Garda, Italian drivers and odd thoughts....

Week 8 of adventure.

Had a fabulous 2 weeks in Garda. It felt like a holiday within a holiday. Moniga, where we stayed, wasn't what I thought it would be like. Nice, but did not have the mountains and Lake views I was hoping for. But, when you travel on a budget, you can't have it all. Apartment was good, village ok and full of Northern Europeans, no English at all. Good base for travelling round though and we were above a Pizzaria. What else can you want? I loved Garda though.
They might say that Garda, Sirmione, Bardolino, Malcesine, etc are full of turists and shops selling tat, but so what? they are beautiful places and you can always find some quiet places if you want. I loved Malcesine because of the trip up in the cable car - 1760 metres up - and lots of wonderful walks. Just wish I had more time there to do them. Gorgeous views too.

Ah, the earth did move too, though not in the bedroom - it was a minor earthquake (4.5) and centred round where we were before - Reggio Emilia - but it felt a bit stronger than the one in Manchester. Today there was another tremor further North.

Just a few points about Italian drivers: they are definitely mad... They have this wonderful habit (Not) of waiting and waiting to join a main road and then pull out right in front of you at 30 miles an hour. However, if you are in front of them and doing, say 65 on a road where limit is 60, they will flash you, beep you and generally go mad because you are not going faster.
Yet, Giovanni, our landlord, told us that the fine is 159 euros and 5 points in the licence if you are caught speeding. How can one make sense of that?

Another really irritating habit they have is, no matter how empty the road may be, to sit right up your backside and in the middle of the road, as if they are going to pass you, but then don't. It must be something they learn at auto school, because they all do it. arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Finally, not wanting to rub it in, woke up this morning, weather forecast was meant to be bad. Looked at the skies and then, just decided to pop to Venice for lunch. How cool is that? And weather? Too hot to handle, blood wish had left my coat at home.
Venice was heaving. Really awful. Just glad we had already been and done all the sights, so we could just wonder around aimlessly and avoid the big crowds. Had a lovely lunch though. Great day but would not recommend a visit in July/August.