Strada del vino

We set off on the Weinstrasse this morning but very soon found ourselves on the Strada del Vino as we went further into Trentino.

This is a fascinating part of the world, a real blend of languages, heritage and culture - somewhat confusing but also rather comforting: man spricht Deutsch but viva Italiano!

In Bolzano, we feel the Sudtirol outdoes the Alto Adige, but in Trento there's no mistaking, one is in Italy.

There's a wonderful cathedral - sorry, Duomo

with some formidable angels

and where they seem to be able to tie knots in stone.

My attention was caught by a window display for this newsagent, who had the largest selection of needlework magazines I've seen anywhere.  The photograph shows almost all of them.  Clearly, Giuliana Buonpadre has a strong following here - I've never seen so many books on Reticello, and this in a small town newsagent as well!

(stitchy friends might like to click on the photograph to enlarge it - see how many titles you recognise)

Driving back through the vineyards, I thought that geographers would appreciate this glacial valley - hard to imagine how it could be any more U shaped than this.

Yes, of course, we stopped and tasted - and bought - bringing a little bit of this glorious part of the world back home with us soon.