La Dolce Vita in Cortina d'Ampezzo...

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The Beijing Olympics Games are over....Great, I was not a big fan of the concept this year! I'm not sure I'm going to be a big fan either of the World Cup in Qatar end of this year! So let's celebrate the 2026 Winter Olympics coming to Cortina next! Let's hope we'll get back to the proper Olympic tradition. Somewhere, somehow...old fashioned may be more enjoyable than what we have just been served!



So let me introduce you to the beautiful...and in 2022 very peaceful Cortina! I can't imagine that in 4 years time, chaos of the Olympics will change the face of this place forever! We took the early bus out of Venice to Cortina. At one stage they may have been 8 passengers in this big empty bus, this is it! We made it before lunch. No skiing for me the first day. We are staying at the gorgeous Cristallo hotel. Old fashion it is, gorgeous it is, slightly luxurious it is too....this seems to be the address in Cortina!



We arrived pretty early. The hotel is at just below 40% occupancy. Nice upgrade to a top panoramic view suite with two little balconies. This is so Alpine setting....gorgeous! Next we are walking back down to town for lunch. The intended place is closed...maybe due to clearly a lack of tourists in the city. So we ended up in the hide-away of the local ski school staff in town. Eat where the staff eats...it's cheap, it's good...and it's so local!



Cortina is the Italian St Morritz or Courchevel...but here, there is simply no one around, we have the place to ourselves! So we spent some time walking around before retrieving to the luxury of the Cristallo. Next, let's go down to the swimming pool. Fluffy bathrobes....and what a swimming pool! Did I write gorgeous??



We decided to head back to town for dinner...pizza time again it was...with the locals again as ...well...nobody else is in town. Cristallo is a little out of town, but they do drop you and pick you up from any restaurant....isn't this convenient! Wish I had this kind of services in my youth while staying in hostels!



Next morning, it's breakfast time...than time for finally some serious skiing! Imagine, my last decent skiing was three years ago. Interestingly, it was also in Italy, just above Brescia. I'm not any younger today...so the idea is to ski, and not to break any leg! The hotel shuttle is only dropping at one lift. Seems that lift is only bringing you to solid blue slopes for the least to start with. Well....it will do the job, I rent my skis...while Tanya is enjoying the town. The slopes were super cool for a first day. Nobody around either her too....place for the very few lucky ones.



I survived a few hours of amazing skiing. The blue sky is out, the sun too...the slopes are gorgeous...it's just felt good! Next skiing would come just 5 weeks later...in a place you would not believe I could be in at the time.



We arrived, and it was already time to board the bus back to Venice for me adventures...Cortina....Cristallo hotel....we will be back, it's just so good to feel so spoiled!

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