Bolzano Impressions

I expected Bolzano to be a small and quaint town... a sleepy village nestled in the foothills of the Dolomites. Upon arriving though, I was completely wrong. It's a bustling place, with people about everywhere. Many on foot, but it is a bicycling town. Bicycles are everywhere; the locals use them to run errands, tourists rent them to see the surrounding areas.

There are a couple plazas that serve as a central gathering areas, but as is the case with Italy, cafes and side streets are just as busy as the main corridors. There are very few cars here in the core of the town. It's a nice respite.

Speaking of Italy, Bolzano doesn't feel like it belongs in this country. German is the predominant language and culture here. They just happen to be located in their southern neighbor. It's been a mental exercise for me to try to switch languages. Not that I speak Italian or German, but I like to at least know how to say basic phrases such as good morning ("Gutten Morgan") and thank you ("Danke"). Most everything else I try to communicate is either English, charades, or the Italian names for coffee drinks ("machiatto").

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Unlike Venice, Florence, and Rome, there are very few Asian tourists here. I'm not sure if I'm being paranoid or sensitive, but I seem to get more looks from the local Bolzano-ians... If this is true, wait 'til the next couple days... It'll be like we're invading the place!

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Although Bolzano is tucked into the Italian Alps, with stores stocked with alpine gear any REI member would be enamored with, the people still dress in stylish, European fashion. Men are dressed smartly in fitted suits or blazers and leather oxfords. The women are in blouses and and trendy jackets.

Additionally, the town (and I guess Italy in general) has really offered me a glimpse of what the States could and would be like if we weren't so... American. People here seem to be trimmer. Maybe it's the biking or walking, but for all the pasta and croissants the Italians consume, they really should be bigger than they are.