2 February 2019.
If anyone ever tells you writing a book is difficult, ask them how the editing and publishing process went. Publishing is to writing as cooking is to eating: It takes a lot longer to create the meal than to eat it. At least it does for me, self-published as I am. The writing process was a piece of cake. Floundering through Kindle Direct Publishing gave me a stomach ache. In fact, the author page links still are not working on all Amazon sites. Grrrr.
Ric on a new walk at Passo Gardena, with Jimmy Hutte in the distance. Many of our walks feature great places to relax and have lunch along the trail.
It has been a while since I last posted in November. We’ve been very busy. The last trip was, in part, to update our book and at last, we have published the second edition of “Walking in Italy’s Val Gardena!” Now containing 23 hikes (previously 20) and updated information as of autumn 2018, this is the book to take along on a trip to Ortisei or anywhere in Italy’s Val Gardena. There’s not much written in English in detail on this part of Italy.
We had such a magnificent trip again last fall that I could hardly wait to get this published. Alas, the writing and (worse) editing process did take some time, but now the content is fresca fresca fresca, as our Italian friend Pellegrino used to say.
The approach to Fermeda on one of our new walks. How about having pizza with this view?
If you have never been to the Dolomites, put it on your list and spend a week. Heck, spend a month if you love hiking and mountains. Our best trip ever was passing the month of July parked in Ortisei while we did the initial research and writing the first edition.
Click on over to Amazon.com and get your copy, paperback or Kindle. Also available worldwide on Amazon.it, Amazon.co.UK, Amazon.de, or any other country Amazon site you buy from.
Note the first edition is still out there because that is where the reviews are. I am hoping to see some reviews of the Second Edition soon! (Hint Hint.)
I will be back with a new post soon about cooking while traveling. Until then, Ciao!
This little marmot was hanging out with his “madness” at Seceda, above Ortisei. Hiking directions are in our book.
We make a point of hiking to this little chapel at Rasciesa each trip.
Also from one of our new walks at Passo Gardena. What a view!
On the trail from Ciampinoi to Passo Sella, a marvelous view of the Sciliar.
Girovaga 
Val Gardena looks and sounds amazing, well done for writing a book, such a achievement
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Very kind of you! Thanks!
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Hi Laurel. I would have bought your book if it had been available when we first visited beautiful Ortisei. It sounds perfect for the type of hiking we do. I would love to go back. We rented a car but After arriving in Ortisei we never used it and I am not sure I could convince my husband to do that drive again. I would love to visit again without a car but not sure how we would get from Bolzano to Ortisei and back. Are taxis available or private transfers?
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Hi Kathy! One of the things I explain in the book is how to do this without a car. Ric and I have never rented a car for the Val Gardena. There is a bus (cheap) from Bolzano to Ortisei, which we have taken many times The last three trips, however, we used Taxi Ivan, one of the independent drivers in Ortisei. Ivan meets us at the station in Bolzano and takes us to our door in Ortisei. It is Euro 85.00 each way for his services. You can contact him through his website http://www.taxi-ivan.com/ and he does speak English.
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Thanks so much for sharing this Laurel. I am Filing this info for future use. I hope to return to Ortisei but I know my husband did not like driving in the mountains. Getting to Bolzano is so easy with the train and I like the idea of Taxi Ivan!
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Glad you are still soooo busy!
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Some days TOO busy! Happy this is done!
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You energizer-bunny, you! I am sure your books are priceless to European travelers who like to hike and REALLY get in contact with the people and the countryside.
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Maybe not priceless, but hopefully worth $23.99! Expensive to produce a color guidebook!
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Good luck on your second book. Maybe we’ll get back to the Dolomites some day. It is so beautiful.
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Thanks, Chloe! It was so nostalgic doing the update. I wanted to jump on a plane and go back RIGHT NOW.
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