Germans Bagging The Sunbeds Before Disappearing on a Treasure Hunt

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I got up early and went for a run down to the lake and along the edge for a while, which was pleasant but, even at that time and even though it was early, it was still hot and humid.

There are two things that were quickly apparent about holidaying in Italy: the first is that it's very expensive, although this is probably more to do with the state of the pound than Italian prices. We went to a local supermarket to stock-up and we were really quite shocked by the prices.

The second is that it’s very popular with the German’s. There were virtually no Brits there, although that’s not necessarily a bad thing (see I Hate Brits Abroad). We thought we would spend our first day by the pool, but it was a given that there was no chance what-so-ever of getting a sunbed. They were long gone, well before we eventually headed to the pool in the morning.

And, despite the fact that I had actually got up early, I was still determined that I wasn’t playing that game.

When by the pool, there seems to be this obsession with making sure that here are plenty of activities to do. Clearly the Germans like to be kept occupied, rather than just drinking beer at the bar, as you usually expect from most of us Brits. I would have expected it to be the same with the Germans, but then you shouldn’t stereotype, too much!

Anyway, we were kept busy constantly saying “no” (or probably more appropriately “nien”) to French bowls, darts, aerobic aqua-splash, table tennis, treasure hunts, football, water polo, samba dancing, swimming races and all manner of things. It was starting to get quite irritating (and it kept interrupting my beers).

The hotel is in Peschiera del Garda, which was a mid-sized town on the southern edge of the lake, although it was a longish walk or a drive from the main part of town alongside the lake and a marina. We headed down there in the evening, where we went for a walk and then found a pizzeria for something to eat.

All happy still so far.

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Photos

Lake Garda
During my early morning run.