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Springtime in Garda
	Another year had passed and there we were again, the U3A travel group, off on another adventure, meticulously organised by Jennie Thomas, this time to Riva on Lake Garda, Italy. Our flight left Humberside airport in torrential rain on 17^th May. As we ran across the tarmac, through the puddles to the plane, we had great expectations and they were certainly fulfilled! We arrived two hours later in Verona, in the evening temperature of 25 degrees – wonderful! As we drove the 30 kms to Riva in the dark, it wasn’t until the next day that we could appreciate the beauty of the area.
Our hotel was a 20 minute walk from the centre of the town along the lakeside, past marinas, through well groomed gardens, beaches and ice cream parlours. The view down the turquoise blue lakeside with snow topped mountains rising up on either side, was spectacular. Much of the city dates back to the 12^th century, with impressive medieval gates, churches and a fortress. Like all of the towns we visited, the narrow cobbled streets with their colourfully painted houses, piazzas and cafes were a pleasure to explore. And so many tempting things to buy, edible or not!
Our first excursion was a lake tour by coach, stopping at the village of Garda on the eastern side of the lake for a brief exploration before continuing to Sirmione, a fortified town at the end of the lake. Some of us visited the Grotte di Catullus, the remains of a Roman villa, whilst others relaxed, enjoying the views across the lake and the delights of the picturesque town. From here we took a boat across the lake to Limone, another enchanting village which many of us revisited later in the week. Our next trip was to Verona, a city full of Renaissance palaces, plus the Roman Ampitheatre, famous for its operas, and Juliette’s balcony – so much to see on an exhaustingly hot day. For me, the highlight of the holiday was the excursion into the Dolomites. We could only have a taster but at every turn it was “wow”. The snow was still on the tops of the distinctively jagged mountains. Our guide was a young Norwegian skier and climber whose enthusiasm for the mountains was infectious! Our coach took us up the 27 scary hairpin bends to the Passe di Pordoi. From here we took the cable car up above the snow line to 2,900 metres. Breathtaking! This was the second opportunity for some of us to go up in a cable car. On our free days there were so many other sights to visit in the area, and some of us took the cable car from Malcesine up to Monte Baldi. Here we had spectacular views down the lake and a chance to see the beautiful alpine flowers. The magnificent waterfalls at Varone and the peaceful botanical gardens at Arco were also memorable, as were the cool strolls along the lake after dinner, sitting outside the cafes in the evening or just relaxing by the beach watching the many wind surfers. A memorable week, good food, good hotel, excellent company. Thanks once again Jennie – you’re a star! Meg Brumpton