The Dolomites and Bolzano

So after some time in Varenna and after a pit stop in Verona, home to the star-crossed lovers Romeo and Juliet, we made our way to the Dolomites.


Not your typical Italian fare. This area of Italy has more of a German/Austrian influence -- so it was more sausage, brautwurst, beer during our stay. All of the signs are in Italian/German, I think most people would prefer to speak German, but after the unification/annexation - they are forced to learn Italian. The people of Bolzano (Bozen, to the German speaking people) were nice, but it wasn't the most exciting of towns to visit. There wasn't a lot to sight see in Bolzano -- it is home to the Ice Man Museum, which is interesting enough. I think the Ice Man has been in the news recently, so everything they told us at the museum is essentially false... or at least the reason they said he died is untrue -- I think that's pretty funny. All that science and theory -- KAPUT.

Anyway, these meal was at at hofbrau place: Hopfen & Co, I think? Piazza delle Erbe 17 - or was it Ca de' Bezzi - anyway, it was dark, wood paneling, typical hop place with sausage, beer, etc. The food was good and cheap for what it was.

Kathy Scheibe on her descent

Taking these ski lift chairs was pretty cool. We had to take these chairs first (I think the tickets cost 10 euros for the r/t), I don't know if there is a way to traverse the Italian alps without the lifts, there probably is -- but this was pretty cool ride up and down, even for someone who is scared of heights -- anyway, it was pretty damn cool ride. I'm not one for nature -- for prolonged periods of nature... but it was a nice hike. I took some photos of our hike, the Italian Alps look nice (they're kind of craggy, misty looking), I hear that the Swiss side looks spectacular. After we finished half of our hike, we had lunch, at Arnika Hutte -- that was pretty good, maybe it was because we're hungry (my mom has this philosophy that anything and everything tastes good when you're hungry).

What I thought was pretty funny was the Europeans who hike with ski poles. My mom and I deduced that it probably helps them and is better on their knees. But overall, it was just a funny sight to see.