Friday, April 6, 2012

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!




Wednesday, April 4, 2012

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.