Thursday, 11th June 2009

Acacias, oleanders and a beautiful lake

We are really lucky living here in Bavaria in an area where normally people spend their holidays. The mountains are nearby and the South of Europe is just a stone’s throw away. In a 4-hours-ride you will be in the centre of Italy like in Gargnano, a very old Italian village located at the West side of the beautiful Lake Garda. And there we spent last week our holiday. It was fantastic – a paradise on earth. The vegetation and landscape was typical for the Southern part of Europe. Oleander, palms and acacias wherever you look and the old houses (Jugendstil) well decorated by bougainvillea in all colours intensified this impression strongly.
We walked through the narrow alleys, ate in nice  restaurants at the shore, enjoyed, when the sun went down, the sea of lights at the opposite side of the lake. We took our sunbathes in the olive-garden or at the poolside, visited market places walked, through the botanic garden of Andre Heller and went by speed boat to the East side of the lake to Malcesine. Of course did we know that this place is a typical tourist centre with actual more Germans than Italians but it was a beautiful day trip. Finally we realized that a one week stay at this wonderful paradise is too short. So we decided to repeat this action again in August, but this time for two weeks.

Gargnano

View to Lake Garda

Walk through the narrow alleys of Gargnano

Center of Gargnano

And what matches more with summer, sun and the Southern feeling than a cocktail?

So I am going to present you a recipe of the “virgin strawberry colada”, a drink for children as well.

Ingredients for one cocktail:

Directions:

Mix pineapple juice, strawberries, coconut syrup, coconut milk and cream in a mixer.
Pour cocktail in a glass and add ice cubes. Decorate with mint.
Ready!

Tip: If you don’t want a  „Virgin“ Strawberry Colada, but a „Strawberry Colada“ then add a lacing of rum.