It’s not the first time I had a chance to skiing in the Dolomites but the two weeks I spent in Colmean were truly spectacular. The most beautiful part of this story is the people: Adriano and Maria Rosa. They are the owners of the place we rented and they hosted us like their own family. We felt like at home and this is the reason why we had such a great time. If you consider skiing in the Dolomites their AirBnB is the best place to start. The Snow Storm The day we arrived in Colmean the snowstorm hit. For weeks before our arrival, there was no such violent event this winter year so I guess we can call ourselves lucky. The funny thing was that even twenty kilometres from the village there was no snow whatsoever and it was even raining! No surprises though, that we did not believe in the snow before we approached Passo San Pellegrino. At the altitude of two thousand meters, the rain turned into snow and the storm started. As long as we descended the car could handle it but the moment we started the final ascent it did not. We got blocked by the heavy piles of snow in the middle of a tiny road. It was dark, cold and really wet. We felt drained out and quite desperate. Adriano, the owner, phoned us a couple of times and promised to wait along the way to assist us in the final stretch. We went back for help to the nearest bar. A local guy who worked there mounted the chains but the snowfall was excessive and we lost them straightaway. Again, we went back to the bar and the other guests who had their aperitivo there advised we should take an alternative longer route. I can tell you that we felt much better when the local people offered us their help and support. This is the magic of the true journey: the good and sympathy you experience. Therefore, we drove uphill an alternative route and reached the bridge where Adriano was waiting for us, covered with snow. The car did not make it as the uphill road was steep so we left the it at the parking space, advised by Adriano. We took our luggage and walked the final 300 meters. The warm welcome by Maria Rosa and Adriano rose our spirit. Their wooden house was a true bliss and we felt really well in that dark and wet evening. The snow falling and watched from the warm and cosy room was fantastic! Skiing in the Sun Next morning we watched the landscape covered with deep snow and it was spectacular! All peaks around the valley were white, the trees as well and above this white quilt there was a blue sky. Out of our balcony, the view of the valley was breathtaking. Moreover, the sun melted the ice and snow on the road so we could freely move. An epic journey through the winter landscape began. We drove through Caviola and Falcade with our eyes wide open. What a beauty! The view of the mountains in winter time is one of the most beautiful things in the world! We spent next couple of days skiing in the ski area of San Pellegrino. They are part of Dolomiti Superski. The tracks are always well prepared and surprisingly there were not that many people skiing. We were lucky to have three sunny days in a row. The Locals On Monday evening we went out with the owners: Adriano and Maria Rosa. We had a super tasty pizza and we talked till late. We discovered common passions and delight. They shared stories about the geology of the Dolomites which sparked my interest. They asked a lot of questions about Poland thus we could act as ambassadors of our beautiful country again. We felt amazingly well in the apartment we had. The carefully renovated old barn with a modern touch was comfortable and cosy. Whether is was sitting on the balcony and taking a sunbath or cooking a nice meal it was really cool. Not only the views were spectacular but also the location for all skiers is just brilliant. The white crisp slopes are only twenty minutes away! Following the advice of Adriano we went for an afternoon walk in the valley called Val Venegia. Along the way, we passed a forest where the wood for famous violins are taken from, including Stradivarius. The valley itself is a delight. The view for the mountain chain San Martino di Castrozza is amazing. The deep snow only magnified our admiration. It was also a very easy trail and even in the snow the retired people can take it. I can’t wait to go back in the Dolomites. Whether in the summer or in winter this place is gorgeous!  

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“I have always dreamed about going to….” or  “I alway wanted to see….”. How many times did you hear it? How many times did you say it? And it has never happened. No matter how exceptional or exaggerated you dream might be there is always a chance that one day you actually do what you always wanted. I did. Some things I have always dreamed about came true. Here is my list of best activities I have ever done. Whale watching This is hard to explain why wales have always fascinated me. It’s not only that they are the biggest mammals that have ever lived on earth, or rather, in the ocean. There is a particular combination of early childhood memories and genuine passion for getting know things. There is this child poem titled “Mr Tiny” that tels a story about a travel. The smallest creature desperately wanted to meet the biggest creature so he takes risk and go to the ocean in a nutshell. Eventually, instead of on an island he makes a camp on back of a whale and turns home scared but proud that he made his dream come true. I still know this poem by heart and I still enjoy saying it loud. The power of children books! Be careful what you read to your child.   I also remember that I was collecting a sticker album published by WWF many years ago and a sticker with blue whale was absolutely breathtaking. The blue whale was photographed from the air and so you could see how big he wss. It played with my imagination when I was little just because of the comparison with all other animals. When I went to Canada I saw three humpbacks and this was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. Skiing in the Dolomites I know, I know, I broke my leg there so why should I put this activity on my list? Well, if you imagine pain of a broken leg and the fact it is still worthy to put it on the list then it’s easy to understand how great it is. I have told you the story already but I think that if you ski you should go to the Dolomites at least once in a lifetime. This is a stunning background for your ski rides. I think that the Dolomites gives you an opportunity not only to ski in a sort of artificial and only-for-tourists place but also you can get closer to the real people and their real lives. Exceptional place. Driving a Scooter Since I saw ‘Roman Holiday’ with Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck as a teenager I always wanted to drive a scooter. Just like she did. Well, maybe not exactly as she did. I didn’t want to demolish the whole market but in any case it seamed a marvelous idea to me. When I moved to Italy it became my obsession and it was getting worse when I was watching all these people driving around like crazy. So, one day, I received the best gift ever: an old, used, beautiful scooter! This was one of the happiest days in my entire life. Seriously! And driving a scooter was the only skill I had before I learnt it. Hopefully, I’ll discover more of this stuff in the nearest future to make my life easy and enjoyable. Since I got the scooter I drove thousands of kilometers around the place where I had lived: to a restaurant, to bring ice creams or pizza home, to visit friends, to see fireflies, to take pictures of old churches, well literally everything. And when I left Italy I gave it to someone who still drives it. This sort of dreams are easy to realize. There are many renting agencies where renting a scooter is possible also for tourists. Pick up one and ask for the details. If you have never driven a scooter before it is better to try it on the large parking place to avoid the potential damage of property. And always remember to ask for insurance: you don’t want to be involved in any kind of accident related issues. Cooking Lessons Learning Italian traditional cooking methods was never on my bucket list. I simply used the opportunity I had. My neighbors were absolutely exceptional people and through this experience I felt in Italy like at home. It’s not only cooking itself that gathers: it’s passing your time on doing something together. A common activity is always something that brings people together. What was so appealing about it was the time, patience, willingness to share the personal stories, practicing the language and showing respect to tradition: all combined in this simple activity. This was a great adventure, and what is even better, you can try it while you visit Italy as a tourist. In Emilia-Romagna there are couple of agriturismi that organize cooking lessons, and I am not talking about the professional schools for the cooks. This might scare you, but what you could do instead is to stay in a B&B or agriturismo and have your cooking lesson there. Stress free way of learning things. Sauna in Lapland I hate heat. I normally avoid humid and warm places where it is hard to breath and to think. So, why sauna? This is a very warm place, indeed. I would say that in this case all depends on the circumstances. I went to sauna for the first time in my life in Swedish Lapland and the sauna on the photo below is along the King’s Trail. Now, this is a very particular place and generally speaking during this trekking the opportunities to take a bath are scarce. Unless you are ready to do it in a water which has a temperature of melting snow. I wasn’t. But after few days with no shower sauna seamed to be a nice option, despite of its warmth, as this is the only place which provides warm water. How it works? When you arrive to the...

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The dream of every skier is the white sparkled hillside and no speed limits. The wind in your hair and sun shining straight into your eyes is something that many of us are waiting for the whole year. Val di Fassa is a place when you can have it all! The snow is almost always there PLUS there is something that Austria, France and Switzerland is missing: THE SUN! The majority of the hills in Italy is inclined to the south. It means that if you ski in Val di Fassa the sun is shining almost ALL day! The Dolomites cover a considerable terrain of the northeast of Italy. The mountains are magnificent. High, rocky, respectful. Stunning. Despite the size of the mountainous provinces it is amazingly well organized and managed. This is the real paradise of every skier. The province- Trentino Alto Adige– is also a fascinating place with rich history, ancient castles and legends about them. The Dolomites are listed on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. This autonomous region is highly distinctive from the other italian regions. People speak two languages here: German and Italian. The proximity of the Austrian border and the mountainous characteristics shared with the austrian Tirol makes these two similar. The tourism is one of the main source of income for the region and, due to its autonomy, it is also well spent on site. What you will find in Val di Fassa is a combination of small mountain towns with old churches and wooden workshops and extremely well developed ski infrastructure. Hotels, apartments, chalets and B&Bs offer accommodation of good quality providing full services for skiers like: ski schools, maintenance ski services, shuttle bus services, and a rich offer of ‘off-the-slope’ activities. I remember my first holiday in the Dolomites spent with some of my Italian friends. I was the beginner, they were advanced skiers and, I must say, this wasn’t a bad combination. Well, maybe a little. OK, I will tell you the truth: I broke my leg. But it was totally my fault. After skiing for the whole day on the moderate and easy tracks I felt I can handle the more demanding ones. And so I took a lift to Col San Margherita and went straight down using the track for advanced skiers. And there is was! I made a wrong move while turning and made an epic fall in the middle of the track. It looked like a snowstorm– as my friend confirmed later. It was funny thing because at the beginning we didn’t know that the leg was broken. You know, no blood, no cuts, it just hurt a bit but I had such high level of adrenaline in my veins that I was able to ski further! Slowly the pain was growing and in the evening it was unbearable. The X-ray taken next day clarified everything. So, I spend 6 weeks at home and another 4 on rehabilitation. Irrespectively my personal experience I recommend the ski area of San Pellegrino as it is really good and if you’re a fan of ski you will LOVE IT! I still do;-) But, this experience caught my attention and made me think about my general fitness and endurance. The broken leg was a reason of general thinking about travels and my health condition. I have never considered ski an extreme sport but suddenly it caused a serious damage instead of being a source of energy and wellbeing. I know I should not have used the track for the advanced skiers but if I was in a better shape my fall could have not caused such a serious consequence. When I was sitting at home and waiting until my leg was OK again I decided to do everything what I can to avoid such situations in the future. I know that accidents happen and can always happen and we usually have no control over it, but this event encouraged me to care for my health. So I got back to jogging. And today after couple of years since the accident I’m the best shape ever. So, learn from my experience, skip the accident part and MOVE! Have you ever thought about visiting Italy? Here is an alternative way on how to visit Italy and get really close to the Italian way of life. I created a project ‘I love Ferrara‘ so you could join me and experience how beautiful and tasty Ferrara is. If you wish to immerse in Italy book your holiday now!  

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