Stiamo camminando

Sunday blip

I’m writing this in the bright blowy sunshine by the harbour in Torbole, having come off the hills behind the town a couple of hours earlier than our walking friends to give Himself the chance of surviving to walk another day. A pied wagtail is wandering round our feet, and we’ve just watched what turned out to be a wonderful mating ritual between two mallards in among the moored boats. Soon we shall wander off for a coffee, for the ferry doesn’t leave till four.

We started this morning with the ferry across the lake, then headed steeply uphill along a cobbled Roman road, over which at some point the conquering Venetians hauled their boats on rollers to help in their subduing of Lake Garda. In a little village called Naga we saw a wedding party emerging from the church and stopped for coffee. We passed carefully nurtured vineyards and olive groves - all of which produce superior fruits because of the difficulty of cultivation and harvest.

It’s all gorgeous, and my Italian is working… so I’m happy. And I won’t have to write today’s journal with my eyes shut, which is what happened last night.

Ciao!