Raul - ilivetotravel's travel log

Dante, Dante, Where Are Thou? (As in Alighieri)

22 November 2022 by Raul Leave a Comment

Dante Alighieri‘s Divine Comedy is a masterpiece of allegory, sharing with us the growth of the main character (Dante himself) as he traverses hell, purgatory and heaven. It has inspired many through the centuries (many centuries) since it was written. Including The Masquerade at Excelsior Mill in Atlanta with its three epic levels of hell, purgatory and heaven. But I digress.

Once an exile, always an exile

Dante was born in 1265 in Florence, Italy so he has been known for a LONG time. Due to politics (apparently, a nasty business not just in modern times), he had to flee his native town. Back then, Florence was a powerful republic, not just a city as we know it today.

He fled and took refuge in Verona, of Romeo and Juliet fame, where he is honored in a square – postcard #1.

Verona, Dante Alighieri, Divine Comedy, Divina Comedia, Italia, Italy

His Divine Comedy is a poem and I understand it is a brilliantly designed one in its original language: Italian. That -and a recent two-week trip- motivated me to learn Italian. I was able to actually hold conversations in Italian thanks to that effort. Though I am sure I butchered it a lot. In any case, he is the Shakespeare, the Cervantes of Italy and he pre-dates them. He is from the Middle Ages!

Death threat and actual death in Ravenna

Anyway, he was exiled on perpetuity and the pain of returning was being burned at the stake so one can understand why he did not return.

Sadly, he died at 56 of malaria in the Adriatic coastal city of Ravenna. Ravenna became an important city as Rome descended into chaos. It became capital of the Western Roman Empire in the early 5th century.

And that leads me to postcard #2 – his tomb in Ravenna. This tomb is from the 18th century. No, he did not live that long. Over the centuries, Florence regretted casting out this most famous of its sons and tried to get his remains back and even built a tomb. But, it remains empty as Ravenna has kept him all this time, even hiding his remains for some period of time to ensure they were not taken away. I think Ravenna should keep him…

Dante Alighieri, Ravenna, Dante tomb, Italy, Italia, Divina Comedia, Divine Comedy

How to read the Divine Comedy

I hope this unusual post in my blog was entertaining if nothing else. And, if you have never read the Divine Comedy, I recommend you do it. But with some guide to explain it along as there are a lot of hidden meanings, parallels across stories in the book, etc. It is well worth discovering this gem of Middle Age (or any age) literature – and if you can do it in Italian, even better!

Filed Under: Italy, Italy, Travel Journal Tagged With: dante alighieri, divine comedy, Italy, ravenna, verona

Checking out Cloudland Canyon State Park

14 November 2022 by Raul 2 Comments

On a very cold fall morning (actually, late morning as it was 11:45AM) I started what would be a super cool hike in Cloudland Canyon State Park in NW Georgia. NW as in the true corner of Georgia where it meets Alabama and Tennessee, in the Cumberland Plateau. A friend selected this state park, two hours’ drive away from Atlanta, for our Sunday hike. Excellent choice!

The state park offers several trails but the most epic one is the one that allows the hiker to properly appreciate the Cloudland Canyon: the West Rim Loop Trail. Oh, and worth noting the park offers fishing, horseback riding trails, picnicking and the like. For those not hard-core hikers, the Overlook Trail offers a way to see some of the beauty.

cloudland canyon state park, hiking, north Georgia, outdoors, nature, fitness — Approaching the trails from the parking lot

The West Rim Loop Trail

The trail actually starts with an in-and-out section that is about 1-mile+ long that crosses Daniel Creek. It is worth noting (and expressing gratitude!) that this state park is so well prepared for us hikers. It has excellent, readable signage (Iowa State University is a sponsor or supporter of these – thank you!) and very reliable trail markers (yellow for the West Rim Loop Trail).

There are some magnificent rock formations of different sorts, which are also seen further south in the trails of north Atlanta. Certainly, one can envision how the natives in the area used those formations for their shelter. — Yellow marks the way!

Also, there are many well-prepared lookouts, many with very good and sturdy railings, and some vantage points just left open as nature set them up!

At the end of it (35 minutes later), it meets up with the loop part of the trail, about a 2-mile hike reaching about 1,900 ft altitude. We completely guesses which way to go once we got to the loop and we opted to go left.

Good choice. Though it starts with a long uphill, the left side offered a great view over a plain-like area and a town that I believe was Trenton, Georgia. At some point, the loop hit a rocky promontory sort halfway through and then the trail turned to face to east rim and rockface of the Cloudland Canyon.

Checking out rock formations

There are some magnificent rock formations of different sorts, which are also seen further south in the trails of north Atlanta.

Certainly, one can envision how the natives in the area used those formations for their shelter.

hiking, rock formations, north Georgia, nature, outdoors, ilivetotravel — Not my home but in a bind…

The walls of a grand canyon

Wow! What a spectacular and long canyon-face! Certainly that was the part to see after passing the mid-point of the loop! One is rewarded with many lookouts (in-and-out very short trails) to enjoy the view.

cloudland canyon, georgia state park, nature, outdoors, hiking

Overall, the West Rim Loop Trail is 5 miles long. It took us 3 hours with the stops we made on the lookouts, random photos and snack/water breaks. There were other hikers but far from “crowded”.

One neat thing is that there are yurts and cabins in this trail. I think it would be awesome to do an overnight or two and see the scenery at different times of day.

Oh, and there’s more! Waterfalls!

Once we finished the trail, we went to see Cherokee Falls which is near the entrance to the trail. It is a spectacular climb down stairs (with the subsequent climb back up!) to get to it. The path that is not a staircase is much easier to handle!

One passes a MASSIVE boulder hanging over the trail (with a bench under it).

The waterfall setting is well worth the trouble as were those at Panther Creek, another rewarding hike to a waterfall in north Georgia. My knees were a little sore when we finished the loop trail but, boy, did I make the right choice going down to see the waterfalls! The roundtrip to see the waterfall was a mile. Another mile roundtrip would have taken us to a downstream waterfall, Hemlock Falls. But, at 6 miles and my knees, I was glad to leave that for a future visit!

If I were to return, besides trying to stay overnight at a yurt or cabin, I would certainly do it a little earlier in the fall because the color change of the trees would only add another level of spectacular to what is already a spectacular setting!

Filed Under: Georgia, Georgia, Georgia, Georgia, Hiking, Hiking, North Georgia, Travel Journal

Rouen: Full of History in War and Art

4 September 2022 by Raul Leave a Comment

France has so many destinations to explore, it is hard to cover them all or explore them as in-depth as they deserve. Even after living in Paris for 6 months many years ago, I could not cover all the territory that I would have liked. One of the towns that I always wanted to visit was Rouen, in Normandy. Why? Two things have always drawn me to it:

Its cathedral, made eternal not only by its construction but by its depiction by Claude Monet under different light and seasons.
Its infamous designation as the town were St. Joan of Arc was burned at the stake by the English at 18 years of age.

Getting there

From Paris, going to Rouen is a piece of cake. A two-hour train ride from Gare St. Lazare takes you to Rouen. From the train station in Rouen, a half-a-mile walk (or less) takes you into the center of town. There is a metro station near the train station and the heart of the town is just one or two stops away. But I recommend walking in as it is sort of downhill!

Surprised by Rouen

I am not sure what architecture I should have expected but I was surprised by the architecture in the old town. It looked a lot like the architecture that I saw around Strasbourg and Colmar in southeastern France. The town center was beautiful!

Monet’s Cathedral

Monet gave this old cathedral a favor by his work showing its glory in different times of year and under different light. I enjoyed playing with photo filters to re-enact his work with my layman’s skillset and tools…

Rouen, France, cathedral, Monet painting

The cathedral sports a magnificent façade that clearly lost a few statues at some point; some of the remnants can be seen inside the church. There are some tombs of former kings from over a millennium ago. Impressive.

Odd church… to St. Joan of Arc

As we walked in the old part of town, we saw this oddity in the middle of some square or plaza. It really looked weird and like it did not belong. The more I looked at it, the more it began to look like some Viking structure. It turned out to be the church built on the site where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake after being accused of many false things by the English (whom she had helped fight on the French side before she was even 19!). Once we identified what it was, the architecture began to make more sense.

rouen, france, joan of arc, church, eglise, juana de arcoa

The site was very moving. There is a very tall cross right outside the church on the spot where this poor and very brave young woman died for France. The inside of the church seems to fit the story. When I looked at the ceiling, the ceiling seemed to flow up to a point – like a flame would. It was all very moving indeed…

Crêpes!

When one goes to Paris, one is well-served by eating crêpes from the stands around town. But, in Normandy, eating crêpes is a must! We found a great mom-n-pop place, Kerso, where we enjoyed crêpes salés and crêpes sucrés for lunch. Really cool find!

Normandy, normandia, crepas, crepes, foodie

Though only a half day visit, I definitely got my money’s worth and more checking out this most interesting of French towns!

Filed Under: Europa (A-K), Europe, Europe, France, France, Francia, Travel Journal Tagged With: architecture, cathedral, food, France, normandy, travel

One Most Eclectic Portuguese Palace – Sintra’s Pena Palace

5 July 2022 by Raul Leave a Comment

Well, for those interested in one of the most eclectic palaces around, Portugal has one for the books: the Pena Palace in Sintra. Look no further for a Portuguese palace!

The town of Sintra

Sintra is a town easily reached from Lisbon; an hour away or so. It is very picturesque with its old district, windy and hilly alleys, and proximity to some interesting palaces/fortresses. The region around it is home to many ex-pats which makes it one of the more expensive areas of Portugal, much to the detriment of locals for whom the cost of real estate tends to go up in such scenarios.

Sintra, Portugal, Moorish Palace, travel, architecture — Sintra (Moorish Palace on top of the hill)

But I digress… Visiting Sintra is a logical part of a circuit from Lisbon that could include the resort town of Cascais and Cabo da Roca (the westernmost point of continental Europe).

The Pena Palace

The main sight in the Sintra area is the Pena Palace. If you had asked me before to name a Portuguese palace, my mind would have gone blank. Pena Palace is quite a colorful sight with an eclectic mix of architectures. It sits on the site of a monastery that got destroyed in the massive earthquake that hit Portugal in the mid-1700s and devastated parts of the country. Its position atop the highest point in the area offers great views all around and towards Lisbon.

It took until the 1830s for someone to pay attention to the site. That would have been King Ferdinand II, a German price who married well into the Portuguese royal family. King Ferdinand, along with the Queen, infused the construction with many different styles of architecture such as Romantic, Medieval and Islamic. The result is a collage of styles and color that is quite fascinating to behold.

The palace remained a royal residence until Portugal shed its monarchy when the palace became property of the state. The interiors are typical of a palace.

Sintra, Portugal, Moorish Palace, travel, architecture, old kitchen — Massive kitchen!

Sintra, Portugal, Moorish Palace, travel, architecture, chapel — Small yet inspiring chapel

Color me bright

The palace had lost its colors over the decades but that was addressed in the late 20th century when the original colors were restored.

By the way, it is one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites so if you make it to Portugal, you must check Pena Palace out!

Filed Under: Travel Journal Tagged With: architecture, Portugal, royal palace

Hiking to the Best Views of the Dolomites: Lagazuoi

13 March 2022 by Raul Leave a Comment

After spending a great night at Rifugio Kostner, who could be blamed for not wanting to leave such a cool spot? But, that is the trekking life, not staying in one spot.

sunrise, mountains, Dolomites, hiking, Italy, Italia, Lagazuoi — Red arrow points to our destination: Lagazuoi

Destination: Lagazuoi

So off we went to get to Lagazuoi, a mountain known as much for WW I history as for its beautiful setting. Lagazuoi sits at 9,301 ft – 2,835m, a short 18 kms from Cortina d’Ampezzo. The mountain had many tunnels dug by both sides (Italians and Austrians) as a way to protect themselves and/or try to surprise the opponent. All this land was part of the Austrian Empire until Italy attacked it early in WW I. You can read a little more about it here.

Starting the hike; bye Pordoi

We began the day with a great breakfast as is to be expected in these mountain rifugios (photo on my prior day’s post). Then, for the sake of getting to our next rifugio before sunset, took a little shortcut to come down from Pordoi: we took the chair lift down. Personally, saving a downhill is kindness to my knees so no complaints. And, like the day before, an easy start to a long day is nice.

sunrise, mountains, Dolomites, hiking, Italy, Italia, R. Kostner — Headed up to the chair lift.

sunrise, mountains, Dolomites, hiking, Italy, Italia, rifugio Kostner — One final look back at R. Kostner (middle left)

A different trail ahead

The start of the actual hike was very different than the rocky / pebbly trails of the prior day. I don’t know the technical terms for the landscape but low grasses and lots of green ruled the start of the day.

sunrise, mountains, Dolomites, hiking, Italy, Italia, Lagazuoi, Kostner — Beautiful trails

sunrise, mountains, Dolomites, hiking, Italy, Italia — Time for a break and absorb the views!

Many spots offered a view back to Pordoi (and Rifugio Kostner, if I zoom into the photo). It is a neat way to see where we’d been. Later, we would be offered another, even better viewpoint to watch the sun set.

OK, some rocks

We still encountered rocky terrain but no massive downhill covered with scree. But the paths, hugging the rock walls, were simply enjoyable.

dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking,

dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking, technical hiking — A few steps and rope were involved here but not too technical

Approaching Lagazuoi Mountain

We concluded the hike by approaching the Funivia Lagazuoi which would take us to the feet of our next lodging: Rifugio Lagazuoi.

My feet were pretty beat and I was in need of taking my boots off. When we reached the top, we still had a steep hill to climb but, guess what? That just made the big beer I got that much more savory!

dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking, cable car — The view down from the ride; and the rifugio almost at hand…

Majestic views of the Dolomites

Lagazuoi also offered an outdoor deck with majestic views. This rifugio was bigger than the last one and the one from day 1. Many more rooms, a larger deck, and a much larger dining area. Our floor only had 2 showers for a large number of rooms so we took a number and just let each other know when their number was getting close to not lose the spot. Thankfully, no lack of hot water!

dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking, rifugio in the dolomites — Part of the deck; my room was one of those balconies

dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking, sunset — We would reach the top of the mountain on the right to watch the sun set

Just a little more hiking at sunset

But the one thing that set this rifugio aside was fantastic vantage point to watch the sunset a short up-hill walk away. The sun would set over the Pordoi massif where we had hiked and stayed the day/night before.

And now posing the in the other direction! I look tired…

dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking, sunset, clouds, cloudporn, — This photo almost looks eerie… what do you see? I see an old woman’s head & hair

dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking, sunset, sky, skyporn, yellow sky — A fellow trekker just soaking it all in…

It was a peaceful place and it was well worth the walk up to the spot, despite tired feet. I am sure you will agree after seeing the sunset pics.

Oh, wait, but the food…

Yes, the food was really good. The double-carb first plate was absolutely perfect. The main dish was a little less impressive but the dessert made up for it!

dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking, food, pasta, risotto — First dish

dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking, sunset, food, main entree — The main entree

dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking, apple strudel in Italy, dessert, sweets, foodporn — Perfect picture to end this post!

Stay tuned for the final posts about this trek in the Dolomites!

Filed Under: Dolomites, Dolomites, Europe, Europe, Hiking, Hiking, Italy, Italy Tagged With: dolomites, Italia, Italy, senderismo, trekking

A Phenomenal Spot to Chill in the Dolomites

27 February 2022 by Raul 6 Comments

The third day of my hike in the Dolomites had me being driven from the Sasso Lungo area to a cable car (funivia) leading to Sass Pordoi. It is a nice way to ease into a hiking day to start with a short drive as, unbeknownst to me, this day was not going to be an easy one! But the whole day was full of experiences and views I would not trade as we made our way from Sass Pordoi (9,343 ft – 2,848m) to the Rifugio (Hütte) Kostner (8,366 ft – 2,550 m) at the Sella Group (east of the Langkofel, north of the Marmolada). Hiking and -then- chilling in the Dolomites is for me!

Dolomites, hiking, Italia, Italy, travel, outdoors — Here we are at the 25th switchback out of so many (I stopped looking)

The grandeur of the Dolomites

The views from the cable car exit point at Sass Pordio were fantastic. It was 41F (5C) when we got up there around 9:40AM but, with those views, who cares!

Dolomites, hiking, Italia, Italy, travel, outdoors, Sass Pordoi, funivia, terrazza delle dolomite — The entrace to the funivia and the board at the top

Dolomites, hiking, Italia, Italy, travel, outdoors, Sasso Lungo, massif, funivia Sass Pordoi — Behind me, the Sasso Lungo massif where I stayed the prior night, Facing me, the sun.

The back trail to Rifugio Kostner

We walked a short distance and we got to a small rifugio (Forcella Pordoi). It was too early in the day’s hike for a stop so I knew we would continue along the nice trail ahead. Looking to the right, flanked by two large stone massifs was a path down that I assumed would be a black slope in the winter if not a double diamond. And then I learned that was the path we were going to continue one.

Forcella Pordoi, Sella Group, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner — The gap through which we would descend…

I t was quite the sight… Ahead was a snaky path down over scree that required a lot of skill (we were reminded of the technique to handle the terrain). I can’t recall how long it took us to make it all the way down but I “mastered” the technique after like 10 mins when I decided I needed to pass those who had not quite mastered it yet as watching people take mis-steps sort of put me on edge and I was risking a solid slip-n-fall. I ended up catching up with two of my fellow hikers in the lead and we got a nice break while we waited for the rest of the gang to make it down to the lowest point we would hit, before hanging a left.

Rocks-n-Slopes ‘R Us

Right when we made the left, we hit a very rocky path along route 626. It would be on-and-off rocky / boulder-y which was a little scarier than the downhill scree as a fall would be potentially more painful / risky. I walked with good care and had a couple of almost-falls that felt painful on my left arm as I suddenly swung my hiking pole to prevent the falls. Those brusque movements contributed to a partial tear on my rotator cuff as I would learn weeks after the hike. But, no pain, beyond a fleeting moment, those couple of times or during the remaining part of the trek, thankfully…

Forcella Pordoi, Sella Group, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada — The rocky path

Forcella Pordoi, Sella Group, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada, route 626 — Route 626 shows the way! Still rocky

Forcella Pordoi, Sella Group massif, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada — Look at the leg span and that guy is over 6 ft tall!

The path closely followed the massif wall. Finally, we were a tad more than an hr away!

We seemed to be hugging a large massif. At some point we ran into WWI barbed wire. This whole region was engaged in WWI skirmishes and battles on-and-off for three solid years; the highest altitude battle site of that scale. More died due to particularly bitter winters or due to avalanches… There were a few mountains that were partially blown-up for tactical reasons during those years. The next day we would stay atop one of those…

In any case, at some point, we turned a “corner” and off in the distance we could see our rifugio for the night. It seemed so close… yet, it would take another hour to reach it. So close, yet so far…

Perfect spot for chilling in the Dolomites

But what a reward for our efforts! Rifugio Kostner was my favorite of all the rifugios and that is saying a lot because I liked all. It is run by the Agreiter family and you can tell by looking at the staff that most are related. They were not the typical loud, smiley, friendly Italian but were very service-oriented and ran the place ship-shape; my kind of place! It was neat to see them take their dinner together after they cleaned up from our dinner.

sunset, Sella Group massif, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada — The dining room

It had a great outdoor deck to enjoy the views after finishing the hike, a generous piece of their apple strudel loaded with real cream, and some vino (we discovered Lagrein wine during this trip – it became one of my favorites).

Sella Group massif, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada, Veneto — Enjoying the deck and the sun!

apple strudel, Sella Group, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada — That was DELICIOUS and DECADENT. All this hiking

Seeing that piece of strudel and the cream you may understand why after days and days of hiking I did not lose a pound of weight (thankfully, neither did I gain).

Lagrein wine, Sella Group, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada — Nice Lagrein wine

wine, Sella Group massif, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada — Hard to beat!

Sunset & sunrise in the Dolomites

The views were magnificent in broad daylight, sunset or sunrise as the pics below will show (though they will not do justice).

wine, Sella Group massif, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada, sunset — Sun setting behind the massif

sunrise, Sella Group massif, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada — Sunrise the next morning – just stunning

Food at Rifugio Kostner

Of course, the meal deserved its own homage through this small collage – as did the breakfast…

dinner at rifugio, Sella Group massif, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada — Everything was outstanding!

breakfast, Sella Group massif, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada — Perfect to start a hiking day!

Sella Group massif, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada — Departing view. Such a cool place!

Want to read more about my hike in the Dolomites. Check out:

Day 1 – Rosengarten Massif
Day 2 – Sassolungo Massif

Filed Under: Dolomites, Dolomites, Hiking, Hiking, Italy, Travel Journal Tagged With: Italia

The Best of Venice – Get Lost in Its Neighborhoods

21 November 2021 by Raul Leave a Comment

In a prior post, I shared some images of Venice‘s majestic boulevard: its Grand Canal. From the modern pedestrian bridge near the train station to the iconic Rialto Bridge to St. Mark’s Square – and many palazzos in between, that post showcased Venice but now, the best of Venice!

However, I enjoy Venice a lot more when I begin meandering the alleys and small piazzas “far” from the tourist areas anchored on the Grand Canal. I say far in quotation marks because Venice is not that big and you are never far from the Grand Canal given its grand meandering that always manages to disorient me. You think you may be at the opposite end of Venice if you judge by the Grand Canal’s route but then you look at a map and see that really are not far at all from the other end of Venice!

While tourist Venice can be overwhelming most times of the year with the crowds, its back alleys can be a different story. And you get to see more of how locals live – and remember Venice is a residential place, not just a tourist attraction for us visitors.

So, I stop writing here and share images of the Venice I love the most!

best of venice, venice neighborhoods, italy, italia, exploring venice

Filed Under: Europe, Europe, Italy, Italy, Travel Journal Tagged With: architecture, Italy, Venice

Venice’s Splendor Is Best Seen from Its Grand Canal

7 November 2021 by Raul Leave a Comment

Venice must be one of the most photographed cities in the world and the views from the Grand Canal, the wildly curvy main thoroughfare of the city, are likely the main object of such photos. In this “postcard” post, I will share Venice’s splendor from its great waterway. Many of the buildings along the way are palazzos (or “palazzi” to be proper) that may serve now as hotels or museums.

In another post, I will share some images of what’s beyond this most touristy section of Venice. It is Venice’s back alleys and squares that fascinate me and really make the city appeal to me as a visitor.

But for now, enjoy the Grand Canal!

Venice's splendor, Venezia, Italia, Italy, Italie, Grand Canal, St. Mark, gondola, tourism, travel — Modernity greets you near the bus station

Though this is a postcard type of post (mainly photos), I will share that catching the number 1 vaporetto (or boat-bus) is the best way to get an intro for the new visitor – or a refresher for a third time visitor like me! It makes stops on both sides of the Grand Canal, making it also a great way to move around Venice quickly. But I suggest you take it from near the bus station and then ride it all along until one stop past St. Mark’s Square. Then meander your way around Venice walking back.

But look at a map, the Grand Canal weaves such that you may be closer to a point in the town by NOT following the water’s edge!

Venice, palazzo, palace, Venezia, Italia, Italy, Italie, Grand Canal, St. Mark, gondola, tourism, travel, architecture

Venice, Venezia, Italia, Italy, Italie, Grand Canal, St. Mark, gondola, tourism, travel, architecture

Approaching St. Mark’s Square

And, for the final photo, a photo of St. Mark’s Cathedral’s façade with yours truly trying to grace it!

It may look crowded but it’s the least crowded I’ve ever seen it!

Filed Under: Italia, Italy, Italy Tagged With: architecture, arquitectura, Grand Canal, Italia, Italy, Venecia, Venice

Hiking to the Sassolungo, an Impressive Massif in the Dolomites

17 October 2021 by Raul Leave a Comment

On day 2 of my hike in the Dolomites, we left the Rosengarten to reach the Sassolungo, an impressive massif in the western Dolomites. Mt. Sassolungo (also known as Langkofel in German, or Saslonch in the local language) is the tallest peak in the massif at around 10,400 ft (3,180 m). Mt. Sasso Piatto (Plattkofel or Sas Piat) is another famous peak in the group of five peaks. Sassolungo seems to lord over the valley below and was the backdrop to the rifugio I would stay that night.

impressive massif, Sassolungo, Dolomites, Langkofel, hiking, trekking, — *The Sassolungo*

The day started with departing Rifugio Passo Principe. From the rifugio’s deck, while I was waiting for the group to leave, I noticed along that along the peaks next to us, there were trails that were pretty steep and rocky. I could not believe when I spotted a couple of hikers far along that trail on a zig-zaggy uphill. But then, it completely shocked me when I was told that we were going on that trail ourselves! This is the western flank of the Catinaccio d’Antermoia.

antermoia pass, dolomites, trekking, hiking, italy, rifugio principe, impressive massif — *Can you see the trail? It ends at the top right of the photo.*

We took trail 584 to head towards the Antermoia Pass. The trail was challenging but, actually, it was a lot of fun to take the challenge and get through it successfully (a few slips included but no falls for me!).

We got to the Antermoia Pass (Pas de Antermoa) at close to 9,100 ft (2,770 m). It was a great feeling to reach it and pause for a moment to absorb the view of peaks close and far.

antermoia pass, dolomites, trekking, hiking, italy, ilivetotravel, hiker

Soon thereafter we began a downhill that led us to different terrain. I don’t know how to describe it, really. Maybe the photo can convey this better…

antermoia pass, dolomites, trekking, hiking, italy — *Headed towards Antermoia Lake*

The trail would become flat and we would pass Lake Antermoia and Rifugio Antermoia (where we would stop for a short break).

antermoia lake, dolomites, trekking, hiking, italy — *Antermoia Lake*

rifugio antermoia, dolomites, trekking, hiking, italy, rifugio principe — *Rifugio Antermoia*

rifugio antermoa, dolomites, trekking, hiking, italy, rifugio principe — *The path we took from R. Principe to R. Antermoia*

From there we walked along beautiful terrain along 578 to Val Duron. Eventually we got our first glimpse of Mt. Marmolada which holds the only glacier in the Dolomites. We would see this mountain from different angles over the next few days.

Sassolungo, Dolomites, Langkofel, hiking, trekking,

antermoia pass, dolomites, trekking, hiking, italy, rifugio principe, marmolata — *The tallest mountain is the Marmolada, with the glacier not too visible from this angle*

Somewhere there we switched to 532 to stop for a nice lunch at Baita Lino Brach restaurant where many dishes were polenta base. The polenta was pretty bland but that is only to be expected of polenta. In any case, it was a very nice place to stop and eat outdoors.

Sassolungo, Dolomites, Langkofel, hiking, trekking, baita lino brach, val duron

After lunch, we walked down a flat path up until a point where a ride waited to take us to Campitello di Fassa (Campiedel) where we would take a lift from Campitello di Fassa to Col Rodela (at 2,484m). Campitello di Fassa is a small town about 70 km from Trento where most people speak Ladino, a unique language of these mountain valleys.

Sassolungo, Dolomites, Langkofel, hiking, trekking, campitello di fassa, funivia, cable car — *Campitello from the cable car*

Sassolungo, Dolomites, Langkofel, hiking, trekking, campitello di fassa, funivia

From Col Rodela we would finish our hiking day along trail 557 and Passo Sella to arrive at our lodging for the night: Rifugio Carlo Valentini, a very nice place!

Sassolungo, Dolomites, Langkofel, hiking, trekking, campitello di fassa, funivia, paraglider — *One of like 30 paragliders flying above Campitello*

I greatly enjoyed my meal of spaetzle and pork tenderloin, right after a delicious and humongous salad (the photo shows also my breakfast the next day).

Sassolungo, Dolomites, Langkofel, hiking, trekking, campitello di fassa, funivia, trentino cuisine, food in northern italy — *My two meals at the rifugio*

We started the day at 8:30 AM and finished around 5 PM, covering around 8 miles. The meal above (and the wine I enjoyed) set me up well for a good night’s rest!

Missed day 1? Click here to see how the trek started in the Rosengarten (“Rose Garden”) massif.

Or move head to day 3 where we reached Rifugio Kostner over some of the more challenging terrain of the trek.

Filed Under: Dolomites, Dolomites, Hiking, Hiking, Travel Journal Tagged With: dolomites, hiking

Challenge in the Dolomites: Hiking the Rosengarten

12 October 2021 by Raul Leave a Comment

My first day of hiking presented a neat challenge in the Dolomites taking us from Carezza / Karersee to Rifugio Passo Principe (Grasleitenpasshütte). There we would spend the night after traversing the iconic Rosengarten Massif, near Bolzano, Italy. The massif contains several peaks with its highest elevation being at 9,849 ft (3,002 m).

The trek started with our early AM departure from Trento, where we had spent a few days performing service projects with Trekking for Kids, to Carezza / Karersee where we would catch a ski lift (the Paolina lift) to the start of our trail.

Hiking route in the Rosengarten

The trails we followed were: 539 (from exiting the lift to the Christomannos Monument) to 549 (to Rifugo di Vael) to 541 (to Rifugio Vajolet) and then, finally, to trail 584 on to Rifugio Principe at Passo Principe. I could not show it as well in one single map so here I broke up the day’s hike into two maps.

Started on the lift on the bottom left and made our way upwards…

Starting from the bottom we ended at the top of the blue line

Where to stay: rifugios!

By the way, rifugios are mountain inns or lodges that offer basic accommodations and can provide dinner and breakfast for an additional cost – which I may add, is well worth it.

Some rifugios offer double rooms, some offer group rooms, and some offer both. Also, they may offer shower facilities with some of the places having very basic ones and charging a euro for a few minutes for their use, and some having very nice rooms and bathrooms.

However basic they can be (or not), I have to say all my meals were phenomenal and I will share those along the way in these posts!

Rifugio Principe, Passo Principe, lodging in the Dolomites — Dining area is cozy – and now Covid-ready

speck, german food, rifugio food — My dinner: speck with fried eggs on a bed of potatoes!

At Rifugio Principe (re-built/renovated around 2008), our group of 15 split into two group rooms of eight people each. The setup was not the typical bunk beds but four mattresses laid side-by-side: one set on the floor and one set above those. It was hard to sleep with so many people around but a little harder being so close to each other. Our room was the “outside” room which was supposed to be colder but was actually warm enough (they provide you some serious blankets but I actually did not use them and, instead, just used the sleeping bag liner I had brought with me and warm clothing).

rifugio principe, passo principe, hiking in the dolomites, lodging in the dolomites — Facing the “outside” room from the sun deck

The landscape & views around the Rosengarten Massif

Trekking Dolomites, chair lift in Italy — It starts with a chair lift!

Rosengarten, hiking Dolomites, trekking, Italy — The best shot I have of the Rosengarten has me semi-posing…

Christomannos Monument, hiking Dolomites, trekking, Italy, Rosengarten massif — The Christomannos Monument

hiking Dolomites, trekking, Italy, Rosengarten massif — Beautiful trails; flat for this little stretch…

Uphill and Downhill ‘R Us

This must be after conquering an uphill due to my smile!

Let’s get technical

This day did offer a surprise: needing to cross a small section via steel cable. While it looked scarier than it actually was, I still paid attention to where every one of my 4 extremities was at every moment!

The ladders or cables were pretty new and sturdy. Some of the fighting in World War I took place around the Dolomites and, back then, cruder ladders and cables were used by the soldiers to move around – grateful things have improved since then (and are more peaceful!).

hiking Dolomites, trekking, Italy, Rosengarten massif, technical hike — From the top: Going down the rope-assisted path

From the bottom: The drop was not too big – but glad no one had a mis-step!

A mirage or our rifugio?

Well, along the way, it is not uncommon to pass rifugios which are not our destination. Normally OK as it means we are taking a break. But not always… Sometimes you pass them like passing ships at sea… After a long, long climb, the rifugio on the photo below would have been a GREAT stop. However, and thankfully unbeknownst to me, we had a lot longer to go so a leisurely stop would have place our arrival at our rifugio at dark… So on we went with more uphill terrain as you can appreciate from the picture… No matter how tired I got, the view was always magnificent!

End of day 1 hike at Rifugio Principe

Rifugio Principe, Passo Principe, Hiking Dolomites, trekking Dolomites, Rosengarten massif — This one was OUR rifugio for the night!! Happy to arrive! (Photo credit: K. Sundin)

We covered around 7.5 miles after a mid-morning start and around 6 hours of hiking. The group took a little longer than expected, likely the change in altitude from where we had woken up (Trento, at slightly more than 600 ft elevation) to where we ended (at around 8,600 ft). But, I for one was ecstatic about finishing what was a hard last 2 hours of that day’s hike!

Read about day 2, its tricky start and getting to the Sassolungo!

Filed Under: Dolomites, Dolomites, Europe, Europe, Hiking, Hiking, Italy, Italy, Travel Journal Tagged With: dolomites, hiking, Italy, trekking

Around Belfast. Maine, That Is.

21 August 2021 by Raul 1 Comment

A little over 30 miles from Bangor, lies the coastal town of Belfast, Maine on Penobscot Bay. It sits about midway on the Maine coast right on US route 1. With about 7,000 inhabitants, it is a small town but it is the seat of Waldo County.

At the start of my trip to Maine a week ago, we decided to check out Belfast before heading to the main reason for our trip (exploring Acadia National Park). It was a great decision.

Belfast, Harbor Walk, Maine, Penobscot Bay, Passagassawakeag River, Belfast Main Street, architecture, city hall — City Hall

Maine Architecture at Belfast

Belfast, Harbor Walk, Maine, Penobscot Bay, Passagassawakeag River, Belfast Main Street, architecture

The town’s homes and buildings have beautiful architecture. Walking around the main street and nearby side streets is a real treat. Plenty of businesses around to look through.

Belfast, Harbor Walk, Maine, Penobscot Bay, Passagassawakeag River, Belfast Main Street, architecture, post office

Belfast, Harbor Walk, Maine, Penobscot Bay, Passagassawakeag River, Belfast Main Street, architecture, New England church

Belfast, Harbor Walk, Maine, Penobscot Bay, Passagassawakeag River, Belfast Main Street, architecture, Opera House

Checking out Harbor Walk

A neat thing to do is to walk the trail along Front St. by the water: Harbor Walk. Once you reach the Belfast Boathouse, if you are there around low tide, you can walk along the “beach” and behind beautiful houses sitting on prime real estate.

Belfast, Harbor Walk, Maine, Penobscot Bay, Passagassawakeag River, Front Street Shipyard

Belfast, Harbor Walk, Maine, Penobscot Bay, Passagassawakeag River, beach

Belfast, Harbor Walk, Maine, Penobscot Bay, Passagassawakeag River, Maine beach house, architecture

Walking in the opposite direction, you pass Heritage Park with its cool lobster bench. It has places to sit and eat and I understand the town holds events there.

If you keep going, you pass eateries and a brewery. Unfortunately, we were there in the morning so could not enjoy what likely is a great scene later in the day.

Belfast, Harbor Walk, Maine, Penobscot Bay, Passagassawakeag River, Front Street

Along the Front Street Shipyard

Continuing the walk, you get to walk through the Front Street Shipyard where you can see the work taking place as you walk through it (stay on the path!) and its marina to get to the bridge where you can cross the Passagassawakeag River (that was hard to type!).

A phenomenal lobster roll

The best part of the visit to Belfast was the Must Be Nice Lobster food truck on Harbor Walk selling lobster rolls. Both the setting and the roll were a phenomenal way to cap the visit to Belfast!

losbter, lobster roll, foodporn, foodie, Belfast, Harbor Walk, Maine — View from the food truck sitting area

An unexpected find: Bayside, Maine

P.S. – Upon leaving Belfast, we decided to explore the area a little more and discovered Bayside in Northport. Interestingly, this village used to be the site of a religious community’s summer camp – must have been a great one to spend a week or two back when! Cottages were built in the camp between 1870-1920 (roughly) and those cottages remain today though the camp closed in the 1930s. They have been beautifully kept up / restored, and a drive or walk around the narrow streets is well worth the detour from route 1 and Belfast!

cottage, Bayside, Maine, architecture, seaside, restoration, preservation, Northport, Penobscot Bay

Filed Under: Maine, Travel Journal, US & Canada Tagged With: Belfast, east coast travel, Maine

Not Egypt’s Valley of the Kings but its Valley of the Whales: Wadi El-Hitan

21 July 2021 by Raul Leave a Comment

Have you visited the Valley of the Kings near modern day Luxor in Egypt? Yes? Have you visited that “other” valley in Egypt? “What other valley?” you ask? Well, the Valley of the Whales, of course! AKA Wadi El-Hitan!

Located about 100 miles southwest of Cairo near the town of Fayoum, you can easily visit this UNESCO World Heritage Site in intriguing and iconic Egypt within a day.

Valley of the Whales (bottom left shown as “Wadi Hitan”)

Whales in the Egyptian desert?

The fossilized remains of about 100 whales are found on this site in their evolution from land to water animals in the last stage of losing their hind legs. This site, million of years ago, was part of a large sea that connected what today are the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean. This sea covered large parts of North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. It existed for many millions of years when the warmer climate of the planet prevented ice caps on the poles. As the climate of the planet cooled, the water receded as the ice caps formed (and the cycle will repeat in the reverse of many millions of years as the planet is wont to do!).

The whale bones have been laid out for easy observation…

These whales were carnivorous and had a serpentine form. The longest fossil found is about 69 ft (21 m) long. The field of fossils was discovered in the first part of the twentieth century as it was a difficult area to reach.

Fossilized mangroves have cleverly marked them for the visitors to notice…

The cliffs of Wadi El-Hitan

The cliffs in this Western Desert were formed as the sea receded and the wet climate produced rains that eroded sediment and rock in the area. And now, Wahi El-Hitan is a valley of whales, where fossilized bones of these long-ago creatures settled.

Paths have been laid for visitors to explore the site without accidentally stepping over anything important or fragile.

The valley, a protected area reachable by four-wheel drive, is a neat place to visit and walk around, witnessing this open history book that preserves the story of animal evolution and shows how Earth’s climate changes over periods of times fluctuating between hotter and cooler, impacting water levels.

Nearby oasis: Wadi El-Rayan and Fayoum Falls

Near the Valley of the Whales, is a neat area to sit back and have a delicious lunch before or after visiting Wadi El-Hitan: the oasis town of Fayoum in Wadi El-Rayan. A small waterfall connects the two large bodies of water outside of the town of Fayoum. A nice break!

There is a LOT to see and do in Egypt. And I won’t try to convince you this ought to be in your top 3 or top 5 sights to make sure you see. But, if you like off the beaten -or weathered- path, the Valley of the Whales in Egypt is for you!

Filed Under: Egypt, Travel Journal Tagged With: Egypt, wadi el-hitan, whales in the desert

Once an exile, always an exile

Death threat and actual death in Ravenna

How to read the Divine Comedy

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The West Rim Loop Trail

Checking out rock formations

The walls of a grand canyon

Oh, and there’s more! Waterfalls!

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Getting there

Surprised by Rouen

Monet’s Cathedral

Odd church… to St. Joan of Arc

Crêpes!

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The town of Sintra

The Pena Palace

Color me bright

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Destination: Lagazuoi

Starting the hike; bye Pordoi

A different trail ahead

OK, some rocks

Approaching Lagazuoi Mountain

Majestic views of the Dolomites

Just a little more hiking at sunset

Oh, wait, but the food…

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The grandeur of the Dolomites

The back trail to Rifugio Kostner

Rocks-n-Slopes ‘R Us

Perfect spot for chilling in the Dolomites

Sunset & sunrise in the Dolomites

Food at Rifugio Kostner

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Approaching St. Mark’s Square

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Hiking route in the Rosengarten

Where to stay: rifugios!

The landscape & views around the Rosengarten Massif

Uphill and Downhill ‘R Us

Let’s get technical

A mirage or our rifugio?

End of day 1 hike at Rifugio Principe

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Maine Architecture at Belfast

Checking out Harbor Walk

Along the Front Street Shipyard

A phenomenal lobster roll

An unexpected find: Bayside, Maine

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Whales in the Egyptian desert?

The cliffs of Wadi El-Hitan

Nearby oasis: Wadi El-Rayan and Fayoum Falls

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