Gardens of Gardone

Dinner last night was even weirder than the night before. The starter, which again we had to remain seated and wait for, was thinly sliced beef with two tiny triangular cut cream cheese sandwiches. I opted for the salad which I was able to serve myself from the buffet. Strangely the seafish starter from yesterday which had to be served to us yesterday was now available as part of the help yourself selection. Odd. The main was even worse and even Martin who will try anything struggled. I ended up with two bread rolls with butter sneaked from breakfast (we discovered yesterday bread doesn't warrant butter in the evenings only the morning), and Martin had a mish mash of pork escalopes, salad and ham. It is really only the lack on the dinner menus that is letting this hotel down.

This morning dawned slightly overcast and a bit cooler. Our friends Jason and Dawn who we spoke to as we left the dinning room were walking the 50mins to Salo but we has already decided on catching the early ferry, bypassing Salo and getting off at the next stop, Gardone.

Coach rep (not our rep as we don't warrant one apparently), had told us The Grand Hotel here was worth a look at. He informed us it was now grade 1 listed as it was the first ever hotel built around the lake. It has been acquired by new owners and has been shut for internal renovations but could be open soon .... or in several years, no one knows. It is the building prominent across the bay from our hotel and the first building you see as the ferry docks. 

The real reason we had come though was to visit Hellor Gardens, a two acre site crammed full of plants, trees and meandering pathways as well as many local artists statues. We had been told about it by the same English couple who had told us about the busses and ferries. We had no idea where it was but by following the signs for the cars travelling to it, we found it with only a slight detour up a steep but pleasantly plant lined road leading out the back of the town.

The first of many statues.

and one of many ponds.

fish, bonsi, cacti

scary artwork

and odd artwork.

The only thing that spoilt our enjoyment of this magical place was the amount of foreign visitors who refused to give way on the narrow pathways to let you pass. All the English speakers stepped to one side but the rest just stood chatting ten to the dozen blocking the way, pretending they didn't understand when we asked politely to be let through until finally the only options were to tramp all over the planting or to rudely shove through. 

The ferry back was 10 mins late and it started to spit as we waited to board. 

By the time we reached Salo people on the Dock could be seen sporting unbrellas or tugging up their rain hoods. We spotted Jason and Dawn as the boat pulled away and hoped they found a dry bar as it was 2 hours before the next ferry.