I had never seen so many people at one resort. It was really packed, with Italians. I think I learned more Italian this week than the whole summer I spent last year. The highlight was the Annual Sestriere Nighttime Ski Show and Firestick Show. My boyfriend and his brother were both participating (They weren't too happy about it since it's mandatory participation for instructors every year.) Basically all of the ski/snowbording schools in the area participate in this extravaganza where all of the instructors and ski clubs in the region show off their talents on the brightly lit pistes of Sestriere which creates the effect of a glowing mountain...it's truly exciting if you've never seen a night ski show.
At the end of the evening, after warming up on the Vin Brule (hot red wine) poured generously by ski school employees to the shivering spectators, all of the 300+ instructors from the area skied/boarded down the mountain holding firesticks in the colors of the Italian Flag, red white & green! A beautiful sight indeed!
We also did a little shopping in nearby Cesana. There's a fairly large main passage way through the center of town with lots of lovely shops where you can find local bakeries, fine foods, artisans, bookstores, tobacco stores etc.
Oh, and of course we made a snow man, popazzo di neve, this is a must for me when I'm around excess fluffy snow.
