i dolomiti!

snowboard in the dolomites: CHECK 

after driving for about 5.5 hours on friday (we may or may not have gotten lost more than once on tiny mountain roads in tiny mountain villages that were gorgeous), we finally reached the quaint and cozy town of san martino di castrozza.  san martino di castrozza is the most touristy of the dolomiti villages.  while we were there, they were having an ice carving contest (like they were in breck when we were there, eliza.b!) so there were lots of people there from ALL over. 

view from the hotel on night #1

some ice sculptures -- italian and chinese in the background

the city was surrounded so closely by the dolomiti that it was almost smothering. i mean they were just RIGHT there!!! compared to in colorado, when you're at the top of a mountain looking at the view, the rockies usually seem like they're a little ways away -- here, at the top of a hill, you were surrounded really closely by rocky cliffs. it was so cool.  

view from hotel balcony

view from the slopes on sunday -- we got so lucky with a sunny day!

a view of the amazing snow (better than american snow)

ANOTHER view of the slopes. 

notice how there aren't any other people in the picture above? that was another difference between the rockies and the dolomiti -- within the dolomiti, there are something crazy like 24 little villages that all have their own small mountain resorts.  for instance, we stayed in san martino di castrozza which had the CES and TOGNOLO mountains. it was possible to get from ces to tognolo and back via lifts and slopes but you could also take the bus to the base of either mountain.  additionally, some of the villages and resorts are connected to each other to create this insane circuit of slopes and lifts that goes around most of the entire dolomiti mountain range (this is high on my list of things to do in life -- preferably near-future life).  SO the fact that there are all these different mountains so close together spread all the people out.  we didn't wait in ANY lift lines. not one.

here's a fun story. so, as you may or may not know, getting on and off the lifts are not my strong point, despite years and years of practice.  i warned my friends of this before embarking upon our adventure.  as R and i were getting off a lift at the top, i struggled and grabbed him.  he claims to have mentally accepted the fact that i was going to take him down with me when i fell and was very confused when he continued down the exit ramp and my grip on his arm loosened. well. when he turned to see what happened, i was being dragged around with the chair lift.  one of the straps of my backpack had gotten caught in the slats of the chair and because i had the hooks clipped across my chest, i was attached to the chairlift and was just riding around on the snow.  

i'm not really sure how, but it didn't hurt at all -- i was just laughing.  R yelled STOP quite a few times and the little man came running out (just before i would have gone over the drop-off and on down the mountain - in the air).  he got me unhooked (but not easily) and then gave me a stern look and said, "zaino a mano." (hold your backpack in your hand) with lots of force and emphasizing pauses.  it was HILARIOUS.

then, within about 5 minutes, we reached the lift in the picture below: 

this "zaini in mano" sign was the first i had seen all day. 

we had lots of experience with italian signs during the weekend. we learned that italian road signs should not always be trusted and that they should not be the only thing upon which to rely driving directions.  you've already heard about the importance of the "zaino a mano" sign.  below, however, is a picture of my favorite sign that we encountered over the weekend.

posted ON a designated (groomed) slope, "danger of avalanches"

the little town was super cute.  plenty of delicious restaurants (although we went to the same one both friday and saturday night) and a very cozy bar, pub al bresila (maybe that's what it was called?), that i would be very content to spend all of my nights in.

our favorite mountain pub (that turned into a disco later that night?) and our favorite mountain couple (directly across the table) that we originally thought was father daughter. and then they made out.

so. to sum up. a pretty amazing weekend. every muscle on my body is sore from snowboarding. and i'm urgently planning a return trip. who wants to join me? 

amazing mountains just RIGHT THERE