Trips

Wed., 5/17/23 - A "Nature Hike" in the Ladin Valleys

Today was a beautiful day to spend in the Tyrolean mountains. The views of the villages, Dolomites, farms, and ski areas were spectacular. On the way up the twisting mountain roads we saw lots of examples of the timber/lumber industry, landslide mitigation, and, unfortunately, beetle kill in the evergreens. The area here is inhabited by Ladin speakers. Ladin is a combination of the rural dialect and Latin.

The day's activity was a two-mile “hike” with an Alpine guide on a path also used for biking and cross-country skiing. There were larch trees, short needle pines and “fir” trees as well as mountain ash (with berries used to make grappa!) and some birch trees.

Lunch was at Val Pusteria where we had barley soup, frittelle (like empanadas) stuffed with ricotta and spinach or sauerkraut, green spaetzle, and ice cream with warm berries for dessert.

Ruins	Dolomites and Ladin Valleys area
Sun Dial	Sign on a building wall
Local church
Ladin Valleys region
	Horse farm
Rules for hiking in the region - the first three are about dogs and the last says not to approach grazing cattle	Dolomites and Ladin Valleys area
	This sign says please do not walk in the meadows - or do not trample on the grass
Big log cutting operation	Avalanche scar
Another water trough	This sign is all about dog etiquette as well (they must have a dog problem, or is it a dog owner problem?)
Tower for ski lift	Branch and needles from a larch tree
At least one of these languages is Ladin	Small sawmill operation
Small sawmill operation	Mascot?
Small chapel along our walk	Windows in the small chapel
Beautiful views
Decorated wall	These are carved from wood
Musical instruments at the restaurant (Ciasa Urban) where we had lunch	More views
Thurs., 5/18/23 - Cavasagra (near Venice) Another transfer day and a day of chaos. Most of our group members are to fly home tomorrow and the airport baggage handlers are going on strike from noon to 5 PM tomorrow. That shut down most of their flights so they had to make new travel arrangements and find hotel rooms for Friday night or more. Fortunately, we are staying until Tuesday. Due to an accident that created a miles long traffic jam on the Italian “autobahn,” we arrived late for our visit to a small apple farm that is an EU “agriturismo” venture. These are farms renting out rooms and opening restaurants to supplement their farming income. Before lunch, we walked among the organic apple trees and learned about their care and harvest. This farm grows mostly golden delicious and gala apples and also opal apples. They also grow red currents, black berries, and grapes. We taste-tested two varieties of apples and then had a nice lunch.	Nice sign
Castle on the mountain	Countryside
Orchards with a cable-stayed bridge in the distance
Organic apple trees	Organic apples
Organic grapes	Parasailing
Around 3:30, we arrived at the Villa Corner Hotel for our last night and Farewell dinner. Gale was able to sit outside and conduct her monthly Zoom meeting with her college classmates. Dinner was a loud, chaotic affair - most of the group began drinking wine at 4:30 and never stopped.
Hotel at Villa Corner - our rooms were in the stable block, not this fancy main building	Gale Zooming with her college classmates

Continue on next page