The European Chronicles 2025.13

July 09, 2025

The European Chronicles 2025.13 - Back To Bemelmans

Collalbo And Bemelmans Post - Very Special Places

These Dolomites are all pleasure, no pain. The view from our Bemelmans Post balcony.

Krisanne really enjoyed the Saalerwirt...yoga classes every day, including departure day morning. Beautiful place, great food, stunning spa. Not the best for riding - see my previous chapter. But hey, this isn't all riding...😂

We've also had thunderstorms most afternoons, and rain overnight.

We wake up to this...glad Krisanne has a yoga class!

Mostly burns off by the time we're ready to go, but big T-storms are predicted for the afternoon. I plot a "lower and quicker" route.

On our way...

Map at the petrol station...Krisanne LOVES maps.

And speaking of petrol, you may recall that just before we got to the Saalerwart, I had "PPF." Petrol Purchase Failure. Could not get the pumps to work with the Wise card or any other credit card. Here, at this Eni (Agip) station, everything is again automated, no attendant or store. As is normal, there's a central kiosk where you activate the pump you want by credit card. Once again, nothing works...Wise or two different credit cards...BUT there's a symbol for Apple Pay. Ok, let's try that...phone won't Face ID because I have my helmet on...put in my code...boom, works immediately. Just another arrow in the quiver. No idea why petrol in Italy (and France) is always such a cluster. The Wise card works everywhere else, as do most credit cards these days.

Oh, well, we're gassed up and ready to go...

Muhlbacher Klause, circa 13th century.

Starting the vineyards

Caption Contest:

😎

Nope...not the highway...

Time to start climbing to the Ritten Plateau...turn right at the rock...

Go thru the tunnel...

And begin the climb on impossibly small, impossibly beautiful roads...

These are 2-way roads and they are TIGHT...Krisanne says her boot brushed the stone wall...😂

Arriving at Bemelmans Post

A small band was playing in the lobby...we make that request of every hotel to celebrate our arrival. 😂

Garage parking for Mia...

Lunch for us...we beat the storm. 😎

But about an hour later...boom!

We once again run into Christian and the Edelweiss Riding Academy crew...shortly after I booked these reservations, I got the Edelweiss catalog and, yup, our dates overlapped. Always good to see Christian; bigger group this year, with an additional instructor, Harold. One of the participants we met last year, Julie, was also there, but unfortunately had to leave because her husband was in a household accident involving a ladder...good to see her, even briefly and hoping all is ok.

Dinner was great; we both think Bemelmans upped their game from last year, especially the vegetarian options...and the food was already very good.

One of the best things about Bemelmans and Collalbo is the location...not only great riding, but many, many hiking options with easy access to transportation. With the hotel, you get a "Ritten Summer Card" that makes all the buses, trains and cable cars free. Makes hiking and getting into Bolzano both interesting and inexpensive.

More thunderstorms are predicted for the afternoon, so we decide to take the cable car up to the Ritterhorn. First a 10 minute bus ride; you pick it up a 5 minute walk from the hotel.