The Dolomites

Stories from the Road

June 24, 2015

Cortina d’Ampezzo

Hotel Ancora

The rains and clouds have disappeared in Cortina d’Ampezzo, but no doubt they will be back sooner than later. We have lined up a shuttle with Sandro, the man who picked us up from the airport in Venice. We want to go to a famous area about 45 minutes from Cortina to do a hike. I just have to make sure we are all on the same page. I will ask one of the young women at the desk to act as a translator.

The Hotel Ancora is almost two hundred years old.  Flavia married into the family, and now she runs the show. The hotel is full of local folk art and has a Tyrolean theme, since Cortina is very near Austria. The rooms are quaint and beautiful, as if one-stepped back in time. The plumbing and electricity could use an upgrade, but the building is solid, so it is quiet. We are on a half board plan, which means we eat breakfast and dinner at the hotel.  The plan works well, since the food at the hotel is very good.

Our hike today was about 7 ½ miles around three tall spheres. Our altitude was 7000 feet. It felt like a pilgrimage as there were several hundred people taking the same scenic route. We talked with many people. One woman told us she lived in Houston but was born near Venice and went to school in Milan.  Her husband was a developer, she had 5 children, and she was here with her sister and brother in law who lived in Mexico. Her 15-year-old daughter was with the group, and she spoke perfect Italian. She was very beautiful, and when she spoke Italian, she seemed more like 25. At one point, when discussing Houston weather, she said in “Valley Girl English”, “It is so hot there!”

On the way back to Cortina 7 or 8 sport cars passed us with decals on their sides. I don’t know what the story was, but even our Italian driver said they were crazy. Sandro then told us about his trip to the states. He had seen a lot of our country and been to many places I have not been, but would like to go.

Have a good evening.