We left Santa Cristina on Saturday and negotiated more hairpin turns in Guido Carducci. I wasn’t feeling well. We stopped in Cortina, a relatively large town in the Dolomites favored by the moneyed gentry. Cortina hosted the 1956 Winter Olympics and will do so in 2026 with Milan. The downtown area is full of designer shops and high-end sporting goods stores. We split pizza and salad at an open-air pizzeria while an oompah band played next door. I was barely able to eat half of my portion. The drive from Cortina to Misurina was still twisty, but mercifully short.
On the way to Misurina, I suggested that we might want to do Covid tests on ourselves once we arrived at the hotel. Results: Positive and positive. I didn’t have to wait the 15 minutes to read my test – it was positive at three. Julian’s took a bit longer to develop. I was wiped out and was asleep by 7 after an earlier nap. Julian ordered a room service dinner. I didn’t stir until 7:30 the next morning.
In contrast to Cortina, Misurina is puny. It has no pharmacy. The grocery store sells homeopathic nostrums, but no effective decongestants or analgesics. This negated the opportunity to get any Paxlovid to beat back the virus.
I took a nap after breakfast, then Julian rousted me to take a bus ride up to Tre Cime, a popular site for climbers and hikers. It took most of my energy to walk to the bus stop. I stayed at the Rifugio (cafeteria/visitor center) while Julian took a short hike. I didn’t know until I attempted to read an information plaque that the Dolomites were a key battleground during World War I, when Italy was on the side of the allies against Germany and Austria-Hungary.
I felt well enough on Monday to do some walking near the lake across the street from our hotel. It had rained overnight and was still raining off and on that day. Ducks were attempting to mooch food off human passersby to mixed effects.
Other than being ill, we had great luck in the Dolomites. The staffs at both hotels were friendly, and the weather was mostly cooperative. Now we’ll see what Venice has in store for us.
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