Italy

Italy ’98

SFO -> EWR

EWR -> MXP

MXP -> VCE

VCE -> Cortina

Cortina d'Ampezzo

Hotel Royal

breakfast

stadia

around town

Carnival

Mangia!

Tavernetta

Faloria

Refugio d' Faloria

Freccia Nel Cielo

Lagazuoi

Monte Cristallo

Socrepes

Socrepes skiing

Venezia

Then we enter the gondola for the ride to the top of the peak. Finally! Let's put those lunch calories to some good use. The gondola lifts us high into the sky. (In spite of the accident two weeks earlier involving a U.S. Marine Corps EA-6B Prowler slicing through cables supporting a similar gondola in Cavalese, a stone's throw from here, we feel safe, probably because such flights are currently cancelled. More details, and the official map of the accident site, may be found here.)

Did you ever see a photo of yourself wearing something you don't recognize? I have no idea where this yellow jacket came from. I do wear bright colors, especially in outdoor and hazardous situations, but this wierd shapeless thing? No idea at all.

We arrive at the top of Val Badia Lagazuoi and stroll around the perimeter. (You can see the panoramae I shot.) It was another clear and warm day in February.

Nearby was a small chapel nestled into the Tyrolean Alps. We walked over to it and peered inside, and found a wonderful wooden ceiling and images painted on the wall. What a cute little space. I didn't notice a visitor sign-in book, as often appear in mountain houses. I would have loved to see the comments.

I'm on the top of the world. Okay, just a local maxima (for all you math and artificial intelligence geeks out there), but what a local maxima! Time to go skiing.

Here's where we had to make some decisions on our way down. Cinque Torri (Five Towers) to Tofane? or Col Gallina?

This sign says "whosoever loves the mountains leaves the flowers alone".

Another fantastic and exhausting day. Time to go back to the hotel for a very hot shower, cuddle time with my sweetie, and dinner.