Ravenna and the Dolomites, Italy

We took a drive from Venice and went to a small town named Ravenna. Reed visited Ravenna while on his mission and had always wanted to go back. There are several old churches dating from approximately 500 AD. Artwork in the churches was done in mosaics and is as vibrant today as when they had just been created. Because they pre-date the Catholic period in that part of Italy, we could really see and appreciate the influence of the early Christian church and witness many of the early beliefs that have been lost along the way. What an inspirational day...certainly a highlight of our trip.

Melodie

On the way back to Switzerland from Venice, we drove through the Dolomites in Northern Italy. The Dolomites are the most rugged mountain range in the world. While planning the trip, Reed discovered a route Venice and Austria that went through Cortina d'Ampezzo. The small town almost hangs on the side of the mountain and has one main road. People in the villages and small towns all the way up to the Austria boarder speak an Italian/German dialect and even the signs reflect a flavor of both countries. Reed rode in the BMW with the top down so he could take pictures while Kent drove. The trip was supposed to take about 4.5 hours but it ended up being closer to 10 hrs. You can only imagine the number of stops we made and the number of pictures he took. Both Reed and Kent readily acknowledged that they had never seen anything so spectacular. That's a lot of praise from a couple of guys who grew up in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains! Reed made the slide show and picked out some of the best of the 300+ pictures he took. Enjoy!
Melodie