Pepper Key Stacie: Stalheim and Surrounds

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Stalheim and Surrounds

All images by Pepper Key Stacie

The original Stalheim hotel was built in 1885 but only a short decade later had expanded to accommodate up to 150 guests due to it's immense popularity. As one can see from the top photo, the view is unparalleled. My favorite feature was the open air museum, a very peaceful place for an early morning walk. This felt like stepping directly into the old Stalheim community; the coaching inn from 1750, the memorial stone to Emperor Wilhelm’s visits to Stalheim, the schoolhouse from 1881, and the manor house. The interior of the hotel is also a virtual museum with it's many artifacts, antiques, and art works, many of which feature Stalheim in it's depictions. The fireplaces were always ablaze by dinner time, an open invitation for all guests to congregate and socialize over coffee, hot tea, or a cocktail. Our young crew were put to shame with the golden agers, who far outlasted us in the evenings. While we were saying our good nights and heading to bed between 10 and 11pm (which always felt strange considering there was still plenty of daylight at those hours), they were just getting warmed up in their card games and conversations.

So while the evenings were spent in the cozy atmosphere of the above pictures, the days were spent working in some of the most incredible locations I have ever seen. The photo shoot was for the performance line of ECCO, a global leader in innovative comfort footwear. The company was founded in 1963 in Denmark by Karl Toosbuy who vowed that the foot should lead the shoe and that comfort should not be a luxury. The small Danish company has now grown to the 7th largest shoe brand in the world but continues to stay true to it's roots and admirable mission statement.