Well, you might be scratching your heads. “Didn’t he just say he was in Bormio?” you might ask. Yes, indeed, I did. But even a gnome needs to rest his weary legs at times, and I decided to take a 0.0km journey from Bormio… right back to Bormio!

Now, let me tell you, a gnome’s 0.0km journey is not as dull as it sounds. I spent the day walking the cobblestone streets, revisiting my favourite spots, and making new gnome friends. But the highlight of my day was an intriguing encounter with a local child. She asked me, “Non sei stanco di viaggiare?” (Aren’t you tired of traveling?). I chuckled and replied, “Viaggiare è come sognare: la differenza è che non tutti, al risveglio, ricordano qualcosa, mentre ognuno conserva calda la memoria del luogo da cui è tornato.” (Traveling is like dreaming: the difference is that not everyone, upon awakening, remembers something, whereas everyone keeps warm the memory of the place from which they have returned.)

Now, to the numbers! My overall distance traveled has reached an impressive 3125.0 kilometers over 113 days. From the snowy peaks of Davos to the luxe resorts of Saint Moritz, the charming streets of Bormio, and the picturesque Ponte di Legno. I’ve seen it all, and I’ve got the gnome-sized T-shirts to prove it.

As the local song goes, “Bormio, Bormio, città di montagna, città di cuore” (Bormio, Bormio, mountain city, city of heart). I couldn’t agree more. Stay tuned for more from this grumpy yet optimistic gnome’s travels.

Arrivederci!

Le Terme di Bormio is a testament to the city’s Roman past. These thermal baths, or “Terme” as the locals call them, have been in use since Roman times! It was a surreal experience soaking in the same waters as the ancient Romans. As they say, “Chi si bagna nelle Terme di Bormio, bagna le sue pene nei millenni della storia.” (Whoever bathes in Bormio’s thermal baths, bathes their troubles in millennia of history.)

The old town or “vecchia città” was equally captivating. I felt like I was walking through a poem penned by Dante himself, with cobblestone streets and medieval buildings whispering tales of yesteryears. The charm of Bormio reminded me of a phrase from Dante’s Divine Comedy: “E come l’uno spirto all’altro tese…” (And like one spirit spoke to another…)

Bormio, a city that sings a beautiful song of history and culture, truly a symphony composed by the great maestro of time.