The boldest of the students breaks the quiet by trying out his basic English. They smile, relieved. In this pristine wonderland, the old and new feel comfortable side by side. A girl in a bikini tosses bundles of hay into the wagon while her grandmother, looking like she just pushed the Grim Reaper over the edge, marches up the hill with a long scythe. At local weddings, another occasion where steadfastness and loyalty is important, a linden tree is often planted.
Weddings offer a fine excuse for a party.
Before a wedding, all the singles gather for the groom's drinking party. Appreciation of the mountains is a modern phenomenon. With the coming of the Romantic Age in the 19th century, people traveled to the Alps to commune with nature. Aristocrats, bitten by the travel bug, came here to sample the wild mountain scenery from cushy hotels. Poor mountain locals found these dandies comical.