Alpine Adventurers Go To The Snow: August in South America

Rick Reichsfeld and his colleagues Pete Kovacevic, Tessie Kenela, Cassandra Davenport, Janet Leslie, Jen Connelly, and Michael Moreland left Atlanta on Aug. 22 for Buenos Aires to check out city hotels before going to the mountains to ski. They started at the fabulous Four Seasons Hotel, then fammed at Alvear Palace, followed by a Tango Show. Next day they are off to Bariloche and the beautiful Llao Llao Hotel.

 A famous balcony at Four Seasons Hotel in Buenos Aires (Cassandra and Janet) and the view of the city

 Outdoor dining at the hotel

Left: VIP Dinner at the Tango Show

Right: Amazing staircase at Alvear Palace


All photos from Pete Kovacevic. Thanks, Pete!

Gondolas and Glass

Part of the group took a bus from the airport to Piazzale Roma and transferred to a water bus. The rest of our group took a water taxi directly to Piazza San Marco, a quick 45 minutes from the airport.

The Grand Canal is the main thoroughfare in Venice; the Venetians have a much more scenic commute than most!

Hotel Bonvecchiati hosted Team Alpine, and combined a central location with four star lodging.

Piazza San Marco, one of the most visited areas in Venice...

While some people come for the architecture, others come to watch the spectacle of international Ace Venturas bond with the pigeons. Not the most hygienic of friends however!

One of a multitude of shops selling masks of every type; Venice has everything from inexpensive tourist options to handcrafted Carnival masks.

A local artisan utilizing the Murano glass to make the trinkets in his shop.

A visit to the nearby island of Burano known for its lacemaking, as well as the vibrant colors of the homes.

Other than leaving, the hardest thing about Venice is limiting the number of pictures you take to a couple [hundred]. It was a very picturesque end to an excellent trip!

Cortina Cliffhangers

The second day of our Cortina adventures began at the resorts of Cristallo and Faloria, which are directly across the street from each other, and less than a 30 minute ride from the village. 

Taking the lift to the top of the mountain, where part of 'Cliffhanger' was filmed. 

A building left over from World War I, situated near the top of the lift.

 

We ventured up the stairs and clambered the last few steps up precarious boot pack to get the ultimate view over the Dolomites...

...definitely worth it!

A ladder at the top offered the opportunity to go even higher...in ski boots, we all decided it may be a better idea to stick closer to the bottom however.

The views downloading are about as spectacular as going up...the Dolomites provided innumerable photo ops

One of the more exotically flavored schnapps...viper.

Rose infused schnapps seemed to be the more appealing option however. 

A shelf full of schnapps options...

 

Team Alpine was able to test out their curling skills, just another off piste option for those that want an alternative to skiing.

Probably not quite ready for the Olympics!

One final picture in Cortina before taking the transfer to Venice. The Grand Hotel Savoia offered a modern take on luxury, with a recent renovation providing the opportunity to take the hotel in a different direction.

Dolomite Adventures

Picturesque does not begin to describe the mountains in the Cortina area. We began the day at the Tofana area, and were surrounded by staggering peaks and 360 degree views that can make it hard to focus on the skiing.

Paolo, one of Cortina's ski guides, who also happened to be a stunt double for Sylvester Stallone in Cliffhanger. Needless to say, everyone's skills improved throughout the day!

Looking out over another local area called Cinque Torri after skiing Tofana all morning. The proximity of the various resorts and the local ski bus make it easy to jump from one area to another.

Taking a much needed break after a full day of corduroy and corn snow. Excellent spring conditions were delivered for our time in Cortina!

Team Alpine striking a pose in the pedestrian area of Cortina. 

We had the chance to go on an Italian wine tasting, from whites to reds, and all sparkling wines in between. The delicious local meats and cheeses only enhanced the flavors of the wines. La Dolce Vita indeed!

Dinner at the five star Cristallo Palace where the only thing that rivaled the service was the food.

We were fortunate enough to be joined by Giorgio Borgonovo, the General Manager of the hotel. The chef that engineered our phenomenal meal also put in a guest appearance.