Grand San Bernadino Pass to Etroubles 8/4/23

 

Diner last night was at the Hotel Italia, where I was staying.  The dining room had that old-style formal elegance, and the servers made everyone feel important.

My first course was Seupa à la Vapelenentse or Valpellinentze Soup.  Picture your favorite French onion soup on steroids.  It had cabbage, fontina cheese, dark rye bread, and a light-colored broth that was not beef. I would have been happy with a kettle of it and nothing else. Well, maybe a glass of wine.

My second course was Carbonade with polenta, which is beef stew in red wine. The beef was so tender and flavorful.  And while I am not a big fan of polenta, this was extraordinary.  I don't know what was different, but it was seriously good.

The morning was cool and foggy.  There was the most beautiful rainbow, but try as I might, I couldn't get a good photo of it.  If you look closely at about a third of the bottom left, you can see a little of it.

A marker that I have not seen.

More fog.

The impressive state of Saint Bernard.

A cairn is a man-made pile (or stack) of stones raised for a purpose, usually as a marker or as a burial mound.

I wasn't expecting to see mules on the trail. Momma was ever so protective of the baby - as it should be! I thought the baby was so cute.  And I know my high school BFF Pami Green Lesley, has a soft spot for mules.

I had my head in the clouds today!  I have been above the tree line for the better part of two days.

I had to cross this stream which was fed by a small waterfall.

This is the journey that I am on.  Well, 500 miles of it.

Such amazing scenery.

When I am on a hike, I rarely stop and eat a real lunch at a real restaurant, but I happened to be in this little village at noon. It was so charming that I couldn't resist.  

I am already tired of cheese and bread.

I ordered the Panna Cotta al Basilico con Pomodoro su Petali de Rosa d' Arosta. That is a mouthful.

And it was amazing.  There is the local ham on the bottom and lightly roasted tomatoes surrounding it.'  In the center is panna cotta which I have only had as a dessert.  This panna cotta was savory and flavored with basil.  There was a rye touille propped up on the panna cotta.

I order a Coca-Cola Zero and got this Italian version.  It was suprisingly good.

Such beautiful chalets even though I am now in Italy.

I am staying at the Hotel Beau Sejour in Etroubles.

I started off with cantelpe and ham. I picked out all of the sliced antelope and half of the ham is now in my backpack for tomorrow. They gave me a whole platter.

I couldn't resist ordering the Valpellinentze Soup that I had last night.  This version was just as good.  I am going to learn to make this when I get home.

I ordered dessert and it is Carolyn  Bruce's fault.  She told me several years ago that I should write more about the food so I felt obligated to order the Mousse alla Nocciole alle Nocciole Tostate which is Hazlenut Mousse.  I practically licked the mason jar.  

So it is off to bed for me.  Today was 18.5 kilometers (11.5 mountain miles)

Sleep tight!