Lake Garda resort

We stayed in a really nice hotel with an all inclusive breakfast and meals each day which were cooked superbly. This was are swimming pool which when touring we spent most of our time.

Wasn't a very busy pool so you could always get sun beds and play in the pool without it been over crowded. Was very hot every day in Italy and theres nothing better then to dip in a pool on a morning.

At night there was sometimes street singers or once there was a show. but the best bit is buying a cocktail in one of the bars overlooking the lake and chill out. Heres my Blue Lagoon drink.

Was lovely scenery, the service was good, the drinks tasty and you got a free complimetary bowl of crisps at your table.

Monte Baldo

Here i am a top Monte Baldo! We waited in a hour and a half long que then went on the longest, highest cable car to reach the top of the enourmous mountain. Was lovely at the top with some spectacular views, i had to take many pictures. Was very cloudy on top, probbly because we were so high, but the views were suppose to have been clearer.

It didn't ruin the views for me because it was misty i thought it added to the experience.

The fact that the clouds touched the tops of the mountains we were stood on was amazing. It helped show how high it was and how close we were to the sky.

When the clouds shifted the blue sky shone through and the view was terrific. You could see the blue lake stretch across the mountains below us and the clouds, hovering above, crawling up the mountain side. To describe it isn't enough its the best place i have ever been, Its deffenetly the highest place i have ever stood, excluding been on a plane ovcourse.

You literally are on top of the world!

Looking down over the cliff side you could see the huge lake and a very tinny Malcesine village! If you fell off here!

They are the largest mountains i've ever seen and dwarf the ones in Scotland.

How did i get here?

On top of Monte Baldo was a cafe called Alex bar! What are the odds! Imagine coming up here for your 9 till 5 job every day!

Was a great experience on Monte Baldo and one of the most beautiful and breath taking views i've ever seen.

Malcesine

On the second day after a nice dip in the pool we headed on a coach towards the Italian alps and to Monte Baldo one of the biggest mountains in the area. On the coach there, there was some stunning scenery, crisp blue lakes and lush mountains.

Theres a Yacht party and i'm not invited...

We arrived in the town of Malcesine. was another beautiful Italian village full of colourful buildings and nice views.  

Was red hot constantly. Never took my shorts off! I really like this picture, the aqua green lake looks so inviting.

Just look at that pure beauty!

The village was nice and the Italians friendly, i did see a few waving there hands around like i wondered if they did, and even heard a woman say "Mama mia"! Great to here a geniuine Italian Mama mia! The village laid in the shadow of Monte Baldo and we couldn't waite to get up it.

The Italians know how to make a great postcard. Placing a castle on top of the biggest hill in the village, smart and beautiful.

Italy 2011

ITALY 2011

Well after China last year i didn't think i would get another spectacular holiday this year but i was happy to book are next holiday to Italy! Never been to Italy but always wished to visit it as i love Italian food and the beautful scenery. We got the plane to Italy at the end of July and landed in Lake Garda where we were staying. Lake Garda was as beautiful as i imagined. flowers everywhere, orange, green, pink and yellow buildings and ovcourse a georgeous green and blue lake surrounded by mountains and bars on the peer.

You could really embrace Italian culture straight away, very narrow streets with stalls selling pasta, cloths, pottery. The architecture was kind of run down but it didn't seem scruffy more historical and vintage. There was lots of dogs as well, Italy loves its dogs!

The lake was stunning on the evening. Boats were lined up against the peer just bobbing on the lake.

The scenery surrounding Lake Garda was stunning and there was nothing better then sitting in a bar having some Italian food and a cocktail and looking out at this view. The weather was lovely, red hot through the day and cool on the night.

Was a good first day in Italy and already i felt i had embraced its culture, that night a thunderstorm rolled in. Was strange but a very exciting storm with flashes of orange thunder lighting up the sky.

The great wall of China

The first day in China the groom nicely drove us to none other than the great wall of China! One of the wonders of the world! The longest and greatest wall in the world seen from space, you may of heard of it! Yes this was the part of the trip i was excited about. We arrived on a nice hot day in the mountains.

Next we got a high cable car up the mountain.

It was nice to see a different view of China, we had seen the modern now the historical and landscapes.

Arriving at the top we saw over the mountains a winding, snake like figure over the mountains, it was the great wall. Part of it any way, it goes on for miles.

This part of the wall was the newer part that had been re-built but still exstrodanary and very busy full of chinese tourists. The wall was just sitting on the mountains and the steps were very steep. It was amazing to see and to actully walk on it having heard so much about it was very special.

Here i am up the steapest steps on this part of the wall. the stairs were almost vertical and getting up it in this heat wasnt easy.

"Look at that behind me, yep its a wall, the great wall!"

We couldn't walk it all, it goes on miles and its so steap in places, it was enough just seeing it as it grew in length and went over the horizon of the mountains.

 Great views of it from the top of the stairs. How the hell did they build it?

Having seen it all and took lots of pictures, we got the cable car back down. It's a surreal experience to know you've walked on the great wall of china, i will remember it forever.

Last day on the Loch

On the last day in Loch lommand we hiked up another mountain. it was an easier one to climb which meant we reached the top and could look out over the Loch and see it in all its glory.

Was deffenetly the high point of the holiday. hehehe

We let off a chienese lantern to end it. Tommorow we head to Edinburgh...

Riding on the Loch

On are last day in Loch Lommand we took a boat ride across the Loch. Wasnt great weather very dark but again made some atmospheric pictures.

Unfriendly clouds. it rained a lot.

Best way to see the Loch is on a boat, see the whole panoramic of the landscape. Would be a nice place to retire too.

The Scottish mountains

Have you seen the film Braveheart? you have? Well I've been there.

These were the mountains of Scotland. We drove through winding roads as the mountains got bigger and bigger and all were lush and green. Deffenetly looked like the setting for 'Braveheart' or 'The Lord of the Rings'.

We stopped off and decided to climb as far up one of the mountains as we could. We only got half way as it chucked it down and got too steap but here i am filming the exstrodanary view infront of me.

These were the views, we were up higher then it looks. Fantastic scenery for an adventourour.