Around the world in 10 minutes

I had a little time to kill before the women’s slalom began Wednesday afternoon, so I went on a little stroll around the Sestriere ski resort.

Here are a few of the highlights of my 10-minute stroll:

A smiling grandpa carrying a set of tousle-haired twins, one in each arm.

A patio full of fans sipping on libations while soaking in the bright sunshine.

Men in ski jackets proudly hailing from New Zealand, Greece, Norway, Canada, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, the United States and, of course, Italy.

An Olympic volunteer playing a bugle, inspiring passersby to pull out their horns and honk away.

An Alfa Romeo perched precariously on a man-made ski slope in the middle of a bustling courtyard lined by vendors.

A swarm of collectors huddled around a massive display of Olympic pins.

Several babies bundled up from head to toe. Several young men without coats.

A fabulously dressed young lady striding rapidly while clutching her pocket-sized Pekingese.

A huge dog going nowhere fastened to a pole outside of a restaurant. (Fortunately he was friendly. Unfortunately he didn’t see the Pekingese.)