From Nectar of the Gods to Sporting Paradise

Lynda and I thought wee had a good handle on where we felt were some of the most beautiful places in the USA--- Sedona, San Diego, Temecula, Antonito, San Antonio, Banderas, Frederic, Seaside--- I could go on.

But the one thing travelling does for you and this trip is no different, is to show you that if you havnt been somewhere before , then you can never be sure that that next new place isn't going to sit right up there with the nicest places that you have been to.

Which is exactly the case in the last few days with first the visit to Napa which we found to be a very clean and beautiful place where you would feel comfortable to live and now -- not being sure what we would find -- wee can add South Lake Tahoe to that list.

South Lake Tahoe is a 12 month of the year kinda sporting and holidaying resort -- right now it is walking, water sports, mountain biking, and generally a place that a whole bunch of Americans grab their 2 weeks summer vacation while the winter months are for the skiing season. There are Condos , more hotels than you've ever seen, RV parks and campers and huge amounts of restaurants and fast food places.

Now right up front I am going to say that this place is an industry in its own right and a very affluent one at that -- the same as Napa-- it is definitely a playground of the rich as well as being a place that a whole bunch of ordinary people strive to go to for a break-- mostly in the keep fit areas of outdoor life but it is not cheap so I guess some will have done a fair bit of saving (or hammering the credit card)-- or they are those who don't have to worry about finding the cash to come here.

BUT WE CANT CHANGE ANY OF THAT SO----

No preconceptions so to us it was just another place on route to the next destination that we decided to stop in , without really knowing anything about the place--- It was stunning all the way on the drive once we started to climb----

This how it wen on for over 50 miles up into the mountains-- we hit the highest point on the way at 7,383 feet--- but we had not seen this much Pine since we were driving down from Portland through Eugene and Eureka.

 

Stunning , clear, clean air and rivers , forests and mountain ranges-- a really beautiful drive.
And so to South Lake Tahoe itself-- well it is all of the above and a bit more--- there are 53,000 people who live and work in the whole Tahoe lake area and right now there are around 300,000 visitors-- they get 3Million visitors a year.

 An interesting bit of beach art or architecture

 This was our spot for a it of sunbathing while waiting for check in time at the hotel but plenty of people around and in the water

Time for a selfie but what a background---

And as for the Hotel and room -- well a little different and while they had no swimming pool , they did have a spa Jacuzzi in the room and did like their mirrors----

Her Ladyship relaxing and getting the bubble benefits-- now where are those damned rose petals---

 So we asked where there was a restaurant nearby that did great food as we were starving and were told that there was a little Greek Restaurant across the road in the Marina area , so how could we resist---

 This guy had a great voice and could play his guitar well -- a decent background to dinner---

 So artemis it was for dinner -- calamari, feta salad, souvlaki and Gyros topped of with a couple of glasses of a very reasonable Boutari -- perfect

 A half decent selfie of the two of us and a really nice shot of Mrs A---

Bit a

of a blurry shot of the hotel, not due to the wine btw.

 

So all in all a decent lesson for us both in that you might think you know where the nicest places are but there are always one or two more around the corner and you aint to old to learn that.

 

Ah well -- who knows whats next---Reno here we come.