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...