A geology field trip to the Appenine Mountains of Italy to look at deepwater turbidite systems was a great success. But for several of us, it also offered an opportunity to explore some other parts of Italy rich in history and beauty. We chose to head north from Bologna to the Dolomites. We stayed at a B&B (on our dime, not the company's!) in Arabba, a small ski resort town nestled in a mountainous valley. This is the unfortunate view that we had on our balcony...