Right now, Lars and I are counting down the days for the start of our big spring trip. So far, we have spent a lot of time to the planning ;we will spend quite some time in Eastern Europe. We are really looking forward to the trip! It is very likely that we pay a visit to Italy again and Albania and Romania.
When we were in the Dolomites, we stayed on a farm in a small village.
This summer, Lars and I have crossed mountains. Explored badlands. Climbed to the top of canyons. Traversed deserts. In other words, it has been a very adventurous time, and, luckily, we have had no accidents whatsoever. Honestly, given the fact that we have pulled off some stunts, that’s actually a bit of a miracle…
But… Last Wednesday night… For the first time in weeks, there was some rain falling. I was on the terrace, watching drops of rain coming down in the swimming pool. The grass around it was giving off an intoxicating smell… After a couple of moments of bliss, I turned around to go back inside and get some sleep. And then I slipped…
I landed on the hard tiled floor of the living room and immediately, a very sharp pain soared through my right knee, and to a lesser extent, my right foot and back. I could not get up anymore, and Lars, who was afraid to inflict even more pain, had to call an ambulance. I spent the night in the hospital (in Granada); luckily, I haven’t broken my knee. It’s only sprained and I need to take it a bit easy. Right now, I can sit and walk again, so I guess the worst has passed.
Anyway, all this explains why it has been very quiet on this website. But as you can see, I am writing again! And probably later this week, the Viking and I will be on the road again as well. Without further ado, let’s take you to Italy, to the Stelvio Pass.
Some facts and numbers:
Before I met Lars, I hardly cared about mountains at all… In my youth, I spent my family holidays mainly at the Spanish and Portuguese coast and never visited any part of Europe at all. This has changed a lot in the meantime and I can assure you that driving on the Stelvio Pass is indeed very thrilling! Have a look at this video:
See that smile on my face? By the way, the team of Top Gear had a lot of fun here as well! According to them, there is only one road (in Europe) that is more adventurous to drive on: the Transfăgărășan in Romania. Lars and I agree with them… And the latter is also more photogenic than the Stelvio Pass.
Have a look at how the team of Top Gear experienced the Stelvio Pass:
During our ascent, I couldn’t take any pictures, mainly because we couldn’t stop at the side of the road. At the top of the pass, I was finally able to take some snaps.
As you can see, the weather conditions were a bit gloomy. By the way, I was surprised by the number of people on top of the pass; I actually had not been aware that this is a very popular destination.
During the descent, I also took some pictures.
If I ever had the chance to drive on one of the two passes again, I think I would have a slight preference for the Transfăgărășan. As I said before, the route is more photogenic. And I have never made a video there!
What about you? Do you like to drive around in the mountains? Have you ever been to the Stelvio Pass? And/or the Transfăgărășan?
Usually, Lars and I don’t visit touristic places, but we made an exception for Lake Garda, simply because of its natural beauty. I love to photograph landscapes and especially waterscapes. And Lake Garda did not disappoint!
Lake Garda is the biggest lake in Italy. It’s located in the north and enjoys a mild climate. Some figures: more than 51km long, almost 17km wide, and a shore length of 158km. That is a lot of photographic opportunities!
I love landscapes such as these… We were there during the Easter break of 2011: very fine weather and not too many tourists yet.
One of the stops we had was in Sirmione. I clearly remember we were being chased away by a very unfriendly waitress.
We came back in April 2015 though when we unexpectedly spent 3 days at a camping site right next to the lake. But that will be for some other posts…
Feeling inspired yet?
The main source of income in this region is tourism – as you can imagine. Lake Garda is home to lots of picturesque towns and sports facilities.
So far, I have planned 3 posts for next week: one about my birthday in lockdown, one about France (all black and white pictures) and another one about the Czech Republic (also black and white). And maybe 1 or 2 Snaps. On the movie website, I will publish 2 reviews.
Travel Memories 