Lastl day in Riva

Trip Start Sep 12, 2008
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Trip End Sep 29, 2008


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Flag of Italy  , Trentino-Alto Adige,
Sunday, September 28, 2008

  The first thing this morning we packed, again, then I downloaded Carols photos so far in the trip- 950 of them! My camera is malfunctioning so we only have hers for the rest of the trip. It is eating batteries, but not really-after about 2 shots said battery needs replacing and refuses to take any more pictures! Very upsetting! Our luggage is at the desk as we are out of the room but not using the car yet. We will pick it up later. There is a huge marathon starting in town here this morning. Both runners and bikes-But no crowds out cheering them on-few people about and even fewer watching the event. We did watch for a while. They were getting water and sport drink at stations and just littering the roadway with the empties, but when we were in the area later all had been cleaned up. This time we walked to a section of the old city we had missed previously-a part where people still live in the building and no commercial shopping. Some are 5-6 stories high and no 'lifts' available. Everyone seems slim and fit here, and we can see why! We found an axhibit by the mushroom club of hundreds of mushrooms - very interesting. I had seen a skirt I wanted to buy several days ago so Pina and I went up and down the streets till we found it-in the shops at the hotel Maria's family had owned. It fit and I bought it. Maria had taken Carol to a jewelry shop to buy her more - this time some Murano earrings and bracelet plus some cute Murano ducks. After we all found each other again Pina took her bike home, GP walked home to get the car so we could do more touring. We headed N toward Tenno on a very windy road. Carol now takes pills and sits in the front. We explored this ancient hillside town before meeting Maria's sister, Gienna, her daughter Christina and husband Gilberto for lunch at AgriturCalvola, another outstanding place, hanging on the side of the hill in this ancient town. All their food is locally grown and just great. I was full by the time we had finished the appetizer and next course-and much food still to come. The main course gave us each another full individual dish, plus many dishes to share. And then huge dessert! What a meal! And so interesting to be seated with 6 Italians that all tried to out-talk each other and in Italian. Carol and I just sat there with awe and listened! We had gone outside earlier to watch them prepare Polenta in a big pot over a wood fire. We also saw them serving entire pork legs with bone in to other parties. After that drove to Borgo Castle town where we could walk around - built on hillside and like a maze to walk through. We did one cache here with both Pina and Maria getting excited. GP had parked the car and we never did meet him so wandered all around the town hunting for each other- At one time we were all separated, but finally did get reunited.  Back down the winding road and let GP out near their home while the 4 of us drove to Regina Mundi statue. To get there we had to go under the big mountain behind Riva. It is over 5 miles of tunnel under the longest I have ever been through. While Carol and I were enjoying the Statue and the view, Maria and Pina had my GPS and were down the hill finding the cache!! Again they were excited! We were too, seeing them excited at their find! Pina said 'the pile of rocks over that hill just didn't look right' - she will make a good cacher! Back through the tunnel, to the hotel where we retrieved out luggage, dropped Pina at her home and we all took a nap-though Carol and I are so wound up we could not sleep. We had said no more food, after that huge lunch, but she had 2 bowls of leftover minestrone soup and 2 bowls of tiny bow-tie pasta in liquid. When we leave here they will be leaving too, to go back to their main house in Milano. At 9 we headed out towards Venice and the airport. Since it was now dark we were unable to sightsee. I tried to nap but only closed eyes - one stop for coffee for GP and fuel-(14.08 liters at $20 euros) and arrived at the empty airport at midnight. Maria was reluctant to leave us there alone but we finally sent them off to spend the night at a nearby friends before heading to Milano tomorrow. 
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