Dagbog

Busturen til Gardasøen med Gislev Busser startede meget kaotisk.

Vi skulle stige på bussen i Århus meget tidlig mandag morgen. Men hvad der end skete, glemte jeg at komme i banken om fredagen og hente valuta. det var før plastikkortene eksisterede.

Det gik over stok og sten ned gennem Jylland. Det var før motorvejen var bygget. Det var igennem samtlige byer, indtil vi indhentede og overhalede busssen lige før Haderslev og steg på i Åbenrå. Det er nok den eneste gang Sonja ikke brokkede sig over min kørsel i den tid vi var gift. Kørekortet røg indtil flere gange denne morgen.

Vel ombord i bussen gik det sydpå til Kruså og lidt grænseindkøb inden busturen fortsatte ned gennem Tyskland til Kassel, hvor vi blev indlogeret på det gamle Hotel Kassel Hof.

Næste dag forsatte vi videre ned gennem Tyskland (Vest) og landede i det sydlige af Tyskland ved Mittenwald kort før grænsen til Østrig, hvor vi foretog den 2. overnatning på nedturen.

Tredje dag landede vi så endelig i Riva ved Gardasøen. Det var første gang jeg var ved Gardasøen, men det blev heldigvis ikke den sidste gang. Vi landede i et helt fantastisk vejr og det holdt gennem hele påskeferien.

Vi var indlogeret på Hotel Benecus, der lå en god kilometer øst for selve Riva by. Vi foretog indtil flere vandreture indtil selve Riva. Louise og jeg var nok de flittigste til at bevæge os. Hoteldirektøren - der i øvrigt forstod en dansk - havde på gruns af vejret åbnet svømmepølen for pigerne. Næsten alle dage var Louise og jeg inde og spise et let frokost. Louise som regel pommes frites, hun havde sin helt personlige ketchupflaske efter anden gang vi besøgte stedet.

En af dagene under opholdet på Hotel Benecus fyldte Annette 13 år. Det blev en helt speciel oplevelse for Annette i Italien. På dagen da hun fyldte år - 17. april - fik hun overbragt en fødselsdagskage med lys og fødselsdagssang af personalet.

Der var en del busudflugter vi kunne tilmelde os til. Men efter 1500 km i bus med 2 overnatninger undervejs, gad jeg ikke sidde i en bus før vi skulle hjemad igen. Men Sonja og de to store piger foretog en udflugt til Venedig, mens Louise og jeg foretog en ekskursion indtil Riva by, hvor vi fik set langt det meste, bl.a. også havnen inden vi travede videre hjem til hotellet langs med promenaden.

Godt midt mellem byen og hotellet lå et fantastisk italiensk ishus, som vi besøgte et par gange.

Efter 7 dejlige dage i Riva ved Gardasøen vendte vi snuden hjemad, men denne gang have vi kun en overnatning midt i Tyskland.

Diary

The bus ride to Lake Garda with Gislev Buses started very chaotic.

We had to get on the bus in Aarhus very early Monday morning. But whatever happened, I forgot to go to the bank on Friday and collect currency. it was before plastic cards existed.

It went over hill and dale through Jutland. That was before the highway was built. It went through all the towns until we caught up with and overtook busssen just before Haderslev and rose in Åbenrå. It's probably the only time Sonja not whine about my driving during the time we were married. Driving licenses smoke several times this morning.

Well aboard the bus went south to Kruså and little border shopping before the bus trip continued down through Germany to Kassel, where we were staying at the old Hotel Kassel Hof.

The next day we continued on down through Germany (West) and landed in the south of Germany at Mittenwald shortly before the Austrian border, where we made the second accommodation on the downturn.

Third day we landed finally in Riva on Lake Garda. It was the first time I was on Lake Garda, but it was fortunately not the last time. We landed in a fantastic weather and it kept throughout the Easter holidays.

We were staying at the Hotel Benecus, there was a good kilometer east of the town of Riva. We made up several hikes until the Riva. Louise and I were probably the most diligent to keep moving. The hotel manager - who also knew a Danish - had to gruns the weather opened the swimming pool for the girls. Almost every day was Louise and I inside and eat a light lunch. Louise usually french fries, she had her own personal ketchup bottle after the second time we visited the place.

One day when staying at Hotel Benecus filled Annette 13 years. It was a very special experience for Annette in Italy. On days when she filled years - 17 April - was she brought a birthday cake with candles and birthday song of staff.

There were some bus excursions we could join us. But after 1500 km by bus with 2 nights on the way, I'd not sit in a bus before we were home again. But Sonja and the two big girls made a trip to Venice, while Louise and I made an excursion until Riva town, where we had seen the vast majority, including also harbor before we trudged on back to the hotel along the promenade.

Well halfway between the city and the hotel is in a great Italian ice creams, which we visited a couple of times.

After 7 lovely days in Riva on Lake Garda we turned dash back home, but this time we have only one night in the middle of Germany.