Italian Alpine Adventure

Hang gliders float off the mountains.

Towering above Northern Italy, the Alps and Dolomites are a majestic fixture on the horizon. Today we drove up the Alps on roads that were so curvy, they resembled spaghetti.

With each climb in altitude, the temperature dropped. At the foot of the Alps the temperature was in the 70s. High in the mountains, the temperature dropped to the 50s.

Stopping at the first scenic vista, we weren't alone. Hang gliders were there enjoying the view from an extreme vantage point. They towered above the fertile farmland below. We were so close, we could hear them yell to each other as they soared thousands of feet above the ground. It looked crazy, but it also looked like a lot of fun.

The next stop was an Alpine lake so clear you could see all the way to the bottom in shallow areas. We even spotted fish gathered together in one small corner of the lake. The water, fed by snowmelt, was ice cold. In the shallow areas, it was a vibrant emerald color. In deeper areas, it was a glacier blue. The contrast of the water and the high alpine peaks touching the clouds made for a breathtaking view.

But there was just one problem.

The only thing between us and the other side of the lake was a tiny bridge. The narrow, suspended bridge looked more like a pedestrian bridge than a bridge for cars. In fact, if we hadn't heard from others that it was intended for cars, I'm not sure anyone would have suggested actually driving across it. Getting the Fiat nine-passenger van across was more of an act of bravery than anything else. As we inched over the bridge, I peered out the window to see that we cleared the sides of the bridge by mere inches. Bravo! We made it without even a small scratch. Kudos to the driver.

The van squeaks by.

On the other side of the bridge was a small mountain town--a mix between Italy and Austria. We wondered what the residents of the little town nestled in the Alps did come winter time when it was surely under many feet of snow. Some of the houses had chicken coops in the back stocked with roosters, hens and even duck. Once the snow starts piling up, I doubt these people get back down the mountain. The road is curvy enough in normal weather. I can't imagine what several feet of snow would add to the mix.

We had the small town pretty much to ourselves. The walkways were still just like the narrow, cobbled streets we've come to expect in Italy, only with a sort of Austrian flair. This was a picturesque mountain town. The restaurants don't typically start serving dinner until 7:30 p.m. and since it was only about 3 p.m., the stores were closed as everyone was still on siesta time. The best option was a drink at the local bar/cafe/gelato shop. Even in cooler weather, friends still ordered gelato because it's just that good.

As the sun started to set, I almost didn't want to leave. The air was so clean and the mountains were so spectacular, I could have sat there and stared for at least another day.