"Climbing into the Realm of the Twelve... " a Lozzo Cadore Travel Page by richiecdisc

It's funny how man decides when one country ends and another begins. Nature has its borders, be they rivers, oceans, or impenetrable mountains. But man sometimes neglects to accept them or changes them for reasons of greed or war. The region between Italy and Austria is one such area of confusion. Much of the South Tyrol is obviously still of Austrian influence despite its being firmly planted on what is now Italian soil. This Germanic nature will not willfully retract to the "other side" of the Dolomites just because of a post war decree and it seems the two cultures live peacefully side by side. Still, it's interesting to go from one valley to the next and find an entirely different character intact. And such was the case on traveling from St. Magdalena in Vilnos to Lozzo di Cadore in the Marmarole mountain range. You could see the architecture and even the people transform from German to Italian roots right before your eyes. Though it was easier in the former valley as it was a language more familiar to us, it was nice to finally "arrive" in Italy even if the Dolomites remain an area that the two cultures share in reality if not name. Ultimately, it's of little consequence; the Dolomites are stunning in any language.