Northern Italy and the Dolomites

[Georgia & Zig]

Monday, June 15, 2026

Today was another travel day to go to Malpensa (Milan). We hired a taxi to take us to the Gare de Lyon. We got briefly separated in a crowd at the station and Georgia couldn’t find me or the train. We had to catch the next one coming in 30 minutes. No biggie.

While waiting we ate in a “Daniel and Denise” restaurant/bar in the station. It had been recommended to me by someone as very good. Evidently locally famous. The people at the next table were playing a spirited dice game I’d never seen before called Percido.

The waitress was quite firm that the inside air-conditioned section was for people ordering food, and the outside (ie hot and humid) was for people who only wanted drinks. One group of four was incensed to find that ordering a non-existent “just salad” got them booted into the “outer humidity.”

The scenery from the train on the way into Italy was lovely. We got off at the Milan Porta Garibaldi to transfer to the train to Malpensa. Then we had to quickly find our binari (train platform) because the trains, especially the regional trains don’t wait very long before pulling out. It’s the time in a run that they often use to try to get back on schedule. Anyway, Georgia (again) walked off to look for information, leaving me with the luggage. I asked a nearby train worker who pointed down the stairs. I hollered for Georgia, who couldn’t hear me (of course) so I tried to redouble my volume and added waving my arms like I was trying to take off. The people around me were amused but Georgia was not. She eventually looked back and saw me getting airborne. We hurried down the stairs only to arrive (as in Sliding Doors) just as the train pulled out. I suggested as sweetly as I could that in public spaces she needed to stay within an arm’s length of me. She didn’t seem convinced. Somehow missing the various trains was my fault.

Eventually we arrived at Malpensa and called our “First Hotel” who sent a van to pick us up. The driver was relentlessly cheerful and I thought we were supposed to pay him (though it was a charge actually put on our room bill) so he ended up getting a generous 10 euro tip. Our room was comfortable but eminently forgettable. The meals were nice and the neighborhood was much built-up from the last time we had stayed here in 2005. That’s 21 years ago!? I guess that’s progress. The church congregation had been so sweet to us when we visited their “chestnut festival” back then. They gave us such a lavish welcome of free beer and unfiltered wine and enough roasted chestnuts to leave a family of squirrels comatose. What a party! We had to stagger back to our motel belting out “When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that’s amore!” Dean Martin couldn’t have sung it better! But now the spirit of the village seemed crushed and swallowed up by the corporate need for a bedroom community to the airport, Malpensa.



Wednesday, June 17

Another travel day; this time to Castlerotto/Kastelruth in northern Italy with our granddaughter Sara. She arrived from Heathrow and we met up at Malpensa where the three of us caught the train to Bolzano where the car we were renting was waiting for us on the sidewalk across the street from the station. It was 2026 Jeep with more bells and whistles than a symphony orchestra. It had so many safety features it scolded me if I even thought about committing a minor infraction.

It was a pretty nice drive to our Airbnb, though the road got more twisty and turny as we went into the mountains.

The Airbnb was a working dairy farm—part of the agriturismo movement in Italy to help keep family farms in business. The sights and smells remind me of my boyhood summer vacations at my Uncle Howard’s farm in Ohio.

Sara fell in love with the farm dog immediately. It looked like an Australian shepherd crossed with a border colly. His name was Lenny and he had a really sweet disposition (and a very pungent smell). He was the perfect greeter; happy but restrained. Welcoming but not fawning, brief in his welcome but oh, so sincere.

We tried walking down to the village on a pathway between the farms.

Found a nice local pizza restaurant but knew we’d never be able to walk back up the rocky ankle-breaker pathway. And knew we’d never try walking down again. Without a stick it is too slippery and rough in places. The restaurant had delicious beer and pizza,

and we called a taxi to take us home. Though we ended up taking the taxi someone else had called. Sorry. Our bad.



Thursday, June 18 We caught the sky-lift in Kastelruth and walked 30 minutes to a little hut where we sat at picnic tables and drank beer and just “imbibed the vibe.”

Boy, am I out of shape, and there is a tiny corn in the outside edge of my left foot near my little toe that hurts like the dickens as I walk on it. It can’t be any bigger than the head of a pin, but it gives me a sharp pain with every step—especially with the rocks in the path. Ouch, I’ve got to find a hiking pole, but I know they’ll have them here. It’s a very outdoorsy place.



Friday, June 19

Bought a hiking pole and some corn plasters to ease the foot pain. Oh my, what a difference. Walked all around the nearby town of Ortisei then caught a two-part ski lift that carried us up to the top of the Seceda mountain where Sara is going on a tandem parasail to fly down. She was a little nervous, but not as nervous as I would have been. The sights all around are amazing, even if I’m not another several hundred feet up in the air looking down. The Dolomites truly are spectacular.

Somehow, as she walked away toward the launching pad with the “instructor” carrying the parasail on his back, I saw again the intrepid child she was at the beach so many years ago.

I walked one of the paths while we waited for her to land and come back up.

Georgia waited in the restaurant. We both took lots of pictures and I got scammed out of 5 euros to go to a picture point I could have gotten to for free if I walked down a steep hill, then back up. But I didn’t mind the walk so the 5 euros was worth it to me. While waiting for her we also had a beer and French fries with Daniel Kiefer from the southernmost part of Germany, just above Italy: Swabia. Then when the conquering Hero(ine) arrived she told us some of the highlights of her flight, but not all. She was very excited and determined we should see the restaurant where she landed. It was a pleasant 20 minute walk from where the ski lift drops us off. The double lift is so long because, of course, the mountain is so high. We had to have a meat platter because “the grill was closed” but it was all tasty and we got to hear more about the flying adventure. And we walked through some very cold water along a mountain stream that made our feet feel better—or rather killed all feeling in our feet. Boy was I tired.



Saturday, June 20

Sara and I were up at 5am for our 2-hour drive to Rufugio Auronzo. Elevation 2,333 meters. The roads are generally narrow and very twisty, of course. There were so many hairpin turns I told Sara we were going to meet ourselves coming back. She had no idea what I meant. The drive took no more than 2.5 hours but we arrived before the crowds. You had to reserve a parking spot in order to be even somewhat close to the trailhead. It was a long and tiring drive but the Google directions were perfect, and Sara’s choice of music made the trip pleasurable.

When we arrived we both needed to use the “facilities,” one euro each. It was a squat toilet: one porcelain foot pad on either side of a hole in the ground. I haven’t seen one since Vietnam. I doubt that Sara has ever seen one. They are notorious for losing things from your pants pockets. So even though I’d had diarrhea the past couple of days I settled for just #1. It would be bad to lose the rental car keys down in the nether world.

We set off on one of the two main paths. One heads toward Tre Cime (Three Needles) and the other toward the spectacular Cadini di Misurina viewpoint. A narrow pathway leading to an amazing lookout. That’s the way we headed.

It was immediately difficult for me. The Dolomites are basically composed of weathered prehistoric coral reefs from Triassic period seas. As it weathered it crumbled into dolomite pebbles, fingernail-sized stones that act much like rough ball bearings. Walking on flat ground isn’t bad, but any incline or decline is treacherous. Even with my replacement hiking pole I could tell that this trek was going to be suicidal. After much discussion I was able to persuade my granddaughter guardian to go on without me and send me back pictures.

So I was probably only 250 meters or so along the path when I turned around and headed back. I only fell once. Two young women stopped to offer to help. “Are you able to get up?” they asked. “We’ll see,” I replied, and fortunately I was. They said “You are an inspiration for us, we were just saying we wanted to be like you someday.” “Stupid, you mean?” I laughed.

Back at the restaurant/snack bar, I had a cup of coffee and took stock of my situation. No telling how long before Sara would get back, so after my bruised ego was completely recovered I decided to head in the other direction, toward Tre Cime. There was no way I could walk the full 10k, but I could see a little chapel in the distance and I knew I could certainly walk that far. It was about a half-mile away and there were amazing views in every direction.

And it was flat. I got some gorgeous photos and some easy exercise.

After that, Sara was back from her much more strenuous adventure. She’d gotten someone to take her picture while waiting about 2 hours for her turn at the end of the little spit of land at the viewpoint, And then she’d pushed on further to visit one of the caves dug during the first world war. She got some very evocative pictures there as well.

But both of us were exhausted and decided to head back.

We had only just started down the mountain when I fell afoul of the law. A camper-van was parked on the side of the road for no apparent reason that I could see, so I pulled out to go around, only to be immediately stopped by an irate Carabinieri standing at our front bumper glaring at me. He thought there was a very good reason for the camper to stop-he had stopped it to allow hill-climbing bicyclists to go up the mountain. If he wanted the van to stop he certainly wanted the cars behind the van to stop as well. My bad. My double bad.



To be continued

 

[Georgia & Zig]

Sunday, June 21, 2026

Went to the church service at Kastleruth, thinking of our friends Jim and MaryJane Baber. It was very Tyrolean, with songs and service and in the local dress. I think their family came from the Tyrol. It is certainly a very “Catholic” area and the church was mostly full.

We spent the rest of the day getting souvenirs, packing and resting up for the trip home.



Monday, June 22

Got up early to go back to the church to see if they had a lost and found. Evidently I left my “Gila Monster” hat somewhere, and we already checked at the restaurant and the various stores we visited. The church was our last chance. I think I left it when we happened upon the Tyrolean funeral. No joy, as they say in England.

The church was preparing for a wedding but they looked in their lost and found cabinet. No gila monster hat. I suspect it’s a “Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers” situation but I’m sure whoever has it will enjoy it. And with the streamers hanging from the door and decorations everywhere I’m sure the church will be lovely for the upcoming nuptials.

We packed up the car and left about 9:00, our checkout time. The drive back to Bolzano was easier than the drive from Balsamo to Kastleruth. We were behind two camper vans and that slowed everyone down to a reasonably safe speed around the hairpins.

In Bolzano we parked on the exact same sidewalk spot where we picked up the car across the street near the train station. I was so glad to hand him the keys and let him check for any damage. None. It had taken 39 euros to fill it up with 20 liters of gas. We had a two hour wait for our train to Verona, so decided to have a little smackeral. We had a delicious apricot-filled croissant with café latte at a local shop then walked around. It was very hot. The sun was brutal so we visited the Duomo di Bolzano hoping for a little respite from the heat and had a beer at the Duomo patisserie.

There was no air-conditioning in the train car. Georgia couldn’t believe that was right so went looking for another car. She found one where the conductor had just turned on the air and then went to explain the situation in the other cars but people were stupefied by the heat, I guess, and didn’t get up. Georgia stayed in the air conditioned car and eventually Sara joined her, then zig gave up and moved too. It was marginally better in the “cool.”

When we arrived in Milan we took the Malpensa airport express train and called out hostess’ neighbor, who lived next door to her house in the little bedroom community of Case Nuove and who had offered to pick us up at the airport. The apartment was also hot, but the good neighbor called our hostess to learn how to work the air conditioning. Italy, and most of Europe, is having to learn how to adjust to the rising temperatures. We’ve heard that Europe is the world’s fastest warming landmass, and they’ve done without A/C for so long, it’s a real adjustment for them. We finally started to cool off. She even called the only restaurant, Samarcanda, to make reservations for us. Sara didn’t want to go, so Georgia and I walked over (about 2 blocks) and shared a very nice meal of seared beef and eggplant Parmesan.



Tuesday, June 23

We took a day-trip to Milan. The good neighbor’s husband gave us a ride to the train station, which was part of Malpensa. Outside the Milan Centrale train station we took the trolly in the wrong direction. Had to wait for it to complete its run then head back into town. We got off close to La Scala, the opera house. All the lights were on and we were able to see just how beautiful the opera house is.

Then we toured the museum looking at pictures of all the famous singers and composers, and many photos and videos from past famous productions. They even had Verdi’s piano on display.

It was still really hot. But we found the famous gelateria, Grom, where sat and cooled off with the icy treat. Fortified, we hiked on to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Looked at all the spectacular fashions, and fashionable people. Sara had to crush the bull’s testicles for good luck. She spun around like a champ on Toro della Galleria, in the center of the complex.


We found another coffee shop upstairs where there was a great view down into the Galleria. Had to buy some souvenir candy-covered (expensive) fruits.

Sara wanted to climb to the Milan Cathedral roof, so we went to the ticket office and were told that the roof was closed because of the heat. It was 40 degrees C, about 104 degrees F. We got entrance tickets and a paper dress for Sara, because she was wearing shorts (OH the Shame!)

It was beautiful inside, but still hot, so we didn’t stay long. But did have to admire the Marco d’Agrate’s 1562 grisly statue of St Bartholomew flayed, depicting the Martyr-saint wearing his own skin draped around his shoulders like a floor-length stole.

Sara then led us to see some of the sites she was anxious to see. First was the Sforza Castle. We followed her lead to the Metro and took it into an area we’d never been to before. It was fun to see a familiar city through her eyes. At the castle she was absolutely captivated by a street magician gathering a crowd by scamming people with a ball and three cups, as each “mark” tried to guess which cup the ball is under, much like 3-card monte.

In the museum there was an unfinished Michelangelo statue of a standing pieta. He was working on it the last day of his life.

The museum was huge, stretching through many of the castle buildings. Tired, we went out into a small garden where there was another coffee shop and bar (Surprise, Surprise!) We got drinks and sat outside in the shade because there was no air conditioning (Surprise, Surprise!)

Then we followed Sara through Parco Sempione to the huge Arco della Pace.

Then we found an air-conditioned Tagliatelle restaurant also serving delicious pinsa pizza, pasta and with a bottomless sparkling water dispenser. Georgia was in Heaven.

We walked back toward the train station through Chinatown where we stopped at a grocery store that also carried all the different oriental fans, treats, and trinkets. Sara bought candy and Georgia bought a hand fan. Wonderful discussion between Georgia and Sara about whether or not the fan would actually cool anyone off or whether the energy needed to fan oneself actually caused the “fanner” to get more hot. We seem to have lots of discussions like this on our trips. Georgia and Sara are both very positive in their opinions.

Sara saw a cat café. We just had to stop and see the Italian kitties. And it was air conditioned, the drinks were delicious, and the cats were cute. So, it was a good place to take a break.

The cat café was close to the train station so it didn’t take long to walk to it. In order to go inside we had to scan our tickets which we had purchased this morning for a round trip. Sara was ahead of us, as usual, and scanned herself through. But when Georgia got there and tried to scan her ticket, the gate didn’t open. I was still trying to find my ticket on my phone and not being very successful. Georgia tried several times, but then gave up and went to the security agent standing next to the accessible gate, showed him her ticket and told him it wasn’t working the gate. He looked at it and opened the large gate for her to go through. She motioned for me and I followed her through without even showing the ticket I had not yet found. I guess he realized that I had one too, since we looked like we were together.

After we got through, Sara was not there so we thought she had already headed to the train platform. So we headed that way too, got to the platform and boarded the train because we thought it was about to depart. We didn’t see Sara on the train, so I checked my messages and sure enough there were several from her. “Where are you? You disappeared. I’m waiting for you inside the gate!” I texted her that we were on the train and it’s leaving. She texted, “Get off the train and wait for me!” I texted that she could catch the next one, because they run every 30 minutes or so. She texted, “No! Please get off!” Georgia said that the heat would kill her if she had to get off and wait for the next train because the station was not air conditioned and it was over 100 degrees F. So we didn’t get off. We told her to run! Miraculously the train didn’t leave and a few minutes later Sara boarded just in time. She found us and let us know she was less than pleased. She made us pinky swear to wait for her if it ever happens again.

We made it back to Malpensa and Case Nuove. But it was too late to go out to eat, we were tired and needed to pack. So we ordered a take-out pizza from Samarcanda and ate in the Airbnb. It was delicious. Then we packed and went to bed.



Wednesday, June 24

We woke up early and went to the neighborhood bakery for delicious, huge croissants with apricot filling and coffee from a coffee machine, which was surprisingly good. Local people were there and we enjoyed trying to talk with them. Back at the Airbnb we caught another ride with the good neighbor who only charged 20 euros per ride to the airport.

We thanked Saint Christopher for no problems or flight delays on our trip back to our old Kentucky home in Lexington. I do love our trips but there really is no place like home.