Tuesday, May 23rd, Kobarid, Slovenia

Greetings!

Forty-five million years ago, the African plate collided with the European plate, and sent Italy pushing seabeds up into the sky just south of Lichtenstein, Switzerland, and Austria.  Seven hundred fifty miles long and one hundred twenty-five miles wide, the Alps are a serious obstacle to travel.  The eastern end of it forms a border between Italy and Slovenia, and that's where we drove through today.

On the way, we visited the tallest sky jump in the world, and watched someone try out one of the smaller jumps. We drove through a mountain pass, and inspected an important WWI battle site which gave a twenty-five year old commander named Rommel his first major victory.  We visited a museum dedicated to WWI, and the unique and crucial role that this area played in the war.  They had the most creative and effective overhead video on a giant relief map I've ever seen, which they use to describe a three-day offensive between Austria and Italy.

Our bus is a little big for the switchback curves made necessary to get through these mountains.  Vito, our driver, is extremely talented (especially at backing up), and these traveling days have been much easier because of him.  We saw some of the most beautiful craggy peaks which didn't photograph very well through the windows of our bus as it wound its way up and down narrow winding roads.  We followed thin sky blue rivers as they made they way down from the glaciers and remaining snowfalls of last winter.

To see all of the photos taken (not many) today, click on Tuesday, May 23rd, Kobarid, Slovenia.