Full days, good days

We fall into bed - well satisfied with our full days here in Vigolo. Maybe it's the fresh mountain air. Maybe it's the wine. Maybe it's the days full of activity and conversation, but bed is always welcome at the end of the day.

Yesterday we went to Fort Belvedere, about 45 minutes away on windy mountain roads near the town of Lavarone. It was a fort on the eastern front of WWI, held by the Austro-Hungarians against the Italians. It is large - held 200 men - and was never taken. It would have been a terrible place to stay... in the dark and stone. There was a fair amount of cognitive dissonance visiting the fort of those who you do not want to win the war (and they fortunately didn't). Who are the protagonists in the story you tell yourself? Like most wars, it just seemed like silly boys seeking power. Ugh.

A tunnel under the fort

The view from the fort was fairly spectacular

Today we visited Bolzano, home of Otzi, the Ice Man. Though he died at around 45 years old, it was also around 5000 years ago and he is remarkably well-preserved. The kids were very into it - whether because they loved the subject matter or because I said that there would be a prize for the kid that learned the most. (Josephine won - hands down - but they all did great. Even Marian can identify how old he is and what his hat was made out of! (Bear skin.)) It is a fabulous museum, a miraculous exhibit, and a wonder of science.

We have had delicious coffees and gelato and cocktails and it's been wonderful.