Day 3: Scenic Drive to the DolomitesHotel: Stadt Hotel Citta
Phrase of the Day: Guten Tag (German for "good day" as a greeting) |
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Did you know?
Loacker Chocolatiers makes a hazelnut praline chocolate called "Rose of the Dolomites"
On the Road with our Tour Group
Today feels almost like the first day of the tour as it is the first day we have all travelled together as we head out on our tour bus toward the Dolomites and Bolzano. We were introduced to the Italian Autostrada rest stops while on the road, with hot food and almost an entire grocery store inside...including some excellent Italian chocolate! Here we gathered together before re-boarding the bus and did the unique Rick Steve's tour tradition of choosing a "buddy". This way, at every stop, each person checks to make sure their buddy is there, something that we needed often throughout the tour. It felt like this would be awkward, but it turned out to be an easy way to get to know someone else and feel a connection to the other people on the tour. My buddy and I, Rick, made a habit of simply pointing at each other each time there was a buddy check. My mom and her "buddy" have kept in touch after the tour, after finding out they were both avid quilters!
The medieval castle in Trento
We next made a quick stop in Trento for lunch and the medieval Castillo del Buonconsiglio. The castle, built in the 1200's, was full of interesting artifacts, paintings, frescoes, coins, sculptures, and everyday items. With limited time, we zipped through all the displays and made it back to the bus to continue on the road to Bolzano.
Bolzano and Ötzi the Iceman
More Germanic than Italian, Bolzano was a surprise after Lake Como. Close to the Austrian border, Bolzano was historically part of the Austrian empire until 1918 after World War I. Wandering the market, we could hear both Italian and German being spoken! The archeology museum here holds the remains of Ötzi the Iceman, the mummified remains of a man who lived between 3350 and 3105 BC. His remains and belongings were found in 1991 in the Alps between Austrian and Italy. This turned out to be one of the surprises for me on the tour as it was so interesting! For me, it was the possessions he carried with him, also preserved by the extreme cold, that showed his humanity. His clothes, his shoes, and his tools were remarkable to see and contemplate life so long ago. Dinner tonight was at a Tyrolean restaurant, served by waiters in lederhosen and serving German beers, and authentic apple strudel...delicious! I was very excited to put my high school German to the test and actually order in German!
Learn more about Ötzi the Iceman here.
Learn more about Ötzi the Iceman here.
Winding Roads and Lots of Snow!
After what had apparently been a warmer than usual winter, the Dolomites got hit by a big snowstorm a few weeks ago so there was lots of snow and the weather was cold! We headed up the winding roads toward Castelrotto, stopping in Compatsch where it was a balmy 33 degrees! Everything was closed, even the tourist office, but we still walked around on the roads and took pictures of the snowy mountains and explored the ultra-modern concrete and wood church there. We gathered together for a group picture in the snow, too, then on to Castelrotto, the village in the Alpe de Siusi, where we hoped to explore and have lunch only to find that, there too, the weather and timing meant that everything was closed. So back to Bolzano, driving winding roads past small towns where we see spires and bell towers and medieval castles, all in the very alpine style of the region. Stephanie tells us there are more than 400 castles and ruins in the area!
Its a small world....On our walk around Compatsch, I got to talking with a few tour members. Turns out, I went to college with their nephew! I remembered him from my sports photography and he remembered me as the one who always took pictures.
HELPFUL HINT: The secret to handling the varying spring weather in Italy is layers! We had chilly weather and snow (as you can see!) in the Dolomites, some rain in Florence, and warm sunshine in Rome. We all had two jackets: a lightweight jacket and a outer water resistent raincoat/trench coat which we could wear layered and it worked great!
Back in Bolzano, it was sunny and warm (in the 60's) and we spent the afternoon exploring on our own. We, once again, relied on Rick Steve's recommendations in his guidebook and walked through vineyards and along the river and parkway to Castel Roncolo. The castle was closed and the walk was steep, but led to some spectacular views. In town, we explored a Franciscan church and monastery, with its frescoed courtyard, that was surprisingly ornate inside given its simple exterior. While we had been hoping for a day of hiking in the Alps, this turned into a really nice way to spend the day and Bolzano was a fun place to explore.
Dinner tonight is on our own so we decided to stop in a local grocery store and bought some braceola and focaccia for an easy dinner, followed by a trip to the recommended Monica's Bakery for some pastries (pistachio tart and apple streudel).
Dinner tonight is on our own so we decided to stop in a local grocery store and bought some braceola and focaccia for an easy dinner, followed by a trip to the recommended Monica's Bakery for some pastries (pistachio tart and apple streudel).