Every February, Italians religiously take the 3rd week into the month to go skiing. Since mountains run through the center (top to the bottom) of Italy, (and there are those particularly nice ones in the north called the Alps) most Italians are only a few hours drive from hitting some of the most beautiful slopes in the world. 
This year, we went with Matteo's family to the Dolomites in the north, about an 8 hour car drive. They all kept telling me that these were the most beautiful mountains with the most incredible slopes in the world. Although I believed them, it was hard after having already skied the Swiss and French Alps, which to me were breathtaking (kind of like Red River, NM:)
The above picture was taken from the top of the Marmolada which is 3,250 meters. We rode the cable cars up, ate our picnic lunch, and then skied down. (in the picture: Matteo, Me, Adriano, Sara, Simone, & Vittoria)
Here's Matteo & I on the ski trail, showing off my new skis he gave me for San Valentino :) Yes, I own my very own pair of skis... strange huh?
I promise Jane Fonda isn't hiding in that igloo.
Each day for lunch we would eat up on the ski slopes at small cabin-restaruants called Biatas. Since this part of Italy used to be in Austria, they have great wurstles, beer & strudel!
This year, we went with Matteo's family to the Dolomites in the north, about an 8 hour car drive. They all kept telling me that these were the most beautiful mountains with the most incredible slopes in the world. Although I believed them, it was hard after having already skied the Swiss and French Alps, which to me were breathtaking (kind of like Red River, NM:)
Needless to say, they were, in fact, breathtakingly beautiful. We skied for 6 days straight (I thought I was going to die) and we skied in a different location every day. Since I'm still just a little girl from West Texas, I'm wasn't as good as my fellow skiers, who all learned to ski as they were learning to walk. So I had a good time keeping up.... but in several cases falling down :)
Here's my "fall tally" if I remember well:
Day 1- 9 x's
Day 2- 7 x's
Day 3- 5 x's
Day 4- 3 x's
Day 5 - 1 time (& that one knocked me out for the rest of the day)
Last Day - 2, but one really didn't count because I ran into Matteo as I was getting off the ski lift, and it was more like a stumble, than a fall.)
The above picture was taken from the top of the Marmolada which is 3,250 meters. We rode the cable cars up, ate our picnic lunch, and then skied down. (in the picture: Matteo, Me, Adriano, Sara, Simone, & Vittoria)
Here's Matteo & I on the ski trail, showing off my new skis he gave me for San Valentino :) Yes, I own my very own pair of skis... strange huh?I promise Jane Fonda isn't hiding in that igloo.Each day for lunch we would eat up on the ski slopes at small cabin-restaruants called Biatas. Since this part of Italy used to be in Austria, they have great wurstles, beer & strudel!We also have some fun video that we took when we were there... we'd like to upload it here, but haven't had time to figure that out yet. Check back and you can see me fall in real time down an Italian mountain :)
