Italy #15
Today we went on an extensive hike to the top of a ridge and on to a refugio way up high on a rocky inhospitable spot. It's a place to stay as well as eat. We had lunch there then headed back down. (Alysson -- we were up the Schlern).
The hike involved going up to the alpine by bus, then going up a chairlift. From there we walked downhill to a farm/refugio where we had coffee and used their bathroom. Again it was a place you could stay at. Then it was uphill for 2 hours on a trail which reminded me of the Inca Trail (only 1/2 the elevation!). We went up the side of a rocky hill encountering a bit of snow here and there. At the top we were at 7544 feet. It took us 1 1/4 hours to get down to the bottom then it was uphill for quite awhile to get out of the "hole". From there it was downhill again to where we started in the morning. We caught the #10 bus which delivers us right to our hotel door. We have just got the hang of which busses you need a ticket for and which you can pay the driver. And now we're leaving. Oh well.
That alpine area is so huge it would take days and days to explore the different areas. It would be fun do do by mountain bike as the elevation changes are very manageable.Saw two idiots taking their bikes up this trail so they could go down the other side. Must have carried them a lot as the trail was very rocky in spots with steps cut into them.
Because of the heat, wearing my knee brace and all the downhill, my left leg is red from knee to ankle. And, no Samara, it doesn't hurt. Just looks like I have a terrible disease. Will wear long pants tomorrow on the bus/train to Venice.
The flowers changed today. We had several shades of blue and white in with the yellow. The arnica is so much larger here. There is lots of bog marigold and buttercups -- a tall variety. Of course some of the yellow flowers are dandelions.
The thunder rumbled around us but nothing developed. Good thing as we were pretty exposed.
So we are off in the morning to Venice.
A few notes on Castelrotto: Population 8400 with 6100 tourist beds. Elevation 1060 m. Names are confusing as they are both in German and Italian. Thought they were two different places for awhile -- Castelrotto and Kastelruth.It's origins go back before the Roman times.