Bolzano and Otzi the iceman

At the archeological museum

We travelled along the autostrada to the city of Bolzano (it’s 49 minutes away from Trento)

The roads were busy there, but thanks to our sat nav we found the location. To our good luck we found a car space along the road nearby as someone pulled out and we took that space. 

The museum is 4 floors 3 about how the iceman was found and then explanations of all the evidence they have gleaned and about how his body remained preserved from 3500 BC

We could see Otzi through a glass preserving tank. He looked so wonderful, so amazing we are so lucky to see him. He was discovered in 1991 but it wasn’t for 3 days that they realised his significance and and from the copper age. He has remnants of sheep skin trousers. Bearskin hat and a copper headed axe. Spears and a dagger. His shoes are lined with bear skin and made of thatched grasses. 

From his teeth they could pin point the area where he was born and lived for his childhood. Then 30 years in another area. He was murdered by a spear in his back through his shoulder. 

It is fascinating to see all they have discovered from his body. We bought a book about it. 

You were not allowed to take any photos and that’s ok. Here is all I can show you. 

Next after a pasta and salad lunch we explored a huge high pass through the mountains to Cles and then onto Trento It has scary sheer drops and nowhere to stop to take pics 

So pleased vince was driving 

It was well worth the experience to really get a feel of the high Dolomites. 

This is our view from our holiday house which is ideal but as I said before very stressful to reach through a narrow tunnel and road! Only got to do this 3 more times now 🤪

Trento to Canazei Dolomites 

Today is a much clearer day. We can see the tops of the mountains and the sun is shining although there is a cold wind in the mountains.

We travelled through high mountain roads with eye watering sheer cliff sides down down down to steep valleys. They had hairpin bends but all the way was crash barriers and good two way roads. We went through a few tunnels too. 

We finally found the sheer peaks of rocks we wanted to photograph! 

It was interesting to see that as we climbed the roads, there were vines growing on terraces but after a certain height no vines and instead masses of wild flower meadows. It must be too cold over a certain height to grow vines. 

At the highest parts there are the ski villages and one with a ski lift still working to take walkers up to the summit. 

We passed bikers and hikers. 

There are many marked walks and cycle tracks to follow but at our age the car and the road sufficed 🤣🤣

We returned the same way as there was no circular routes for this journey.

Today I’ve had apple strudel at our coffee break

Spaghetti carbonara for lunch more coffee

ice cream with berries as a stop off with Diet Coke on return journey. 

Salad for tea tonight 

I need to go on a diet when I get home! 

Hope you like my photos x

Tuesday 2 June

Woke up to rain today and mist on top of the mountains and along the cliffs. The rain stopped and started in different locations so we journeyed on to view the lakes regardless. 

As we left, the neighbours were working on their allotment gardens. You should see their veg gardens!

Leaving Trento we headed up the mountains.

So they make Grappa wines here which is a process in wine making increasing the alcohol level.

We followed the reverse way we travelled from yesterday but because of the clouds and rain it seemed so different and it was hard to realise how the mountains were. There are many tunnels through the mountains but the roads seem very wide and safe to drive

We stopped for a walk at the lake until the rain started really pouring and then made our way slowly back. 

Really we had to give up then at 2pm ish as we could see so little and when we got out of the car it was too wet to enjoy properly.

Managed the tunnel back to the house it’s aging us 10 years each time! 

So now we are spending time looking through our photos and sorting them out.

Lake molveno Dolomites Italy 

Well I am in love with Tuscany and now I’m in love with the Dolomites too 🤗

Our holiday house has everything we need only drawback is a very narrow tunnel to get the car through to reach it… but we managed it again twice out and in 🤪

We have a few lakes around here and today our first full day, we planned to visit Lago di Molveno. 

The roads were safe although we climbed up the mountains with hairpin bends. We only drive slowly and so as soon as we get to a passing place we pull over and let the cars and Lorries pass us!

The views were as you can imagine spectacular. 

Half way up the mountain we found a hotel the Bike Hotel. We had a coffee and sat outside looking at the view and breathing the fresh air. 

We reached the top and began to descend to the lake. 

In the town there were the usual tourist shops hotels cafes etc. We couldn’t find a free parking space so travelled around the lake a little and luckily a car pulled out so we had a great spot above the lake. 

It was raining by now but we could see the sun shining on the jagged peaks. The sunshine gradually moved over the lake to our side and the rain gradually stopped. 

There was a steep set of steps down to the lake and a foot path all around the lake towards the town. We stayed there for ages firstly in the gentle rain then in the sunshine. There were some large rocks we could sit on. 

We took loads of photos. The mountains and reflections in the water were so pretty. It

Was so peaceful there away from the people in the town. 

We followed the road further through the mountains and found that we didn’t need to retrack as the road eventually led back to Trento! 

We again stopped along the way at viewing points. The gigantic mountains with vertical sides and jagged peaks remind me so much of Norway. The rocks are pinkish and orangey in parts. 

Very hard igneous rocks. 

We stopped at a mineral museum  at miravalle bar

And sat outside admiring the view eating apple strudel and drinking coffee. Overlooking another much smaller lake

When we got back the temperature is 30*c but in the high mountains it was 21*c. 

Looking forward to more days in these mountains.

I think I’m a mountain girl at heart. 

Trento Dolomites 

Sunday 31 May

Not much to write as today was a travelling day. 

We made two service stations stops and they were both chaotic as people use the same autostrada to reach Venice and Bologna and Switzerland.

So we had a break at the southern tip of lake Garda . 

It is soooo hot 33*c. We sat in the shade and watched the people on the pedal boats and paddle boards falling in the cold water. 

We are outside of Trento half way up a mountain in a lovely spot with a view of mountains and people’s gardens. 

We have our own private garden and only one problem …..to reach the road to our house we have to squeeze the car through a tunnel only 2 and a half metres wide in one part! Even with the wing mirrors in, it is a close shave. 

So we are both tired and thankful to be here. We will stress how to get in and out the tunnel tomorrow! 

Saturday 30th May olive oil museum and tasting opportunities (and buying opportunities of course!)

We had an educational but very fun morning at the olive oil museum. Cost €20 each including the museum, tour of machinery to process Tuscan olive oil ….and then tasting oils and Tuscan delicacies.

It was an interactive museum with fun explanations and videos …. So much more to olive oil than we had realised.

Its health benefits were amazing. Extra virgin olive oil is the best for health. 1 tablespoon a day. I could give a lecture on it now!

Cooking, beauty, health all benefits of olives. The olive tree wood, the planting, the seasons for tending the plants, the harvest…. Vince and I know it all now( we were the only 2 people there and had a great talk with Chiana our host. We got on well with her and she appreciated our interest)

We got the message only buy Italian olive oil and Tuscany olives are the best 😉

We were there for a good two and a half hours and it was so interesting not boring at all. 

We spent the afternoon at Arezzo and in the park. 

Then headed back to pack up ready for an early start tomorrow. 

Tomorrow we go to the Dolomites for a week. 

Lucignano, designer village at valdichiana  and pienza and one of the worst thunderstorms I’ve ever been in 

Well I’m sitting here in our car and just arrived back at the holiday home. 

Vince has driven through a horrendous hail stone thunderstorm. We had to stop once as you literally couldn’t see the road ahead. It’s right over head and if we get out of the car to reach the door we will be soaked to the skin! So we are watching the lightening and listen for any sight of it stopping anytime soon. Just so pleased we got here safe and sound. The temp had dropped 12 degrees just like that 

In the house no and no sign of it stopping. There is a yellow warning for storms until tomorrow. I would call it a red warning event!

Anyway today was another lovely day. We went to the town nearest to us on the top of the next hill. It surprised us how different it is from our local village. I have taken a few pics to remind myself what it is like. There were lots of cyclists there and little shops not obvious tourist shops. 

Next we visited Valdichiana the designer village nearby to us. It is very American mall like and had many designer clothes shops mainly. I wanted some mugs etc but no kitchenware shops at all. There were coffee designer cups in a coffee wares shop but too tiny!

Next stop was Pienza. This is a lovely town with fab views from the town walls. We walked along the walls and had our pasta lunch there as we were hungry. This town was full of tourists mainly bussed in from cruise ships. Lots of Americans and Asian people. 

Lastly we explored the Val d’Orcia as there is so much Beaty to be seen

We could see the storm approaching as we travelled back! 

Tomorrow is going to be dry and sunny and our last full day here in Tuscany 

Ps the storm has passed over just hope we get no more tonight xx

Montepulciano and Val d’Orcia

Thursday today and fresher after a thunderstorm I slept through!

Mostly it was about 26*c with very stormy skies at times. We managed to avoid the downpours somehow and only caught a few drops of rain now and then .

As we got to the city we were very lucky to find a car park space. On the other hand yesterday there were none to be found and we gave up. So pleased we returned today as it is a very interesting place. 

We went to the tourist info and bought a map of the city, asking if there were any steps to climb. The girl said no just a long set of streets for 2.5 km. Well she was correct but the long roads were all on a slow uphill incline. I managed this ok and it wasn’t until we turned round we realised how high we had walked along and up. 

First stop was a coffee and cake. This is starting to be a habit now 😉

The cafe had a grand piano in the room and frescos painted on the ceilings very smart. 

Here are a few of the shops and ancient buildings we saw.

The art gallery featured a Salvador Dali exhibition all free to go in.

Mostly there were wine merchants,leather goods, designer clothes and shoes, artists shops, and many restaurants.

The views from up there were phenomenal. We sadly didn’t get right to the top to the grand piazza. …. Too tiring to go any further. 

I’ve included some sights we saw yesterday of the curves leading up to a wine shop. It looks so different with stormy skies. 

We also saw different views of the hills as we explored. There is so much to see and do here.

Wednesday around Val d’Orcia including Montepulciano and Montalcino

Although beautiful architecture and Catholic cathedrals are everywhere in the whole of Tuscany you can have too much of a good thing!!!

We really came for the landscapes too and so today we travelled slowly through the Val d’Orcia.

We wanted to see the rolling hills and the tall thin cypress trees in lines and curling up the hills. We were very lucky and had many opportunities.

Our regrets are that we see an amazing landscape view but there is nowhere to stop off the road. Nevertheless we had a brilliant day. 

We stopped for 2 coffees and 2 custard filled croissants and it only cost us €6!

Back at our holiday house we had a huge salad and Valpolicella wine. 

Another hot day today 33*c 

I think I need to get used to these temps from now on.

We travelled south to Assisi today to explore the cathedral and Saint Francis life. 

We have seen so many medieval towns and beautiful  churches. This town is in Umbria.

The Saint Francesca cathedral is painted with frescos all over the walls and low ceilings. It has marbled floors and is not dark inside like other Catholic Churches we have visited.

We explored the church and went down the steps to see his tomb. There are strict rules about silence and not taking photos but I sneaked a few on my mobile!

Above the church is a courtyard and a museum. You were allowed to take photos in there, as long as you don’t use flash.

To finish off the morning we had lunch outside a hotel. 

There was a mouse scampering about under tables and along the surrounding wall Ugh! The waiter was chasing it with a brush….

To get away from all the “holiness “ and the little mouse 🤣, 

we came back to our house through the Alpinines. A beautiful winding road with steep hairpin bends. (Vince called it a Janet road. ) 

There were no lay-bys to stop the car to take any photos of the views sorry. Perhaps we will get some tomorrow…