Notes on a few trips

There is nothing like summer in Nice for a bit of sun, speedos and swimming in clean blue waters. It isn't all beautiful bodies (they seem to be the ones that I have captured on camera) as the beaches are usually relaxed and friendly. If you want to not stray too far from the old village the area near Plage Castel is the best for sight seeing and watching young men spend an awfully long time lathering on the suntan... Or emerging from the water looking like some adonis... Although as this is a stone beach you need to be wearing snorkel shoes or swim shoes you can get at a sports store on the main square so you can perfect this look without looking like you're in agony...    

IMG_0734 , originally uploaded by Paul-in-London . On route to the opera on a warm Saturday evening... So warm that people were passing out at regular intervals. I'm assuming it was the heat not the quality of the Zeffirelli production of Carmen...

IMG_0518 , originally uploaded by Paul-in-London . After all that fresh air and walking in the mountains, it was good to chill out for a few days around Lake Garda at Limone and Riva. The town of Riva was also an excellent place for catching the semi-finals. There were loads of Germans watching it and they reacted very well to not making it in the finals. It was very civilised...

IMG_0467 , originally uploaded by Paul-in-London . Not content with one walk in the Dolomites, the following day we caught a lift from Campitello up to Col Rodella (in the top right), around those mountains (to the left) and back down. It was lovely and green and along the way there were cows, a marmot and a few gravel roads to slide along... While it could take up to four hours to walk it, we kept at a brisk pace and did it in three and a half hours, including stopping for half an hour at a refuge for a hot lunch...

IMG_0313 , originally uploaded by Paul-in-London . There is nothing like some fresh mountain air during a warm summer... After spending a few warm days in Venice, we headed for the mountains for a few days where these sort of views abounded... The Tre Cime di Lavaredo was a mostly safe walk with spectacular views. Only once did I feel impending death due to the instability of the ground and my ability to stay upright on it... Could be that clumsy gene I have...

Gothenburg with its open spaces, parks, canals, harbour, trams and dramatic sunsets is a sensible way to spend a weekend. If it isn't up there in the liveability stakes it sure should be. Wandering the streets or sitting in the parks just seemed so calming... And curiously quiet for a city of around 500,000 people... The locals look like they are straight from some catalogue for successful living... Well dressed, gorgeous and tanned. And oddly mostly hairless... Many made the advantage of the warm weather and endless sun by stripping down to the bare essentials and nobody was complaining... Of course this is a university town too so the fountain of youth was probably in greater abundance than normal... The only drawback is flying Ryannair... Endless delays, dirty planes and irritating announcements every fifteen minutes flogging their dish of the day, (it was macaroni... there was no mention of cheese which made me wonder if you wanted it with that it would be a few extra p

IMG_0103_2 , originally uploaded by Paul-in-London . Shortly after this photo was taken, this cannoli was devoured...

IMG_0051_2 , originally uploaded by Paul-in-London . Pity about the 22.5% service charge... But it looked rather lovely

IMG_0074 Originally uploaded by Paul-in-London The lady is smokin'...

Meat-o-rama , originally uploaded by Paul-in-London . No trip to Australia is complete without a barbecue with dead animal and sausages cooked on a giant grill outdoors in the fresh air and sun and humidity.... Even if the meat tastes better... (and this could be construed as heresy) in Europe... It might have something to do with the cattle being happier when they aren't in a drought... Still a fitting farewell to oz... Especially when the meat is medium-rare...