Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Last Post from Italy
This will be my last post for this adventure. Sitting in the airport in Milan waiting for our flight. We are in the Priority Lounge sipping cappuccino and thinking that I better not get too used to this lifestyle. Yesterday was our only poor weather day. We had a lot of rain the night before and very cloudy foggy day. We took the gondola up the mountainside over looking the lake, unfortunately we were only overlooking the fog. We then got on rented mountain-bikes and rode down the mountain. It was loads of fun. First on a trail then through a small village. Half way down we got below the cloud level and got some really nice views. Last night we had two parties, sort of like a progressive dinner, but this was progressive cocktail parties. Started on the roof of the hotel where everyone in our group brought the half bottles of wine they had left, and any other open food that they would not be taking back, you know the cheese and bread stuff, then on to the lawn for the fun awards ceremony and proseco. We have gotten to know the people that we have traveled with a little more this year and have found them to be delightful. Each time we have traveled with this group there are some new faces, but for the most part, the people are the same time after time. Although we do not spend a lot of time doing the group things, it is nice to have different folks to go to dinner with each evening, or to chat with in the lobby. I am looking forward to getting home, a long day ahead. . . . .
Monday, June 7, 2010
Sunday
Day 6 (Sunday)
Today was our journey to Milan. It is a very big industrial city that was 60% bombed out in World War II. The post-modern architecture is therefore quite different than the other large Italian cities I have seen. We initially toured the old castle in the center of the city. It was actually once the city and the city grew in circles around it. The old structure is still completely there. There were many good photo opportunities, so you know I had fun. We went from there to LaScala the opera house. It is probably the most famous Opera house in the world. The inside is incredible. There are boxes on the walls for about 6 stories in a semi-circle around the stage. There is seating on the floor as well. The place is appropriately ornate for an opera house. I wish I could have taken photos to show you all, burt it was forbidden. We then walked through the Galleria which is the huge shopping area with all the Prada and Louis Vittone etc.etc shops. Fashion is the leading industry in Milan and even on a Sunday in this very catholic area, it was evident what really rules. From there we walked to the cathedral, the third largest Catholic Church in the world with huge numbers of statues and spires etc. The inside was fantastic, as all gothic churches are, but mass was going on so I really did not see the altar. I went outside and climbed to the top of the church for the view. It was not the beautiful vista that I have seen from other Duomos because the city has all different aged, sized and colored buildings, but the best part was the ability to get up close to so many of the marble statues all over this building. The final to this day was a trip to see The Last Supper by Leonardo deVinci. It was quite an amazing thing to see this huge wall painted in l490 still standing there in all its beauty. What was even more amazing was that it was still there after the war. The wall to one side of it was destroyed and the entire back of the building was gone, but the wall stood. What can I say, you really just have to see it yourselves.
Saturday
Day 5 (Saturday)
Today was a travel day. We caught the bus this AM to Stresa which is on Lake Maggiore. We stopped in Lugano Switzerland for a brief visit. The town was interesting and there was some interesting art in an old chapel, but otherwise, I think it was a shopping stop for those who really wanted to buy a Swiss watch or chocolate. Diana and Leslie and I took a little motorized train around the city getting a little tour, but that was nothing very special. The best part of Lugano was that it is at the end of another beautiful alpine lake (Lake Lugano) Our new place to stay is a lovely hotel on the water. The town is bigger than Bellagio and pretty touristy, but lots of good looking restaurants and shops. Tonight we went to a fantastic restaurant and had the full 5 course meal. Started with antipasto, meats, then some pate and some fish with pickled sauce on it. The next course was a wonderful apple risotto, then pasta pillows stuffed with cheese and pear. Then meat (lamb, beef, chicken, duck) and potatoes and grilled vegetables. Our desert was a choice of 5 different things. And of course the wine. . . . .Remember how I was so worried that I would gain an additional 10 pounds on top of the ten extra I was already carrying? Well, I will have no problem meeting that goal.
Friday day 4
Day 4 (Friday)
This was a great day because we had virtually nothing planned until evening. Diana and I walked down the road and got a chunk of Brie, a hard roll an apple and water. We then took the ferry across to Cadennabria, a town across Lake Como from Bellagia. We then took a great hike up up up to the chapel de S. Martine. It was a steep hike, but the path was wonderful and at every switchback there was a monument with painted ceramic tiles depicting a scene from the bible. It was a great excuse to stop and get our breath. There is a procession to the chapel every year and lots and lots of people make the journey to the chapel which is then open for a service. I can just see the 90 year old women walking this hill, saying prayers at every turn and not sweating a drop. We made it to the top to find an old man and his best friend. He wanted so much to talk with us and ask us our stories, but he was speaking such rapid-fire Italian that the only thing that I got was that he and his friend were friends for 40 years. We had our picnic and started the long journey back down. It was a glorious day and well worth the effort. Tonight we were treated to a brief concert by the Bellagio men’s choir. They sang about 5 songs for us and that just might have been the highlight of the trip so far. Everyone either had a great big grin on their face or tears dripping down their cheeks. We finished the day at our favorite restaurant up the hill from the hotel. It is a family owned restaurant, catering mostly from what we saw, not to tourists, but to locals. They were very nice to us and tolerant of our lack of Italian language skills. They hugged us good bye at the end of the evening.
This was a great day because we had virtually nothing planned until evening. Diana and I walked down the road and got a chunk of Brie, a hard roll an apple and water. We then took the ferry across to Cadennabria, a town across Lake Como from Bellagia. We then took a great hike up up up to the chapel de S. Martine. It was a steep hike, but the path was wonderful and at every switchback there was a monument with painted ceramic tiles depicting a scene from the bible. It was a great excuse to stop and get our breath. There is a procession to the chapel every year and lots and lots of people make the journey to the chapel which is then open for a service. I can just see the 90 year old women walking this hill, saying prayers at every turn and not sweating a drop. We made it to the top to find an old man and his best friend. He wanted so much to talk with us and ask us our stories, but he was speaking such rapid-fire Italian that the only thing that I got was that he and his friend were friends for 40 years. We had our picnic and started the long journey back down. It was a glorious day and well worth the effort. Tonight we were treated to a brief concert by the Bellagio men’s choir. They sang about 5 songs for us and that just might have been the highlight of the trip so far. Everyone either had a great big grin on their face or tears dripping down their cheeks. We finished the day at our favorite restaurant up the hill from the hotel. It is a family owned restaurant, catering mostly from what we saw, not to tourists, but to locals. They were very nice to us and tolerant of our lack of Italian language skills. They hugged us good bye at the end of the evening.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Day 3 (Thursday)
Today we took a trip on the famous Lake Como to see the sights (Including of course George Clooney’s villa -- no personal sightings however). First however we went to a beautiful Villa that had some of the most incredible gardens. The azaleas were at the least 8 feet tall and camellia bushes the size of 2 story houses. We saw some wonderful art as the original owner was trying hard to impress all because he wanted Napoleon Bonaparte to name him the first president of Italy, but alas it was not so as the man across the lake in Bellagio must have impressed him more. Como itself is a busy city with 90,000 inhabitants. The city obviously has some very old sections and many cobblestone roads. It was fun to walk along thinking that the same stones had been walked on in 1200. We took the Funicula to the top of the mountain over Como to look out aat the view. Sadly, the weather had clouded up and the views were not as spectacular as they could have been, but still was loads of fun. Dinner tonight was in a small water side restaurant in the small fishing village below our hotel. It is the only restaurant down in this area and no wonder. Although the food and the ambiance is unmatched, and the tourists were few there is a reason. The pathway (steps) going back up to the street was straight uphill, dark twisting and at least 250 yards. After a bottle of Tocai Fruillano (wonderful new white wine find) and a full dinner . . . . . . .
Today we took a trip on the famous Lake Como to see the sights (Including of course George Clooney’s villa -- no personal sightings however). First however we went to a beautiful Villa that had some of the most incredible gardens. The azaleas were at the least 8 feet tall and camellia bushes the size of 2 story houses. We saw some wonderful art as the original owner was trying hard to impress all because he wanted Napoleon Bonaparte to name him the first president of Italy, but alas it was not so as the man across the lake in Bellagio must have impressed him more. Como itself is a busy city with 90,000 inhabitants. The city obviously has some very old sections and many cobblestone roads. It was fun to walk along thinking that the same stones had been walked on in 1200. We took the Funicula to the top of the mountain over Como to look out aat the view. Sadly, the weather had clouded up and the views were not as spectacular as they could have been, but still was loads of fun. Dinner tonight was in a small water side restaurant in the small fishing village below our hotel. It is the only restaurant down in this area and no wonder. Although the food and the ambiance is unmatched, and the tourists were few there is a reason. The pathway (steps) going back up to the street was straight uphill, dark twisting and at least 250 yards. After a bottle of Tocai Fruillano (wonderful new white wine find) and a full dinner . . . . . . .
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Day 2
This AM we had a walking tour of Bellagio with Rita, a wonderful enthusiastic woman n, who not only knew the local area but also knew history, horticulture, architecture. Another beautiful day, blue skies and a great breeze. Diana and I took a boat to Varenna across the lake from our town. It is a “fishing” village, but as today is a holiday (the Bank Holiday) there were a lot of tourists in this quaint village. We left the town rapidly and started walking uphill, uphill, uphill. . . . (note the slowdown)…uphill to the castle atop the town. We had great views and toured around the castle. Diana decided that we should try to find a different way down the mountain – well we found the goat path and Heidi and Diana and I came down the mountain along the edges of the hillside---- singing to the goats. Found a great bottle of Proseco for evening imbibing. Tonight there was a wonderful sunset, the sun was shining on the distant mountains where there is still snow peaking out of the coulars. As the sun does not set until about 9:30, we stayed in the room taking photos until the last moment. Then dinner, thank goodness as we were getting a little intoxicated. Went up the street to a small family restaurant for a typical Italian, low key dinner. Am struggling with my blog as I can’t seem to get the photos to sync with the program. I will continue to work on it.
This AM we had a walking tour of Bellagio with Rita, a wonderful enthusiastic woman n, who not only knew the local area but also knew history, horticulture, architecture. Another beautiful day, blue skies and a great breeze. Diana and I took a boat to Varenna across the lake from our town. It is a “fishing” village, but as today is a holiday (the Bank Holiday) there were a lot of tourists in this quaint village. We left the town rapidly and started walking uphill, uphill, uphill. . . . (note the slowdown)…uphill to the castle atop the town. We had great views and toured around the castle. Diana decided that we should try to find a different way down the mountain – well we found the goat path and Heidi and Diana and I came down the mountain along the edges of the hillside---- singing to the goats. Found a great bottle of Proseco for evening imbibing. Tonight there was a wonderful sunset, the sun was shining on the distant mountains where there is still snow peaking out of the coulars. As the sun does not set until about 9:30, we stayed in the room taking photos until the last moment. Then dinner, thank goodness as we were getting a little intoxicated. Went up the street to a small family restaurant for a typical Italian, low key dinner. Am struggling with my blog as I can’t seem to get the photos to sync with the program. I will continue to work on it.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
day 1 Bellagio Italy
Day 1 – Travel Day
Diana and I flew this AM from Richmond to Boston where we met our friend Leslie S., and sat for hours on end waiting for our flight to Amsterdam. Thanks to our membership with our American Express card, we were able to spend the time sitting in the fancy lounge drinking wine and eating snacks (oink oink) albeit healthy snacks……(cheese and shortbread cookies). International flights uneventful, but of course uncomfortable. We arrived in Milan to beautiful morning blue sky and temps in the mid 70s. Diana’s luggage did not arrive; it stayed in Amsterdam and hopefully will not arrive until after noon tomorrow (our travel insurance will give her $100 to shop if the bags are delayed 24 hours). Bellagio is a beautiful little town on Lake Como. The lake is Y shaped and the town is located at the point of the land in the middle. It is surrounded by mountains with snow covered peaks in the distance. The ride in over the mountains was spectacular, lots of switchbacks, incredible views. Ate a wonderful dinner at a restaurant called BabaYago. Diana and Leslie S. had the thinnest crust pizza that was ever made. Leslie’s with arugula and Diana’s with pesto. I had pan seared fish which was incredible. We will sleep well tonight after being awake for so long. his is the view from our balcony looking up the lake. More tomorrow.
Diana and I flew this AM from Richmond to Boston where we met our friend Leslie S., and sat for hours on end waiting for our flight to Amsterdam. Thanks to our membership with our American Express card, we were able to spend the time sitting in the fancy lounge drinking wine and eating snacks (oink oink) albeit healthy snacks……(cheese and shortbread cookies). International flights uneventful, but of course uncomfortable. We arrived in Milan to beautiful morning blue sky and temps in the mid 70s. Diana’s luggage did not arrive; it stayed in Amsterdam and hopefully will not arrive until after noon tomorrow (our travel insurance will give her $100 to shop if the bags are delayed 24 hours). Bellagio is a beautiful little town on Lake Como. The lake is Y shaped and the town is located at the point of the land in the middle. It is surrounded by mountains with snow covered peaks in the distance. The ride in over the mountains was spectacular, lots of switchbacks, incredible views. Ate a wonderful dinner at a restaurant called BabaYago. Diana and Leslie S. had the thinnest crust pizza that was ever made. Leslie’s with arugula and Diana’s with pesto. I had pan seared fish which was incredible. We will sleep well tonight after being awake for so long. his is the view from our balcony looking up the lake. More tomorrow.
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