Ortisei, Val Gardena

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Today was an orientation day. We are in a new area and have no idea what is where. We had a good read of the brochures then headed off downhill to check out the town. It is a very attractive town with neat streets and buildings. The shopping area is like so many tourist areas - full of sports gear, cafes and souvenirs. Food shops seem to focus on strudel, cheese, salami and prosciutto.

We picked up a typical TTAT's lunch (bagel, banana, turkey slices and apple) and headed off on the walk up the valley to St Cristina. The majority of the walk was on an old railway that had been built during 1915 to transport supplies to the Austrian troops.

Further up the valley it opens up to a broad panorama of high, vertical mountains and broad plateaus. There are large grassy areas, a lot of forest and steep sided glacial valleys. Hiking tracks are everywhere. It reminded us a lot of the Grindelwald valley in Switzerland where we resided high on the southern side of the valley as here. The valley is confined by high mountains and many hiking tracks. It is German/Swiss looking. They speak Deutsch and Laden. The surrounding countryside is similar in nature but there aren't the clanging of cow bells.

It has been a sunny but cool day but still nice enough to have a picnic lunch looking out over the river and towards the high Dolomites. It is great to be in cooler weather again where we can layer up rather that sweating it out in the heat.

Back at the town we stocked up on a few groceries, had a coffee and strudel and plodded our way uphill back to the apartment. There is an excellent bus service but only once an hour on the hour.

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Photos

The walkway to St Cristina on an old railway
The track now occupies an old railway built during the First World War to transport supplies to the Austrian troops on the Dolomite front at the head of the valley. It took four and a half months to build 31 kms.

An orbicular granite table top
How could I resist the picture? Orbicular granite in NZ is only rarely found and is hard to find. Here, there is so much that tables and building are buildings are often seen with it.