Val Maira - day 3

for our final day we decided to take a look at the Elva area - we visited a very interesting cosy museum about a trade that was typical of this area, the collection and work of human hair - the men here used to travel far and wide collecting hair, buying them off poor women who would sell them for cash or pieces of clothing. the hair would then be brought back to Elva where the women would work them and make them into wigs to be sold to rich people in France, England and even the US. this went on till about the 50s, then synthetics took the toll and the people slowly left the region. in the early days of the 1900s there were over a 1000 people living there, now they're down to 100...
after a picnic lunch we went uphill for a while as part of the A Spasso per Lou Viol trail, partly on the road and partly in the woods on the mountains - a very nice 2-hour tour, mostly in nature that closed off out 3-day break.

we had a very nice time and we will surely be back for more, as there is still lots to do and lots to see in Val Maira :)

ValMaira - day 2

08.04.12

this morning we set out after breakfast and went for a nice walk to Pian del Preit,

then we went on from there to reach Pian Gardetta, but there was too much snow on the ground still - and we weren't properly equipped for it - so we turned back towards the car.

After a picnic  lunch we visited a few of the local villages, each with their own peculiarities.
The day was really gorgeous weather-wise and we thoroughly enjoyed it.

Back at the b+b for a well deserved hot chocolate and a little rest before dinner.

ValMaira (CN)

07.04.2012
Easter weekend
we came back (my wife and i) to the Tano di Grich b+b, where we found the same two sisters owning the place, the same comfort, the same great cooking.
Day one, we spent travelling to the place, but we did make a stop at the Ciciu del Vilar Nature Reserve - an intriguing rock formation typical of this area.

After settling in the b+b we went to dinner where we had a delicious taste of the local food.

Future plans

while walking the Faroes, an idea sprung to our minds - a long distance trek in Canada next year.
I'm getting quite chuffed at the idea and I've already thought out a basic training plan for, if I want to do a long distance trail, I need to put quite a few miles into my legs. so I thought this out: March and April I will need to start walking every week-end, at least one of the two days, and then, from May to July, I'll have to walk over the week-end, possibly both days, with the same load I'm carrying on my holiday. that should do it - this way I should reach August nice and fit for walking regularly a few miles each day.
first thing to do is looking for an inspiring l.d.t.
I'm really getting into the idea for I can see the progress I make from the short walks I did this year - if I have the proper constant training I'm sure I can walk wonders!

I'll keep posting ideas as they come along, and training sessions I'll do :-)

Faroes, a few considerations

a few things I noted about these islands...
• they have flimsy plastic toilet seats
• there aren't many animals: sheep, mainly; birds, lots; some horses and a very few cows
• spectacular cliffs and views
• nice people, mostly smiling and helpful
• overall, they're not very tourist-orientated: when trails are marked, they go on for a while then usually disappear; times of buses and museums are dodgy at best, sometimes a museum is marked as open and you find it closed; many things worth advertising for are not
• not very environment conscious -perhaps because there's so much environment: there's no differentiated collection for rubbish; litter is left about everywhere, even in places you thought nobody would reach.
* * *

three cheers to the Faroe Islands!!!

that said, I'm glad I came here. this few days have been really relaxing and a true sight for sore eyes - a much needed change of scenery after a whole year being stuck in an office wasting time producing rubbish...

Bládypi Hostel

nice, clean, central, breakfast, cheap for Faroese standards. we think it misses out for not having a common area, except the kitchen, that helps with contacts among the guests. normally you always end up chatting with the others, exchanging tips and ideas. and meeting at breakfast is just not the same...

holiday day 21 - the end

aug 26 fri
finally, we're on the last plane home. the night passed, just about, but I couldn't sleep (sort of) for more than 10-15 minutes altogether. Stansted is not very good to sleep at. we did find some palatable seats at the end of the building, after the last row of check-ins, but they're not really comfy - I believe it would have been better to use a sleeping mat on the foor, like some people did.
early "wake up" time and check-in at 4.00am - with the main luggage out of the way we had breakfast and then we passed customs control and passed to the next area. at the gate, the usual herd of Italian sheep started gathering at the door -forming a queue, I have to admit- way before the lady appeared at the boarding gate. all obviously complaining about something or other. what I ask myself is this -- if they don't like anything other than their fucking Italy, why don't they just stay there!
the plane left on time and we reached Torino on schedule, trumpets and all !!!
a sour consideration:
you forget all too quickly how these people behave, what you have to live with every day. after a couple of days away, they don't seem so bad. alas, everything comes back too quickly as soon as you approach any whatsoever gathering of them. I hate the fucking lot of them, and, yes, I'm a racist.