Northern Italy

Not your cookie cutter roads like in North America

After Switzerland the plan was to head further south to the other side of the alps in Northern Italy. My boss (who I can't thank enough for allowing me this oppourtunity) had made his way to a friend's home in Arco, Italy for some rock climbing which the area is famous for. I met up with him and his friend Morro and stayed at Morro's family home just outside the nice city on the edge of the largest lake in Italy, Lago di Garda. 





Interesting tid bits about Lago di Garda and Arco area;

• The opening scenes of the 2008 James Bond film Quantum of Solace featured a car chase with James Bond's Aston Martin DBS V12 around Lake Garda in Italy.
• The opening climbing sequence to the 1993 Sylvester Stallone movie Cliffhanger was filmed on a nearby mountain, with Morro's friend as a climbing stunt double for Stallone.

However greatly appreciated, but one night in a home with 3 young kids was a large change of pace after a few weeks in hostels. After being awoken to a young childs blood curdeling "wake up call" scream and a rope being tied around my neck by the other lovely youngster, time to get out and do stuff....

Off to Castello di Arco, a 12th century castle at the highest point of the city. Usually just a common sightseeing destination, but being an avid climber and entrepreneur it was Morro's job to scout out a way to scale the top of the castle to do some lighting repairs.

From atop the mountain and castle area, it was another one of those "If only someone at home could see what I'm seeing this very second", type of adventures...

Castello di Arco

 So far so good with weather. These sunny windless days are a travelers best case scenario.

Derek headed back to Canada and I head down to Venice by train, since I had a few days left on my rail pass to use up.