof? They suppose to have their famous steak weeks where I was looking a much forward too. But their lights are out and the doors are closed. I continue to the supermarket Billa, and I am thankful that they are open in these days...
I look to the mountains, to the Ankogel, knowing that ski lifts are not going up & down and that kids are not having fun on their first rides on the ski's. Hard to believe that just one week ago we drunk a couple of beers during the popular Gugel Hupf Rennen on the slopes of the beautiful ski area Ankogel...
My heading says: Just a 'normal' walk. But actually it isn't, to be honest, these days / weeks / months (who knows how long it takes) aren't normal. The world is still turning, but it feels like she is standing still. Only one virus is gripping us, not only in this small village Mallnitz, but all over the world and we all have to deal with the consequences of COVID-19. The reality with all measures is not one of the nicest, but it is necessary. Because only together, we are stronger than the virus. Unfortunately we have lost many bookings, and I am sure that we are not the only one. What I do hope if we have beaten down the virus, that many of you will come to Mallnitz. So that the chef from Hotel BergKristall is preparing for dinner again, that Eggerhof has its delayed steaks weeks, that we can eat Dutch Bitterballen again at Pension Edlinger, that we can drink coffee (or beers) at Gasthof Gutenbrunn or Stockerhutte in the beautiful Tauerntal, that the new camping HochOben is fully booked with campers and mobile homes, that Wolliger Sports is renting out their e-bikes or any other equipment for summer activities, that apartments / rooms are fully booked and that I can eat my favourite haus pfandl again at Sport Café... After that I return home, I see the lights burning in the apartments, kids are playing around in our garden, and all guests coming out for the planned campfire with drinks & snacks, happy to meet again. But above all, Mallnitz is one of the Alpine Pearls, so there is the best medicine; fresh mountain air. Exactly what you need after the crazy time of COVID-19. We are looking forward to meet new guests as soon when it's possible. And Mallnitz (and many other places/regions) does need their tourism business, so it needs you as a guest.
And than I know for sure that I will have a normal walk again in Mallnitz. note: I have only mentioned just a few businesses in Mallnitz, but there are many more hotels / shops/ cafés / restaurants / apartments / farmers waiting for just a normal day again.
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