I was still very stiff from my ride yesterday.
I had only one really fun thing planned for the rest of the trip -
driving the Stelvio in my Giulia.
After that it was simply all travel to get home.
I was certainly ready to go home, but I wasn't looking forward to all the travel necessary to get there...
I packed up and drove the Stelvio, stopping frequently to take pictures.
I took a few pics yesterday on the way up, and several more on the way
down, but I didn't take that many overall.
I used all my Stelvio pictures from today on yesterday's webpage.
The drive was fantastic fun, yet a little anticlimatic since I'd just
been up the day before and I was getting ready for the long ride home...
The only scary part was making sure I didn't lose a side mirror on the
car when
I met another vehicle, the road is narrow.
I then made my way back to Bolzano...
I got to the rental car place around 1pm
I knew it would be closed between noon and 2:30 for lunch, so I dropped
my keys in the dropbox and hoped for the best..
I then tried to find a taxi to take me to the train station - if I
could get their soon I could save an hour of waiting in the heat, and maybe get to Milan soon enough to see something.
I started hiking in the right general direction, but I was in an
industrial area and didn't see a taxi stand or any taxis.
I found a bar, the hostess barely spoke enough English for me to convey
that I'd like a taxi.
She called the number, nobody answered... so I got to keep walking in
the stiffling heat.
I ran on and off much of the 1-1/2 miles across Bolzano to the train
station since I really wanted to catch the earlier train.
I didn't seem to move much faster but I sure sweat alot more.
Finally I got to the train station and bought my ticket for the next
train, I of course had missed the one I wanted.
I then realized that I couldn't find my iphone charger - I must have
left it in the hotel room this morning.
I panicked a bit, I had over 60% iphone battery still but if I didn't have my iPhone things would be
challenging - I hadn't booked a room to tonight yet.
I had a printout of my United reservation so worst case I would still
get home.
I walked into the convenience store in the train station and viola!
Only 18 euros for a European USB charger.
Problem solved...
I found it fascinating that I only heard Italian in Bolzano, but only
heard German
in the mountains outside Bolzano
Once my train arrived it didn't have functional AC ...
Fun fact - I got hooked Gusto Limone Gatorate, and they don't sell anything like it in the US.
On the train I got a room at the Hotel Flora using tripadvisor and booking.com for the night, it was conveniently cheap and near
the trian station.
I'd be arriving in Milan too late to see any sights, which was really
fine cause I was DONE.
I was dead tired ..
I'm out of ambition, I only want to get home now.
I accomplished all primary and secondary goals and then some.
I couldn't believe how much I'd seen and done...
Milano Centrale
I looked at a highly rated place to eat and unfortunately decided
against it since I really just wanted pizza.
I went to Jumping pizza / cafe, neither the service nor the food were
very good.
After dinner I wandered across the street to the Monkey Bar - it was
packed, I was lucky to get a stool.
I almost never go to bars, but I decided to nurse a couple of drinks to
celebrate my trip.
After 30-45 minutes it was empty.
I asked the bartender where everyone went, he said they all went to
dinner, and this happens every night.
The bartenders ate then as well.
Eventually the crowd started to re-gather.
After a margarita and a local beer I bought a Monkey Bar shirt and
called it an evening..
My cheap crappy Hotel Flora was way too noisy all night long, there was zero
soundproofing on the
windows, I was not at all pleased.
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Wednesday July 5, 2017
Biking the Stelvio
