One of the benefits of being married to Colonel Connie - and they are too many to count - is the opportunity to receive medical treatments at military bases overseas. Another is being able to stay in very affordable lodging at military bases. We are staying at the Mountain View Inn at Aviano Air Force Base, splitting our time between running back and forth from the clinic for our annual physicals and getting dental check-ups "on the economy" at a local Italian dentist. The former is free, and the dental work actually costs less than in the US.
Being on the base is almost like being back in the US. The commissary has all the brands that we have been craving and there are all sorts of fast food restaurants, too. Even Taco Bell looks good after nine months without. No euros here, only real U$ dollars. And it is refreshing to see all these young air men and women serving their country and enjoying the experience of living in Italy.
Aviano sits on the edge of the Dolomites, the Italian Alps, so we visited Cortina, site of the '56 Winter Olympics. It has been a bleak year for snow so far in Italy but the scenery is still very reminiscent of being back in Colorado. The peaks aren't as high as the Rockies but they are more rugged. If the storms that just dumped on Austria are any indication, it's just a matter of time for Italy.
