After taking Italian lessons for the past 8 months were my Italian lessons completely unnecessary for our travels in Italy?
In conversations during our travels we have often expressed our openness to new areas and towns. While in Chamonix an Italian lady who worked at the hotel suggested a mountain area in North Eastern Italy, Salva del Val Gardena. She spoke of a beautiful Shangri-La valley in the midst of the Dolomites, her favorite part of Italy. Reaching the valley one cold, raining afternoon hungry and without a hotel chosen we were perplexed by her claims. Daniela had claimed she loved it more then Chamonix and it was a hidden gem. During those original moments we questioned her sanity as well as our own for listening to a total stranger. Rather then simply drive on we grabbed lunch, talked and decided to just stay for one night rather then trek onward to another unknown location.
After finding a very special hotel and once the clouds parted merely a few hours later, we were left with amazing views of the valley under the mountains. Directed to a nature reserve in a remote corner of the town we found beauty and serenity. This corner of the world although a vacation destination was not so well known or invaded with tourists. The perplexing part is that it was not invaded with Italians per say. The feeling as well as language for that matter, was that of Austria. In stores you would be greeted in German and then counted your change in Italian. The signs and menus reflected duality in both languages. On our second day we were gifted the opportunity to view a town celebration started at the Catholic Church, see picture – purely Austrian garb and music. After seeing the ceremony our daughter insisted on purchasing a dress that matched those that were worn. As she calls it her, “Italy” dress.
There is a deep seeded history of this region and their connection to Tyrol, southern Austria, from which it was stripped away even as recent as WW I an incident that was disputed up until as recent as the 1990’s. The two Italian provinces of Trento (Trentino) and Bolzano (South Tyrol) are an autonomous Italian province, part of Italy but under their own rule, mystery solved. There are great debates about the eventual return to Austria. But for now from the view of an outsider the region contains the best of both countries – natural beauty, great pasta and apple strudel.
Living Wherever We Are 