Maeilla mountain hike

Paul befriending the "Vanessa" local farfalle (butterflies).


Zoe and Rae at the double falls.

Paul and Zoe at the foot of the falls.

Zoe freezing in the cold mountain water after a very hot hike!

Zoe navigating the rocky creek bed to the falls.

Zoe and her camera are inseparable and her pics are MUCH better than mine! She should be doing this blog!

Cascata di San Giovanni--bellissima

Paul and his self-made walking vine cane (our guide!)

The girls working hard to get from 630m to 980m to see the falls!

White Maiellan rock face!

Rae enjoying the cool breeze from the waterfall--blown over!

Rae---happy to have arrived at our cool oasis.

Rae refilling her water bottle for the trek home. Beautiful clear mountain spring water!

We had to take our shoes off and get wet!

Cousins!

Refueling.

Foraging for wild berries-delicious!

Cooler wooded area of our hike.

The local butterflies have no sense of personal space!!

So many butterflies--hard not to walk into them.

After the hike, playing 10,000 (dieci mila) with Mirianna next door! Good practice for Italian numbers.

After the hike--the girls cook up a ravioli storm!

We completed a rather grueling hike up the Maiellan mountains yesterday to the famous San Giovanni Cascata (waterfall). My legs are really feeling it this morning and my fellow travelers are still sleeping it off!

I think the pictures say it all....spectacular!

Rae by the rocky creek bed.