With an early 8am breakfast, and our bags pretty much packed, we rushed out the door to the grand canal to take some photos of Scott the Pot, no doubt looking like a couple of weirdos clutching and posing with a cooking pot in Venice. Maybe that shit will fly in San Francidco, but even here, where throngs of the most awkward tourists you've ever seen fill the streets, I felt only a hint of embarrassment. Thankfully, only a hint of embarrassment has never stopped me from doing things before, and the streets were very quiet this Sunday morning. There was a new, refreshingly chilly quality to the air, as though the previous night's storm had cleansed and purified it, making me feel more awake with every breath. Our 45 minute sojourn made for a pleasant final morning, and soon, after profusely thanking our host at Ca' Bonvicini for her wonderful and attentive service, we took the vaporetto back to the train station.
Tickets already in hand, we arrived a good 35 minutes early, allowing wiggle room for potential naively unprepared tourist situations (ie. misreading signs). I should have more faith in our abilities, as we boarded the nearly empty train with 20 minutes to spare, but like neurotic mother, like neurotic son I suppose. The train ride was, and forgive me for sounding like someone who lives under a rock, exhilarating. Like I've alluded to before, I suspect I'm becoming more and more like both my parents, but in this case, I'm referring to my dad's exuberance. It's not something I shy away from, as Maddie never ceases to get a kick out of seeing me bounce up and down like Amh Poehler's "Kaitlin" character on Saturday Night Live. Watching the landscape change on a train is incredible, like on my first Pacific Crest Trail section hike going from dessert to alpine terrain, but much more quickly, obviously.
One transfer and two hours later and we were in Belluno, figuring out where to wait for our bus ride to Caprile, where we would be picked up by our AirBnB hosts. Our two hours of down time in Belluno gave me the chance to write a little bit in my journal (that I got in Venice all those years ago!) and listen to my audiobook, Gone Girl--it's no Modern Romance by Aziz, but it's good. I had just enough time for reflection before our bus arrived. So far--knock on wood--transportation has gone off without a hitch, our carriers leaving on time to the very minute. Very pleased.
Our bus ride to Caprile was one of the most amazing rides either of us has ever taken. The lush green hills became sparsely forested rocky projections, which gave rise behind them to sharp, dramatic peaks lingering in the clouds. The geometry of the mountains was unlike anything I've seen--it's hard to describe, but the jagged edges, steep faces, and general arrangement of the mountains and valleys was striking and beautiful. I would have loved to ride that Dolomiti Bus for hours and hours--something you can actually do!--as I never get tired of that kind of thing. Sure, Maddie snoozed a couple of times on and off, but given her track record for instantly falling asleep on moving vehicles of any kind, I was impressed by how awake she was for most of it! When we finally arrived in Caprile, any anxiety about finding our host was dashed as a friendly woman rolled up in her Alfa Romeo. She asked, "San Francisco?" and helped us get our things in the car.
Jasna then drove us up past her small village to give us a tour of the mountain zone even higher up, giving us sublime views of Marmolada--the Dolomite's highest point--and surrounding features and landmarks. She pointed out places to eat, trails to walk, and things to do, culminating in a stop at a truly incredible gelateria. I know everyone loves gelato, but I just got this feeling that this was some dynamite stuff--I worked in a gelato store for 4 years after all. When we got to the BnB, she helped us settle in, gave us a tour and left us to make ourselves comfortable, having stocked the kitchen with various goodies. It's considerably colder than I anticipated, and I think we brought just barely the right amount of warm clothing to get us through, but I think we'll be fine. The picturesque setting is more than we could have ever dreamed of. We both shared some initial mild skepticism with regard to not having a car to get around such a massive expanse, but reading the myriad maps and brochures she showed us and taking her little tour, we felt more at ease and can't wait to get out and explore!
It will certainly be a fun week, and I can't wait to eat some more delicious food, chat with our hosts, and explore the mountains!
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