Nauders Wednesday 29 August 2012

Wednesday 29 August

We are going to Merano in Italy today which is another glorious drive in another direction and very different from what we have done already.

We leave the hotel at 09:00 and within five minutes are crossing the Italian border and beginning our journey over the Reschen Pass to Merano.

After about twenty minutes we stop at a famous viewpoint beside a lake that has a solitary church tower sticking high out of the water. It is all that is left of a village that was flooded to make way for the new reservoir. The history is sad but the monument of the tower is striking. With the lake water at a high level it is truly an outstanding sight with many people (me included) snapping away with their cameras. There is a machine here where you press a button and stand by the tower and you have your picture taken. You can then view it on the website shown on the machine. All very clever and it works as I called Wendy to look at the photo of Hollie and me and the other passengers who had a go and there we all are online!

We continue on our journey through the mountains and valleys full of apple orchards where they are picking as there are lots of little tractors with trailers full of either empty crates or ones full of freshly picked apples.

It really is a lovely drive today, made even prettier by the brilliant blue sky and hot sunny weather.

I drove to Merano and straight to the dropping off area which we arrive at 11:00. From here I go for a walk with Hollie while Brian takes the coach to the coach park located by the horse racing stadium.

Merano has a river running through it and with the large promenade alongside has the very real feel of a holiday resort. There is also a delightful old town with many shops to explore as well as a more modern part. You can take a chair lift up one of the surrounding mountains or maybe visit a spa for which the town became famous.

Hollie and I have a nice walk around the shops before stopping for lunch in one of the cafes that line the promenade. We are joined by Dot and Norma for our lunch.

After lunch we wander back to the pick up area and wait for Brian to return for our 14:00 departure.

Brian drives back and I have to go and sit at the back of the coach as it is so hot sat at the front.

We are back at the hotel before 16:00 after another good day out.

Tonight most of the group are going to the local Tyrolean evening in a hall close to the hotel.

We have an early dinner before I walk them all down to the show. We are the first ones there! The hall soon fills up and I decide to stay and watch after originally saying I would go back to the hotel.

Mistake!!

A few songs and dances in the cast were looking for some of the audience to participate and as much as I looked away I just knew I was going to be picked. And I was!

Hollie is wetting herself!

I wasn’t the only one, Mr Melrose joined me on stage.

My young lady told me what to do and how to move my feet but when the music started it didn’t quite work out as easy as she made it sound!

Still at least it gave everyone a giggle.