Fischbanke Bar and Restaurant in Bolzano, Italy

Dear Reader,

Please forgive me for not writing this past holiday weekend. I've been working on practical tips for my upcoming visit to Italy, Greece, Croatia and Turkey. Reviewing some of the wonderful places we saw last year in Italy reminded me of one of the best places I've ever been, the Fischbanke Bar and Restaurant in Bolzano, Italy. Not that Bolzano itself isn't a great city because it is. The location at the foot of the Italian Alps, the Dolomites, and the bustling market place alone make it worthy of a visit.

Last May John and I went to Bolzano, also called Bozen, for the first time. We only had one night to squeeze it into our itinerary but I was determined to go there just to see the famous 5300 year old mummy known as "Ortzi the Iceman". Bolzano has built a spectacular museum to house the great find where you can see all of the personal implements found on or near the mummy as well as the actual mummy through a window. Poor Ortzi was killed by an arrow and bled to death high up in the Dolomites all alone. He is the oldest existing mummy in the world and the only one found to date with organs even partially intact. Scientists have learned a great deal by running DNA tests on the organs. He's a breathtaking sight and I highly recommend seeing him to anyone anywhere of all ages and interests.

While we were in the museum we observed a school teacher on a field trip with her young students aged approximately 8-10 years old. They were enraptured by her demonstration of Ortzi's tools and clothing (replicas, of course) and raised their hands to answer her questions. Several other adults joined in to enjoy her class. I could only wish that I had been able to go on a fieldtrip like that one when I was a kid.

Bolzano has many other beauties as well as historical sights. There are three castles in the close vicinity, two of them within the old city itself. One castle has vineyards growing all around it and is right on the river. What's more to like than that? The other, Runklestein Castle, is a perfectly preserved medieval castle which you can visit. The rooms and the furnishings are original and the walls are frescoed in colorful scenes of knights and religious themes, the most famous of which is the story of Tristan and Isolde.

There are also three cablecars from the city center which take you high up into the Dolomites where there are many quaint and very lovely small villages. We chose to stay in Soprabolzano, also known as Oberbozen, because it is directly at the top of the Ritten or Renon funicular or cableway. (It can be a bit confusing because everyone speaks German as well as Italian and all of the signs are in both languages.) The views of Bolzano and the steep slopes covered in vineyards with the snow covered mountains looming all around was the most spectacular scenery I have ever seen anywhere.

There is a little train which runs through Soprabolzano and stops at several of the other small villages. This train, built in 1903,  used to go straight up the mountain before the cableways were built. It was called the "Cog Train" because it was pulled by ropes on cogs. Now it simply runs on the plateau between villages. The hiking from town to town is supposedly very beautiful and I can imagine so. There are also three different locations where an ecological event called "Earth Pillars" may be seen. These are strange looking dirt cones which resemble stalagmites (or is it stalagtites?) and have hardened from the rain preventing them from sliding down the mountainside. It's an easy hike to see the ones near Collabo, also called Klopenstein.

We didn't have time to ride the train or take hikes or see any castles last year which is why we are returning next month for three nights. But we did have time after seeing Ortzi for our usual post touring relaxation, happy hour. I had noticed a very appealing bar out on the street earlier that day with red Chinese lanterns and giant umbrellas protecting it from the sun. There are two things I always notice wherever I am, gasoline prices and an appealing bar or pub. So I led John directly there and we grabbed a couple of rickety wooden stools and sat down at a marble table and waited.

The bar is right in the middle of the outside seating area and consists of a giant slab of marble. There were loads of bottles of various alcholic beverages as well as mineral waters and beer sitting there. There were two other giant slabs of marble under the umbrellas and they were very curious looking. While we waited I began to wonder if we had happened upon a private party because it appeared that you could just help yourself to a drink.

There was a man with long gray hair, blue jeans and a denim shirt, and wire framed glasses who appeared to be crazy. We watched him with fascination while he harrangued the customers, shouting at them and slapping some of them. One man, who looked as if he were just being polite by laughing, was being slapped repeatedly with a postcard the gray haired man was holding. I couldn't help but wonder why the owners don't make the crazy move on to another bar. Then he noticed us. I thought "Here we go again. This guy is going to ask us for money and we'll have to be embarrased by asking him to go away." Boy, was I wrong.

The gray haired man walked up to us and spoke in perfect English: "Hello my friends, my name is Cobo, what can get you?" We were a bit shocked and didn't know what to say at first and then I pointed at some very festive looking orange drinks in large goblets with ice that everyone seemed to have and asked him what those drinks are. He immediately said, "Oh, you'll love them. I'll bring you some right away." I looked at John because I thought he wanted a beer but I was looking forward to an ice cold drink because we had worked up a bit of a sweat that day. Cobo returned almost immediately with our drinks and after one sip I was in love! It seemed to be the most wonderfully refreshing drink I'd ever had and I sucked it down quickly. John did too.

A few minutes later Cobo returned and we ordered another round. I asked him what the name of the drink is. He said some bars call it a "Spritz" but he calls them a Veneziana. I was intrigued and asked what they consist of and he brought over the bottle of orange liquid called Aperol, a liqueur which tastes a bit like grapefruit. He had mixed it with the local champagne called sparkling wine. Absolutely delicious.

For the next several hours we tried numerous Venezianas as well as another red concoction of which I can't remember the name. Cobo, who's real name is Rino Vullo, came over frequently to chat and ask about us and to talk about himself as well. He's a fascinating person and apparently a local celebrity author and cartoonist. The postcards he was holding were designed by him. When we told him we are from California, he said he had toured all over California back in the 1970s as well as Mexico. He reminisced about those crazy days during the hippie revolution. While we were talking a big gust of wind caused one of his giant umbrellas flew right out of its holder turned sideways and stuck onto the wall of the building. John and I just stared at it stunned. We had never seen anything like that before. Cobo jumped up and down and said "Did you see that? That's crazy. I should have bet the lotto this week. That won't happen again in a million years!" He was right too.

Soon after another gust of wind blew another umbrella straight into the air but it landed back in its holder. John help Cobo get the umbrella off the wall which required a ladder and I closed up the other one. Chinese laterns were beginning to blow all over the place too so down they came. By this time I noticed that the bar was completely packed. We were lucky to have such a good table. People were sitting at the marble bars, which Cobo had explained were fish banks, or counters where they used to clean fish during medieval times. We were sitting right in the middle of the old fish market, hence the name.

There were so many interesting and lively people at the Fischbanke Bar and Restaurant that we could have spent all night. We talked to a gal in her thirties, I'd guess, who said she lives right around the corner and comes every day after work. She told me most of the people there come every day after work. This was very appealing to me and I could only wish we had a place like that in Sacramento within walking distance of our house. I also struck up a conversation with a French couple on a bike ride around the Dolomites. They had just happened upon Cobo's like we did.

During our visit, Cobo brought over a couple from Oregon and said to us "I have some friends for you." I had to laugh. He tries very hard to be accomodating and a good host. He succeded quite well. We chatted with the people from Oregon for a few minutes and then they returned to their table. John and I just had to wink because we don't need to meet other people from home, that's why we travel. But Cobo meant well. Later when he came by I asked to take his picture so he grabbed John but John is too tall, especially sitting on a tall stool. He made Cobo look like a midget. So Cobo climbed up on top of another rickety wooden stool and stood for the photo. He and a sitting John are head to head and it's a great picture. I was so worried he would fall off but he made it down safely.

He also brought us some absolutely delicious bruschetta which he makes himself and which is apparently a house specialty. There were other appetizers we saw people eating but we didn't want to spoil our dinner. Little did we know, we almost did spoil it by staying too late. When John and I finally decided to tear ourselves away and go find dinner, Cobo brought the check but insisted we stay for one more Veneziana "on the house". There's a man after my own heart! Who could resist? So we had another round while he gave us dinner advice. We were lucky that he did because, unbeknownst to us, restaurants close early in Bolzano at around 9:00PM and he sent us to the only one nearby that was still serving. It was delicious.

When we were leaving the Fischbanke, Cobo gave us his travel guide of hiking that he had done all over the Dolomites. It's all in Italian but has very nice pictures. He also gave us some of his postcards which I still keep.

I've often thought about that evening at Cobo's and what a good time we both had. We had such a good time that we've already decided we will be spending our happy hours at the Fischbanke Bar and Restaurant. If you make it to Bolzano, feel free to join us. I promise we won't send you away just because you are from home!