This post will cover our last day at Ortisei and our drive to the top of Passo Stelvio.

The internet connection the last two nights was poor - at least that's my excuse.

Before leaving Ortisei, we went early up two lifts to Seceda, a high mountain pasture, which we had thus far missed out on because of the weather. After arriving at the top of the lift, we walked higher along a ridge, but it was very cold with some gusty winds. Since the light was not good for photographs and we wanted at warm up, we walked back down to the restaurant hoping that conditions would improve.

Hot chocolate with a chocolate croissant warmed us up, and gave the conditions time to improve.

This is the area named Seceda, at an altitude of 2518 metres.

This is the view from the top of the gondola station looking down at Ortisei.

And back down to the village we rode.

One of the views from the gondola as we descended.

We were ready to leave Val Gardena.

Trost Burg, in Kollmann, at the end of Val Gardena, as we head south.

But our route south took us down the valley and below the autobahn, except for the last few kilometres before Bolzano. We then took a highway west toward Merano. We stopped for the night in Schlanders at a Guest House, to the ladies' relief.

The next morning we continued up the valley, which was a centre of apple growing.

Soon the orchards were behind us as the valley narrowed, for our ascent up the Stelvio.

But not before our stop for, get this, not cappuccino, but hot chocolate.

Here are some scenes from our drive up to the summit of Passo Stelvio.

A traffic jam on one of the 49 switchbacks.

This is nearing the summit.

We arrived at the top (2758 metres), and then entered Switzerland.

We descended switchbacks on the Swiss side, and stopped in the village of Santa Maria in Val Mustair for the night.

We took rooms at this unique renovated building that served as a bed and breakfast. The original lower portion was about 800 years old, but the upper floors were from the early 1800s. The young lady who ran this place spent six years designing and renovating it.

This was my room, sparse but an adventure.

This was the dinner each of us ordered - capuns. Haven't figured out what it is, but it was very tasty.

Apparently this is a local specialty.

I'll cover the next two days in the next blog. Tune back in.