Wednesday 27 September 2017

Bella Italia!

Just had a terrific week in Italy in a hotel in Garda, set in a commanding position overlooking Lake Garda.
In our room at the Radison where we stayed overnight prior to our very early flight.
It was a package holiday but oh, how my wife and I wished that we had been in the Morgan.
Along Garda's promenade.
We were in a room at the back of the hotel with a balcony overlooking a busy square, a busy road and a church whose bells rang 46 times each morning at 7am. Shades of the film 'Genevieve' for those old enough to remember the scene!
The view from our balcony with the dreaded church on the right
Anyway, we were sitting on the balcony on Sunday afternoon, when it seemed that there were many local car clubs out for a run, VW Beetles, Porsches, Alfas etc., but no sign of a Morgan, until at last a red +8 drove passed. It was good to see.
Our hotel from the steamer
Whilst there we visited Sirmione, a delightful town that unfortunately was absolutely heaving with tourists when we landed off the ferry so to a certain extent we could not appreciate fully its delights. Rather similar to the situation in Dubrovnik when 5 cruise ships have disgorged their passengers.
Sirmione
We enjoyed wonderful walks along the flat promenade in Garda that must stretch about 6kms from its northern end to Bardolino, the next town south.
Salo
Salo
Our final boat trip took us to Salo where Mussolini set up his HQ after being ousted from Rome, and what a wonderful, sophisticated town it is. Lots of very upmarket shops where we bought a Rolex each, a cashmere for my wife and a dozen pairs of top range shoes.....and if you believe that!!!!!!

The crowds are gathering!

The wedding car

The highlight of this visit occurred just as we were rounding a corner in the town and there against a wall sat a 1977 4/4 in white with well patinated red upholstery. Needless to say it was being oggled at by a great number of passers-by and I was fortunate to talk to the driver who was a member of a firm which has classic cars for hire.

This one had been hired as a wedding car and the bride was in the nearby Town Hall. Sadly, just as she was about to come out into the warm sunshine and into the Morgan, when I would have taken a photograph our ferry left for the return trip to Garda, ah well!
It doesn't get much better!
Great holiday, but if you care to read my review of the Hotel Terminus in Garda, mine is the one showing a picture of me standing next to the Morgan, you will realise that it was not all a bunch of roses.
You may notice a missing flag! I did mention it to our waiter who said that it had blown down in a gale and if I looked closely the German flag was broken as well!!!!!! Apparently local Council finances wouldn't run to replacing the Union Jack until next year!