Italy: Riva Del Garda

9/9/26

Wednesday Sept 9th

Flights were non eventful, as they should be.

Got in and went straight to a van ride for 3 hours to Riva Del Garda (Lake Garda).  LONG day, super exhausted from little sleep.  

Airbnb is a nice apartment right in the heart of things.  As in, right next to a bell town that chimes loudly at 7am and will startle you right out of sleep, pretty sure I levitated above the bed!  And again at 8am.

Level 2 of an apartment complex for us is Level 3 here.  I spent some time entering a code for the wrong apartment.  Finally figured it out and went up a level and Voila.  I got in with my literal skeleton key.

It’s hot.  I think it’s abnormal for here.  No AC in the Airbnb.  There are fans, one that barely spits out any air on a high setting and a normal floor fan that decided in the middle of the night that it had had enough and let out a wretched squeal (startle #1).  Down to one fan, inches from my face.  

A good bit of rain, a thunderstorm (Startle #2) in the middle of the night.  Rain carried over to today. 

I went to a cafe this am in the rain and ordered a Latte Macchiato (normal latte) and Avacado Toast.  The toast came with an egg over medium and RAW salmon.  WTF?  I tried it. [insert throwing up emoji]. So gross.  The rest was fine once I got that Salmon they must have just caught in the lake and slapped on my toast.  I’ve never.

I then went and found a grocery store, Coop (Quap).  Got coffee, whole milk unrefrigerated, kiwi and bananas, and cookies.  The produce, you have to use a glove, weigh it yourself, enter in the # and it spits out a barcode to take to register.

I went to make a coffee this afternoon with a Moka pot, which I know how to use but never really done.  Well after some googling, you can NOT use it on the induction flat top burners they have.  The stove detects that it is not compatible and won’t turn on.  So I get out a pan and set the moka pot in there and VOILA.  

I had dinner last night with the other 6 six I am traveling alongside.  My friend Dea, her partner Mike and 2 other retired couples.  I had wine and ravioli with spinach and 2 types of cheese.  Subtle flavors, but delicious.  The flavors were more authentic and real than what we have in the US.  I prefer the subtlety and true. I went out for Gelato after dinner, almost one on every corner.  I had a ‘piccolo’ (2 flavors) on a cone.  Pistachio and Tiramisu.  Weird combo, but on my, I couldn’t help but do a little dance that got the lady working to laugh and think I was fun.  Ha.

Before dinner, around 6, we all had drinks.   I had Limoncello Spritz and Blanco Spritz.  Blanco Spritz is Club Soda and Prosecco, my 2 favs.  

All alleyways and in the main square area, it is lined with restaurants with outdoor seating.  By 9 pm it was FULL!  This is what everyone does.  

I could barely keep my eyes open until 9:30 and I was out.

Wednesday, We walked around Riva, along the water of the lake surrounded by beautiful mountains.  Dodging the rain.  Not much ‘exploring and excitement’ today, but I view it still as a figuring things out, adjustment day.  It was a great day to be with Dea and Mike, great conversations and sharing.   

 The weather cooled off a bit with the rain and I opened ALL the windows and doors in the Airbnb for some airflow hoping tonight is a cooler sleep.

There was also a traveling market that set up shop in the square of Riva.  Lots of vendors and I honestly didn’t see anything that would be of interest until……a shop that had this AMAZING embroidered jacket.  I immediately went to it and knew I would buy it!  It may be my ‘best find’ on the trip.  Super excited about it.  Made in India.

This afternoon while raining I sat with Dea and Mike under a cover of a restaurant outside and had Prosecco and French Fries.  2 of my FAVORITES.  Only for my camera to fall out of my backpack, hit the ground and pop open my lens.  GRRRRR.  So only my iPhone now.

Settling in.

Prior to dinner we went to an Irish Pub for ‘l’aperitivo’, drinks and light snacks which are served regardless if you order them or not. There it was potato chips, small slices of pizza and French fries. Dinner was in the hotel where the other 6 are staying. I had pasta, zucchini and shrimp. Very good. The house wine was amazing as well. On to another location for after dinner drinks. On to bed!