Allison's Wonderland

So you know that bucket list of things I want to go and see on the side of my blog?  Well this week I was able to put a big green check mark over the picture of the Matterhorn.  That, my friends, made me very happy.  Let me start at the beginning of my Cervino/Matterhorn experience.

We left town around 2:00 on the 24th.  Simona got Mattia from school early, even though the teachers and nuns weren't very happy.  Mattia has missed a good amount of school this winter due to sickness, skiing and the chicken pox.  The teacher said he was really behind, but he's five.  How can you really be behind in coloring and finger painting?  It's pre-school, not University.  We couldn't let a little school get in the way of our adventure!

Forte di Bard

On the drive to Cervinia we passed about 3 different medieval castles.  I mean these things were cool.  In the Vallee d'Aosta, which is a province of Italy like Liguaria, Piemonte, and Tuscany, it is completely surrounded by mountains.  During the Roman days these fortresses were placed in key mountain positions in order to fend off potential invaders.  Simona told me a story of Forte di Bard and how Napoleon threw manure on the ground for his army and carriage to pass through under the nose of the Italian guard.  He slipped right by without making a sound and the people of the fort didn't know the difference.  Once we made our way to the top where Cervinia was located, I was amazed to see the amount of snow present at the end of April.  In Virginia, any thought of snow pretty much stops in February.  We maybe get a dusting in March but that's rare.  This was very unusual to me.  Once we arrived we hung out with Simona's brother, Roby who I had never before.  He plays the guitar very well and him and I chilled in the living room just sitting with him on the guitar and me singing.  It was nice because it reminded me a bit of home back in the apartment when Josh would come over and Micah and him would be sitting on the couch just singing their little hearts out.  I just love singing to a guitar.  It's fun. 

Running into the Tree

The next morning was our big ski adventure.  When I woke up the first thing I did was run to the door where there was a window at the top to look and see if the Matterhorn was visible.  The day before it was snowing and we couldn't see the tops of any of the mountains.  But today was different.  I got my first view of Mt. Cervino.  In Italy it is called Cervino and in Switzerland it is known as the Matterhorn.  I never knew that.  Simona's brother is a ski instructor as well, so he had to go off to a lesson. Once the three of us were ready we set out to the slopes. It was a little difficult getting there as we had to ski down this little windy slope that wasn't really a piste at all. I fell on a little turn and felt stupid. Then Simona thought we should take this little trail that veered to the side so we wouldn't have to walk as long in our ski boots in

Mattia a lil stressed

order to get to the gondola. That's when I almost ran into a tree and fell off this little snow cliff.  Needless to say I was a little stressed about the whole ordeal. I was intimidated enough as is, because I am a novice skier. I'm not that great. I go skiing about once a year. Simona is a professional ski instructor and has been on skis pretty much since she was born. (Okay I might be exaggerating a little here, but she's good). Mattia is five years old, but he has been on skis since before he can probably remember.  I was the odd man out.  After all of our trekking through the snow and trees we finally made it to the gondola.  Poor little Mattia was upset because I think he was stressed too.  Once inside the gondola he started crying because he was skiing at a place he wasn't use to and the morning was stressful.  I wanted to sit right there and cry too.  Once we were up and skiing, he was fine.  I think it was just the thoughts that got him all in a panic.  That's what I tend to do.  Stress myself out by thinking things I shouldn't.

One of the many ski lifts.  This one was 2,866 meters above sea level.

The Matterhorn

Mattia & Simona

At the top of the mountain which I thought was the top and turned out to be well...not, we got a coffee and got rejuvenated.  In order to get to the actual top, we had to take another 3 chair lifts.   We got outside the bar and there it stood in all its majesty, the Matterhorn.  It was absolutely gorgeous.  I got out my camera and started snapping away because in Cervinia, the clouds like to congregate at the top of the Matterhorn so you never know when you will or won't see it.  I'm glad I got the pictures when I did, because by the time we made our way down the mountain it started to snow and you couldn't see any of the mountains let alone the Matterhorn.  I have never skied in a place so gorgeous before.  The snow was brilliant and was just like sugar.  In Prato the snow has been very bad when we had it just because of the temperature.  Every time I skied in Prato it was just like skiing on ice chunks.  This was something totally different.  We met up with Simona's brother and one of his instructees and zoomed around everywhere.  You could probably be at this place for an entire week and not ski the same trail twice.  It's that big.  I got a little nervous one time because I thought I was going to loose Simona and Mattia on the ski lift and I ended up loosing the lens cap to my camera.  I'm still mad about it.  Stupid me. 

Roby, Mattia and Simona on the Slopes

View at the end of the day

This place is like no other for many reasons.  Number one being the resort spans two different countries.  Once at the very top of the mountain you can see Switzerland.  Which unfortunately was all we were able to do as the Swiss side was closed due to high winds.  Zermatt, Switzerland lies at the bottom of the Swiss side. You can ski from Italy into Switzerland and in  order to get back into Italy you have to have your passport.  How cool is that? I really wanted to ski into Switzerland, but like I said it was closed. :(  Oh well, I guess that just means I'll have to come back.  The trails range from beginner to intermediate which is right up my alley!  I loved them because they weren't too steep.  Roby took the others on one of the difficult trails but I opted out because I didn't want to fall and smash my big camera since I had it in my backpack the whole time.  I only fell once on the slopes and felt pretty good about my skiing.  Simona made me take this awful drag lift where you have to put this thing in between your legs in order for it to pull you.  If you fall off it, you're stuck.  I freaked myself out, but once I got on it I was fine.  Simona just likes to make me squirm.  That's why she made me do it. :)  I kept up with everybody pretty well and thought I was doing good.  But that was up until we got to the end of our day.  Mattia had a headache and I was getting

View from the ski lift

tired after skiing for four hours.  We had to take 3 different lifts to get home, and then ski down a trail that was 11 Kilometers long which is about 4 miles.  By that time it was snowing and the air was definitely colder.  I did fine up until the last hill which was a murderous steep thing that stood in my way of warmth and food.  That's when Simona gave me a lesson in skiing.  Haha...I felt like such an idiot who has no idea what they're doing.  I had seen the kids in ski lessons many times doing exactly what she was teaching me.  These were 4 and 5 year olds and here I am 24.  Well, it's never too late to learn.  Thanks to Simona I made it down fine without a broken bone.  The snow on that slope was awful icy too.  It doesn't look that bad in the picture, but I'm telling you it was steep.  We also could hardly see anything because the sun was gone and the terrain was completely white.  The ski was white, the clouds were white, and obviously the snow was white so any bumps or holes in the terrain were unable to be seen.  I also was an idiot and put mascara on in the morning.  My eyes were watering so bad and mascara was running down my face.  I looked like a beauty for sure. 

My steep scary slope

 Once we got home and were eating lunch I asked Simona if she thought I could be a ski instructor jokingly.  She just looked at me and said, "No."  So then I pushed it and was like, "You really don't think I could be?"  She looked at me again and said, "No, you're terrible." and then smiled.  Mattia reaffirmed it and said, "Yes you're terrible."  I just laughed.  And here I was thinking that I did good all day!  I also thought it was funny because in the south you would never come right out and say that.  You would butter it up and say something like, "Well Allison, you are talented at other things.  You would be better off trying those."  Not just a plain "No. You're terrible." Oh well...at least I try.

Cappuccino & Maracchino YUM!

 

The posh little Cafe'

My fireside spot

After eating and taking a shower, I got my shop on and headed into the little village with the car that Simona graciously let me borrow.  I found some postcards and two new pins for my map!  YEAH!  I also went to this little ski lodge bar and got myself a marracchinno.  Simona took Mattia and I there the day before and the same guy that was sprawled out in front of the fire place last time was there again.  Well, I wanted to sit by the fire place too because it was the coziest spot in the whole cafe.  He was hogging three chairs.  It was obvious he didn't want anyone to sit there but I was determined.  So I asked him if I could sit next to him in a little winged-back chair.  He looks at me like I'm an alien and says, "Yes, but there are many other tables to sit if you want."  I politely said, "No.  I want to sit here," and plopped my little self down.  HA!  He should learn to be more friendly.  It was a wonderful day and it ended with Roby's friend making us delicious pizza with homemade crust and five different types of gelato (strawberry, cream, cookies and cream, coffee and pistachio).  YUM!  My Cervinia experience was AMAZING!!!  Next time I'm in the neighborhood I will be skiing into Switzerland!