The weekend was a mix of running around and relaxation for us.  Saturday started with us having to run down the lake shore to the Villa d Este luxury hotel to try and sweet talk them into printing some legal forms that I needed to sign, scan, email, and Fed Ex back to the Houston.  We got the printing part done and were told where we could get the Fed Ex sent but it would have to wait until Monday.  The Villa is unbelievably posh and gorgeous and beautiful and any other over the top word you want to throw in.  Laura is quite certain that we saw Helen Mirren having coffee on the terrace out in front. The personel were wonderful and very gracious and helpful.  It is good to have a friend who stays here every year that can tell you to go see “Vera and she will take care of you.”

Since the hard work was taken care of and the weather was perfect we decided to rent a boat agin in the afternoon and tour the southern end of Lake Como and its sights.  Yes we saw George Clooneys house/villa but he was not home.  Lunch and wine were served on board by my trusty first mate and the day went well with Laura lounging in the front, directing me to the sunny side of the lake as we returned to the marina at 5pm. The sun was dipping below the western shore mountains and casting shadows across the water which were cutting into her sunbathing time allotment.  I dutifully obliged.

Sunday we took the ferry up the lake to the town of Lenno in the early afternoon and had a wonderful lunch with lots of locals in a small place back off the water and all the tourists at the shore side eateries.  Lots of families and little kids to watch and listen to.  Afterward we got the obligatory gelato and headed toward the dock to catch the last boat back home for dinner in the apartment.

The Villa d Este is a pretty fancy place. Woo Hoo!

Churches and bell towers abound on the shoreline of the lake. Being in the right place and time with the best light is a challenge.

The muted colors of weathered paint in older parts of towns.

Beach space around the lake is at a premium as a result of the extremely steep banks. This little flat spot is situated directly in front of one of the local churches. A quite unique juxtaposition.

And if there isn’t a handy church yard around the dock at the little local boat harbor will have to suffice.

Checking in with Michigan and seeing how my dad is doing. Much better today.

I told this guy to stand there and watch my car and make sure there were no nose prints on the windows. Then the alarm went off and woke me up from the dream! Damn!

Checking the ferry schedule or it is a long walk back.

A small local fishing boat that would look darn good on the swim pond at the ranch. Don’t you think?

Trying so hard to relax….. and look Italian! Perfetto!! Perfect on both points!

Just a part of the charm found here.

As is this.

And this little walk way up from the beach.

Did I mention I like the little wooden boats around here?

Hold that table we will be back in 45 minutes.

Gelato cups Italian style. Two scoops please.

Ready to tie up the ferry at our stop. The end of another wonderful day. Thanks for following. Ciao.

14 Sept. 2012    We decided to drive up into the valley above Argegno and kick around the small towns there.  We picked up a few kitchen items so we could do a better job of cooking in the next 4 weeks.    The owner of our apartment had described some wonderful hiking opportunities in the mountains around Lake Como.   This one was a classic “turn left at the fruit stand with the canvas awning and drive up the narrow road, as if there is another type around here, as far as it goes until it ends.  Go through the small gate and head to the top.”   The hike was fantastic and we only wished we had started earlier in the day.  We ended up at better than 6000 feet and above the tree line with views of over 70 miles to the snow covered alps of Switzerland off to the north and Milan in the haze to the south.

I think there are only three or four color chips at the paint stores in all of Italy. This is Mustard Yellow. But it does make for some great warm light.

This is the basic Italian “Beware of Dog” sign with the exception that 99% of them have an image of a German Shepherd on them. But it is much more realistic of true Italian dog ownership where most dogs are real real real small. We will be looking for a few of these to take back to Hosuton though.

Finally made it to the trail head after the requisite pre-hike lunch of panini and birra.

There are some very interesting and basic structures with private property signs along the trail which must belong to the caretakers of the livestock in the area.

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When you stand near a structure like this I can not help but think of all of the labor which went into collecting, carrying, moving, and setting all of rock we have seen. Until you have moved a few tons of stones you can never appreciate it.

This is first dug into the ground then lined with stone and was perfectly circular.

Hello Switzerland!

I really like riding my road bike. I think some trail riding could be pretty cool. But the stuff these guys (4 of them) were riding was nuts!! It is so steep off of his right side you would easily slide 100 feet down the slope. And this was, by far, the best part of the trail. Much of it was 18 inches wide and rock covered. No thanks. I think I like my skin waaaaay to much just like it is. Attached to the rest of my body.

This is an iPhone panorama stitched photo. The trail does actully make a bit of a “U” shape but not as much as the distortion makes it.

Cow bells are a BIG thing up in this part of the world. We saw and heard them in Switzerland and they clinked, clanked, and chimed around us for most of the hike.

Thursday we took the ferry across the lake to the little town of Bellagio which sits at the tip of a promontory that splits the lower portion of Lake Como into an east and west arms.  It is a beautiful place, has some nice little shops that will seperate you from your Euro stash in short order, but too touristy for any serious time.  We decided to take off into the higher parts of town and wander around away from everyone else and check out the less beaten path.  Like most touristy places it does not take too much to leave the vast majority behind.  And then we left everybody behind, finding ourselves very much on the outskirts on a two track path with a good idea of where we wanted to be but at a bit of a loss as to how exactly to get there.  Fortunately, a local lady was leaving her house and with Laura’s skills in Italian we were able to get directions down the foot path and told to make a right at the little church and eventually onto a real street that we could follow.  It was a nice walk and we saw things that nobody else visiting Bellagio did that day.  I guarantee it!!

Ferrying across the lake always presents wonderful views of the surrounding towns and landscapes. I am continually asking myself how and why did they choose that spot for building something?

Since the vast majority of the shoreline is extremely rocky or shear cliffs the mooring points for boats are at a premium. There are a few small “flat” spots in each town where the small fishing boats are pulled up onto the terraces.

I don’t think I have ever seen such perfectly shaped trees. They are almost 60 feet tall and appear to not have a single branch out of place.

Just another great scene along the shore with a phenominal background.

I want one of these!

I thought I had promised not to do this any more?? Sorry folks.

We actually did do a bit of shopping and Laura scored with 2 small purses that were quite reasonable. Good girl! I just like these colors.

This picture just might make me sell the powder blue Vespa we have at home and get one with a bit more pizzazz to it. Any buyers? Low miles. Never been in the snow!!

If you are going to wander away from the crowds and venture off the beaten path it is quite nice when the path is this charming.

No comment.

This is the right turn at the little church. A verrrry quiet neighborhood.

Late summer is maybe not the best time to tour the botanical gardens at the Melzi Villa but the grounds are still very beautiful.

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A small portion of the promenade at the gardens along the shore of Lake Como.

I am not certain where this staircase was leading to but I lke it.

Why is it that peeling paint, which looks so bad in Houston, all of a sudden has charm, romance, and looks good in Italy??

We finished the day “in” Bellagio with Laura having her first ever espresso! This girl will do anything!

Back on the ferry and across the lake so we could fall into the little enoteca, or wine shop, in town and ran into some folks we had met earlier in the morning on the ferry ride. A few glasses of wiine and then we had dinner with them.

Downtown Argegno (Ar jen yoh) as the night falls. It was a very quiet Thursday evening.

Yesterday we decided to jump in the car and drive up to St Moritz which is about 70 miles to the northeast through the Alps.  The day was supposed to be sunny and quite pleasent and since all the boats in town were reserved (see yesterday’s post) we had a day to kill.  To say we were unprepared for many of the things we saw and experiences we had would be an understatement.  Enjoy the photos as we post a bit of what we saw.  Start at the bottom photo and view upwards to follow the day.

This is a grab from Google Earth showing just a teeny tiny bit of some of the switch backs on the drive.

Dear God thank you for letting me survive the drive.

The driver enjoying a little road side break.

Even the Italian bees are stylin’!! I think those are Armani sun glasses.

Val Verde, Switzerland southwest of St Moritz.

I promise. No more door latch pictures. Maybe….

The spectacular scenery of the Alps.

Those Swiss chicks are darn cute!!

Love the texture of the weathered wood and the iron work on the hardware.

The “new water well”.

This house dated to the late 1700’s.

I know the Swiss are supposed to be neat fanatics but I found one of those red geraniums that needed dead heading and there were spots of dirt on the road!!

Honey…. could you pleeeease run down and get me another bucket of water???

The lower portion of the mountain pass we drove up through. Breathtaking switchback turns and fantastic bedrock outcrops. Laura’s hand grip is indelibly left on the interior door handle!

For Sale: Simple country home, Stone construction, Wood heat, Backyard outdoor shower!

Monday was a glorious day of 85 degrees sunshine filled skies.  We decided to pack a little picnic lunch of bread, cheese, honey, pesto, salami, and wine and go down into town to rent a boat for the afternoon so we could tour the lake and maybe take a dip.  Laura and  I agree that it was pretty much the best day ever.

Lunch is served. No fancy linen table clothes,

I have always LOVED wooden power boats! This was not our rental and thank god it wasn’t for sale either. Could it have been more right for me??

The town of Menaggio is about 15 minutes north along the west coast of the lake. It is just a bit more ‘touristifed’ than we were looking for as a base but is certainly a wonderful place to visit.

These two young ladies are waiting for one of the pedestrian ferry boats that service the lake and can take you “town hopping” throughout the day. Lunch here, wine over there, afternoon gelato down the shore, dinner over in Belaggio, and home after dark. Sign me up!!

This place didn’t even make the guide book. Accesible by boat or foot brifge only. No nosey neighbors and darn little grass to worry about.

The upstairs party plaza has a wonderful view in both direction up and down the lake.

The side patio for lunch and sunbathing.

This little bungalow had wonderfully sculpted gardens and the covered porch or loggia, that was spectacular.  What a place for a party!

The drive up from Milano was surprisingly quick, only about one hour once we made it to the autostrade. Hazy skies had obscured the sightof the northern mountains since our arrival here, so we had yet to see them,but as we got closer they materialized out of the haze, and stood beckoning usto our first “home” in Italy.

Suddenly the southern end of Lake Como was next to us, andwe exited on to a mountainside road that wound and curved through tunnels andnarrow villages until we reached Argegno. Our village sits directly at the edgeof the lake, with a tiny town center consisting of a hotel, 3 restaurants, agelato shop and a wine bar (enoteca) clustered around a little piazza with amodern fountain in the middle. Of course everything is open to the strikinglybeautiful view of Lake Como and it’s bordering mountains to the east.

The village was bustling on a Saturday, in fact the wholeLake Como area is still very busy with tourists (international and local)especially with the weather being so warm and sunny. We met David, the Irishbusinessman who owns our apartment and he led us up the hill to get us settledinto our apartment.

We’ve now had 2 full days to settle in. The apartment istidy and comfortable, and the view is truly fabulous. The down side is it isalso quite noisy, as the road into town is below us, about 200 feet below, andthere has also been significant boat noise. In photos the view evokes peace andquiet, but sitting on our balcony is more like maybe a midtown Manhattan highrise with regard to “quiet”, especially with weekend traffic. This adventuredoes have its challenges: where to buy items like ant spray, or washcloths, anddo they even have skim milk in Italy?? How to turn around the car in our narrowsloping driveway without backing into the rock wall behind or banging into ourneighbor’s patio railing?

The small stream that splits the town.

On the plus side, we spend day and night with the windowsthrown wide open, and blessedly dry, mild fresh air. We have befriended thelittle dog who lives up the driveway, and he now comes down and visits us eachmorning, laying outside our patio gate until we come out to give him a pet. Thewalk down to the village is welcome-ly strenuous: up a steep driveway from ourplace, down the street to a pedestrian stairway, down about 50 stairs to aseriously steep cobblestone lane which winds on down to the village piazzetta. It takes maybe 6 or 7 minutes. We have explored the village a little bit and it is completely charming…a mazeof narrow walkways amongst the old buildings with little tunnels and bridgesand passages. There is a tiny bakery, a produce stall, and a sundries storealso tucked back among those winding lanes. One restaurant owner now greets usby name (thanks to an introduction by David) and has graciously agreed to letme try to communicate with him in my very tortured Italian

There are well over a hundred of these scuptures 40 feet above your head along the street level on all four sides.

More of Milan

Waaay up near the top as we walk on the roof a small portion of the wall details.

After being in a hurry to get something on the blog we decided to post just a few photos of some of what we were able to see and enjoy an share with you to better convey the city and the experience.

Milan Duomo Exterior

Alive and Well

It is Monday morning, we have left Milan, and I am sitting in our apartment in the small town of Argengno on the western shore of Lake Como.  That is pronounced Ar jen yo.  It is a wonderful landscape scenery of a narrow mountain valley with small towns of melon colored houses with red tile roofs tucked into the shoreline.  Quite a change from the big city of Milan.

We arrived in Milan on Wednesday evening with no problems for the flight, all the luggage accounted for, picked up a rather surprisingly roomy rental car and with the handy iPhone map app made it to the beautiful and trendy Baglioni Hotel.  We deposited out bags into the quite snug room and even though it was 10 at night headed out for some wandering, wine and a bite to eat.  The Hotel is in the middle of “the Shopping District” which is street after street of every clothing store and designer boutique you could imagine.  We noticed that there were workers preparing and changing displays in a number of store front windows and thought it odd for such a time of day to still be at it.   Thursday started with a self- guided tour of the Duomo cathedral in the heart of the city and just a short quarter mile or so walk away.  What an amazingly designed and decorated church.  Supposedly the second largest after Saint Peters in Rome the interior is impressive but dark, but it is rather the exterior that is the most impressive feature.   I am certain that there is a statistic some place that could tell me the correct count but there are literally hundreds of carved marble statues of the Who’s Who in the Catholic religion.  Toss in a few dozen Popes, a hundred or so gargoyles, and a steady heap of angels, lots and lots of fancy scroll work and columns and it is stunning to think of the amount of human labor that the building has consumed over the centuries.  Napoleon was crowned king of Italy here and ordered that the exterior be designed and work begun.   The balance of the daylight hours we walked through the gorgeous Galleria, another landmark of Milan, found the La Scala theater where we will be attending the opera in a few weeks and then headed back to the hotel to freshen up for the evening.  It is in the upper 80s and a day of walking requires a fresh shirt for the evening.

Thursday evening we found out why the window workers had been so busy.  It was Vogue’s Fashion Evening in Milan.  All the stores stay open late just this one night and the place was electric with throngs of people, fashion models handing out flyers, club dance music spilling out of stores and even a live window model at an upscale lingerie store!  Did I ever say how much I like window shopping???!!  There were people everywhere and Laura and I smartly found a small table with a great view, ordered a bottle of wine, surprised?, and relaxed and watch the street scene go by.  We were very impressed that even though there were easily 30,000 people out on the street the scene was amazingly well behaved and very friendly.

Friday we spent most of the morning popping into a few churches on our way across town to the Sforza castle and mid-day pizza and wine stop.  We ‘shopped’ for a hotel for our opera return trip and then back to the hotel to organize for the Saturday departure to begin the stay up at Lake Como and settle into one spot for 5 weeks.