After a week in Scapello we selected the Dolomites, a mountain range in Northeastern Italy as a road trip destination. We bravely set out across to "Autostrad" a toll highway, testing our navigation skills without GPS. With the aid of a Michelin book of maps and Google maps we zoomed across the industrial region, north of Milan. No wonder they say don't drive into Milan.
Soon we were north of Verona, in the beautiful Trentino valley full of vineyards and apple orchards. A stop a Bozan/Bozano verified our B&B location in the village of Vigo di Fassa. Bozen is a carless city centre which we soon realised when it dawned on us we were being hollered at in Italian.
Windy roads through pristine villages led us to the B&B at dusk and we awoke to pouring rain! Misty mountains prevailed all day and it was only leaving the next morning that we saw the specular silver-grey spires. Dolomite is a sedimentary rock like limestone and often at dusk the breathtaking phenomena of red peaks called "enrosadia" is visible.
What we didn't expect were so many logging trucks, mills, sport stores, pizzeria's and a view of ski jumpers practising on artificial turf of a large jump.
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| Mist on the Dolomites |
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| Dolomites |
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Dolomites spires |
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| Trentino ski jump |
An email from Diana about a nearby castle with family connections changed our course. (Castle Thun). After viewing we drove across "Passo de Tonto" to enter Switzerland. Roads are increasingly steep and full of curves, switchbacks are unbelievable and endless fun for the driver, and by "Passo de Bernina" we are high in the alpine, whizzing past St Moritz at dusk, seeking affordable accommodation. Finally we settled on a hotel "Puro en Prosto", glad for a room/meal. At dinner Bob meets Franco with whom they first converse with "Google Transulate" and Internet fishing/hunting photos. He takes Bob for a tour in his replica Land Rover to and old town called Chiavenna.
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| Switzerland |
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| Indoor/outdoor hockey |
So next morning we stop at small city of Chiavenna, which is like an open air museum in northern Italy (we spent 4 hours in Switzerland). We walk easily around the old town centre, as no cars are allowed. An important area for "crotti" crottos are stone caves where natural vents keep temperatures constant year round. Used as storage for wine, cheeses, cured meats, even restaurants and as a backdrop for an outdoor/indoor hockey rink.
Driving south, along the west side of Lake Como we pass villa after villa (19th century) adorned with palm trees, botanical gardens and olive groves on the steep hillsides. There are few beaches and the dirty water doesn't invite swimming, but this hazy" lago" has appeal, especially to celebrities. On driving back to Scapello, we decide to temper our drives to those of a local nature to truly learn and get to know an area.
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| Lake Como |
