Bolzano

This part of the Dolomites is a mix of Austrian, Swiss and Italian influences. Dairy cows wander the meadows with their bells ringing away. You can find apple strudel and kraut in shops and restaurants. Yet, everyone here speaks Italian, cappuccino is an essential start
(middle and end) to the day, and pasta is served with every meal.

Our hotel includes a 4 course meal every evening at 7:30. It’s a long, interesting, and formal affair.

Meals are interesting because we’re never really sure of what’s being served. A description of the evening’s dinner, including each course and any options, is posted in the lobby for anticipatory review. Even on the occasion that we’ve recognized some part of the meal’s description (e.g. rigatoni) the presentation and combination of ingredients has been surprising to us. Each meal is an adventure in the culinary delights of the region.

The dinning experience is from 7:30-9:30. This is a really long stretch of time is you are tired after hiking all day. Our Italian hotel friends love the lengthy meals and usually move outside to talk and smoke for another hour or two after dinner. 🥂Kai and I can barely stay awake long enough to enjoy dessert.

The dinning experience is more formal than we are accustomed to because all guests enter the dinning room together, have assigned tables, and leave the dining room together. Each course is served to all tables at roughly the same time. If you eat too quickly you will have to wait a bit for the next course. Last night we were rebels and asked to skip the 3rd course altogether and go straight to dessert. We managed to escaped the dining room at 8:30🎉.

We are enjoying these culinary adventures, as well as learning about Italian holiday preferences. It’s fun and would be more fun if we spoke Italian!

Alas- no food pictures- but more mountains, trails and streams. Ooh, and a video of amazing electrical storm from earlier in the week. 💕Lue lisää