Here we are again! Yet another collaboration between me and The Palladian Traveler. This time, my rhyming couplets are all about our brilliant settimana bianca (white week) in the Dolomites, about which I have already blogged HERE. Tom’s wonderful photographs, which document his ski week so beautifully can be seen HERE.

Off to the Dolomites covered in snow

Where the ski-slopes are calling, we eagerly go.

One of us skis and the other does not,

So our week and our stories will differ a lot.

The first morning dawns and the skier prepares

To head to the slopes in several layers

Of warm thermal leggings and a matching vest

To put the cold weather and snow to the test.

Feather jacket, big boots, a hat and warm gloves

Our skier’s away to the slopes that he loves.

He’ll don his helmet and bright blue ski boots

Before heading downhill on manicured routes.

Non skier has breakfast at leisurely pace

Admiring the scenery through curtains of lace.

As she eats her fruit salad and sips herbal tea

She plans her excursions – there’s so much to see.

New friends, some non-skiers, an interesting bunch

Of ladies who love the occasional lunch.

While he skis the slopes which make his cheeks glow

She heads to Dobbiaco and San Candido.

Some days we would head to rifugi so high

To meet all the skiers as they careened by.

We’d share our adventures and sit in a group

For lunch of canedorli or goulash soup.

We’d meet up at Rudi’s for pickles and speck

Atop Croda Rosa we’d lounge on the deck

To soak up the sunshine, our faces aglow,

As we sat among Dolomite peaks in the snow.

Sella Ronda and Kronplatz were favourites skied

And Monte Elmo was just great, they agreed.

While the skiers come swooshing down Val Badia

The ladies are lunching above Cortina.

To Sesto for action-packed drama we went

For a day at the races – a yearly event.

The evenings were spent with a spoon and a fork

Not to mention our wine glasses – plus lively talk.

So our Ski Trek is over, a week of good cheer.

We say our goodbyes until early next year.

It’s to Val Pusteria we happily make

As “White Week” is Italy’s annual break.

Orna O’Reilly, Veneto, Italy