Style – September 24, 2026 

  • Florence: Day 2 (Travel Day 15)
  • Weather 55-80° / partly cloudy & winds 2-10 mph

Over time painting style went from flat two dimension to three dimension showing fullness of the body. Uffizi.

Earlier two dimension…flat like paper dolls.
Later three dimension with full figures.
Botticelli: Allegory of Spring
Three dimensional.
Da Vinci: Annunciation, Adoration

Travel Day – September 23, 2026 

  • Florence: Day 1 (Travel Day 14)
  • Weather: 55-80° / sunny & winds 2-4 mph

A travel day can consume the whole day and when traveling each day is precious.  Dolomite Mountains I had to strain my neck to see the top seemed to instantaneously flatten to farmland.

Ferrari red train. Best move fast as the trains and buses always leave the station in minutes of their arrival.
View from lodging.

Four with Six – September 22, 2026 

  • Cortina d’Ampezzo: Day 4 (Travel Day 13)
  • Time: 4 hours / 6 miles / 1,300’ elevation gained
  • Weather: 40-65° / sun shine & winds 5-10 mph

Four hours hiked.  Six people encountered.  How different from the previous splendid ranked hikes that attracted innumerable hikers.  Today’s hike had solitude plus required no buses or gondolas.

Cortina with Olympic ski courses in background.
Lower elevation woods.
Through the woods.
Above the timber line.

Two and Two – September 21, 2026 

  • Cortina d’Ampezzo: Day 3
  • Time: 2 hours / 2 miles
  • Weather: 45-65° / sun shine and clouds mixed & winds 5-10 mph

Two hours.  Two miles.  How can that be?  You stroll around the lake stopping to take in the view. Why rush?

Rookie rowers looked more like an assault by bumper cars.
This New Yorker wins wagers skipping pebbles. The water is so clear.
Team America. The Chinese, English, Germans, Israelites, and Italians are well represented.

Lago di Braies #01 – September 21, 2026 

  • Cortina d’Ampezzo: Day 3
  • Time: 2 hours / 2 miles
  • Weather: 45-65° / sun shine and clouds mixed & winds 5-10 mph

Deep emerald-green crystal clear waters, bleached stone beaches, and sheer cliffs make Lago di Braies a jewel in the Dolomites. 

Kudos to iPhone 15’s camera.
The lake is alpine streams and underground springs fed. Always too cold for a dip.
Alas white stone and not snow beaches.

Lago di Misurina #11 – September 20, 2026 

  • Cortina d’Ampezzo: Day 2
  • Time: 6 hours / 6 1/2 miles
  • Weather: 45-65° / partly cloudy & winds 5-10 mph

All that is missing are the Boston Common Swan Boats. A couple was walking seven Dachshunds. I feel sorry for their other four Dachshunds left at home.

No swan boats…just wooden row boats.
EZ stroll.
Care to check in?

Walking – September 20, 2026 

  • Cortina d’Ampezzo: Day 2
  • Time: 6 hours / 6 1/2 miles
  • Weather: 45-65° / partly cloudy & winds 5-10 mph

Walking the Three Peeks. 

Joined by New Yorker who enjoyed the path less traveled.
Rifugio Locatelli. On rock face were WWI gouged caves. In military tactics take the high ground.
Pausing was as enjoyable as discovering. Kristen’s Whippet, Sully, would burry his nose in this cup of whipped cream.

Tre Cime di Lavaredo #8 – September 20, 2026 

  • Cortina d’Ampezzo: Day 2
  • Time: 6 hours / 6 1/2 miles
  • Weather: 45-65° / partly cloudy & winds 5-10 mph

Tre Cime di Lavaredo (Three Peaks) is one of the most popular hikes in the Dolomites attracting hordes of people. Walking the circuit backwards avoided much of the crush. 

Three Peaks
Reflection of Three Peaks. The New Yorker gets credit for seeing this perspective.
Hordes of people on lower trail. We took upper trail.