Our final resting place before returning home. The signs were not auspicious, with a strike on all transport (trains, buses, ferries) which meant we had to overnight at the southern end of Lake Garda. However, we made it fine the next day and have had a great stay.
Riva is a bit cooler and sits in an amazing setting at the head of the lake, pretty much surrounded by huge mountains. The town is a mix of medieval streets, an old tower, some roman ruins but also a lot of buildings constructed when the Austro-Hungarian aristocrats made Riva one of their places of choice during the summer. So, lots of grand old buildings, a lovely waterfront and so on.
The idea was that we would rest up here b4 returning home, but we’ve been pretty active: some big walks along the lake cliffs (stunning!) and other spots around the lake and up the valleys (waterfall trip photo); a day trip on the ferry to a medieval town called Malcesine with its windy streets and great castle; and (best of all) a day trip up to the Dolomites.
Riva seems to be a bit of a magnet for sporty types – LOTS of mountain bikers in tight pants (naff!), serious walkers with their sticks (also naff!) and, lots of watersports – windsurfers, yachties and so so. Also lots of families here doing their thing. It all gives the place a bit of energy and a nice vibe to be had.
Dolomites
On a bus and up we go. Dolomites simply stunning, worth coming to Italy just for this. Huge, huge mountains but also very distinctively different from rest of European (and NZ) alps. The crowning glory was arriving at the Pordoi pass and then getting on a cable car up to 3000 metres for a 360 view. Photos don’t do it justice, but you get the idea. (Can you see the road in the green distance of the photo? - 27 switch-back corners to get there!)
This part of Italy is very heavily influenced by Austria – it’s German speaking and quite resistant to ‘Italianisation’. Everything here was very different – houses, food, sensibilities etc. Lovely.
And, in the End…
You’ll have noticed that our blog is remarkably free of gratuitious comment and pronounciations about national characteristics. However, now that we are at the end of the trip, here are our thoughts:
Italians seem to know how to enjoy life; friendly, good-humoured, touchy-feely, with very positive responses to our pathetic attempts to speak Italian. Life is lived on the streets, people know how to live in cities rather than trying to escape them to the suburbs.
However, there is also poverty here – both real and imagined. It is very common to be eating at a restaurant and be approached for money; there are always people in the towns with a hat or tin on the ground begging. The edges of cities (not where tourists usually go, but occasionally you see) are often full of graffiti-laden apartment blocks where the quality of life is nothing special. We are very aware of our privileged lifestyle in terms of having the money and time to travel. Sometimes we find ourselves walking through parts of places which haven’t been tarted up for tourist dollars, and the view is much less attractive and much more real for it.
Also as a couple, it can often be easy just to keep your own company. Conversations with Italians about life have generally been few and far between. [We especially enjoyed talking with Andrea in Trieste, Ruth and Vera in Sam Gimignano, our hosts and the restaurant dude in Novacco, an old man in Moena, Sandra our Dolomites tour guide and Anna our Plitvice Lakes guide and, of course, various travelling companions who you intersect with for brief moments]. There are big political and cultural divisions in the country (Berluscuoni, the Prime Minister, polarizes people hugely) but in a way it all seems to not matter too much and life seems to go on as always. People here must have an incredible sense of the past and how it shapes their present – we do wonder if sometimes it makes it hard to do things differently.
Yes, we’ve been in a bubble as travelers, but it’s been superb! It has been SO easy to get around here – very efficient transport (when not on strike), easy to understand signage. Accommodation has been excellent. No tragedies there either.
The price of food and alcohol is disgraceful. Wine is ridiculously cheap, restaurant food is ridiculously expensive. In the end, it all balances out, and we’ve eaten and drunk pretty well. There’s generally been an immediate understanding of Mary’s dietary needs.
And, and, and, we’ve had a really positive reaction to being from New Zealand. Several people have said to us – “Aah, our favourite country, can we swap passports!” Hehe…
This is an amazing country for things to see and do. Huge regional variations and very much a regional mentality as well. Anywhere we have been there has been a lot of see and do and it has been easy to see and do it. For attractions per square kilometer we doubt there is another place like it on the planet (although if you live in Europe and are used to this kind of stuff, you might have another opinion). This has been a fantastic holiday – we both agree, our best ever!
Next posting will be a series of top 3s:
Crazy Moments
Best buildings
Best places to go to
Best activities
Biggest surprises
Best irritations
Most memorable meals
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