One of the things I like to do while on trips like this is to pick some idea or subject and take a series of photos that follow that theme throughout the trip.  It gives you a chance to shoot photos all the time and the search for more subjects of the theme also makes for fun.  I might have 2 or 3 different themes going at any time.

Here is the first installment of one of these.  The dogs of Italy.  As you travel around you get to see lots of them on the ends of leashes primarily, but if you get into the back streets or neighborhoods you might find some around the homes guarding the place as their temperament dictates.  Lots of the owners enjoy having their dogs photographed and will willingly stop their walking and get Fido to pose for you.  There is most definitely a preference toward small size dogs and if you like Jack Russels you will always have one not too far away.

This is our neighbor’s dog from about 80 yards up the driveway. He likes to come down in the morning and sits and waits, with a bit of whining included, until he gets us to pet him. Then he is gone for the day.

A shop keepers dogs in Bellagio. Looks kind of embarrassed with the whole pink thing.

Another Bellagio cafe dog.

“I got my owner to dress to match me this morning!”

Ah yes. The good life on Lake Como for the weekend. La Dolce Vita. Peel me a dog treat.

After lounging around “on board” for a while the owner tossed out a retrieving dummy tied to a rope and the dog jumped in and towed the boat back to shore. Quite the little exhibition.

Rock Fetch. What a game!!!

Out for a stroll in Como.

If one is good two has to be better.

What do you mean I sloshed all over the place???

Out for lunch with the girls.

It is ALL about the attitude!

I can’t decide if he is cute or just has a pitiful look.

Smells like Ralph got to the car tire before me!

I am just so dang classy. Don’t you think?

Dog kisses anyone? The owner loved this shot!! I emailed her a copy of it.

I guess some folks think they are cute.

Dreaming of chasing cats and eating dog treats.

It looks like he is giving us a disgusted look as we walked past his house.

“Are we real sure about crossing this street???”

“Yeah my nose is cold and wet. What about it???”

Pretty much everything posted on the blog has been shot with a Canon EOS 5D Mark III with various lenses.  It is a chunk to carry around at times but works wonderfully.  The following photos were all done with my iPhone and an App called AutoStitch.  It works like a charm and is easy to use.  Just take a series of photos and then it will stitch the overlap sections together and form a wide view panorama image.  For each of these I also opted for the higher resolution and advanced stitching software.  This really cleaned them up. It is fun to use and in the right instances gives a great impression of the view.

The street scene during Fashion Night in Milan

The piazza in front of the Duomo in Milan.

View from the terraces in Bergamo.

Up in the Dolomites.

Dolomite 2

From the top of the cable car.

Having spent the night in what appeared to be the last available hotel room in Verona, we rose early and headed toward the mountains. Verona is situated on the absolutely flat Po River valley, and after driving north for an hour or so across this featureless plain, the mountains literally burst up abruptly from it. We turned off the autostrade and began another winding ascent into yet another spectacular mountain landscape.

What makes the Dolomites so distinctive is their color scheme: the rock type “dolomite” is a rich pink color on a freshly exposed surface, but weathers to grey, so both colors are prominent on the peaks. The sun adds a warm yellow tone and, on this day, the blue sky was a brilliant background. It was a gorgeous pastel pallet.  The mountains are bare and stark, with “jagged, saw-edged ridges, rocky pinnacles, deep gorges, and numerous steep rock faces” (description compliments of www.britanica.com), as the pictures show.

Driving through the Dolomites took a day and a half and tested our navigational skills to the limit. Road signs were frequently vague or missing, and our best map was not nearly detailed enough. We made plenty of wrong turns, but we promise never a cross word passed between us (yea, right).  The highlight was in Vigo De Fassa, where we overnighted. We arrived just in time to catch the very last “finiculare” up to a summit view, and were treated to jaw dropping majesty in all directions as the sun dropped behind the western peaks.

It is interesting as you drive through Italy to notice the very local regional changes in the architecture and color variations of the houses.  Many times even more detailed differences can also be seen in window shutter color from town to town.  In the Dolomites the houses tend to be white colored and have a very “Swiss chalet” look to them that would remind most of us of Colorado ski towns.  These towns are extremely well kept and absolutely covered with window boxes that are full of cascading, multicolored petunias, geraniums, and alyssum flowers.

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The mountains at the top of the cable car ride.

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I keep running into this girl where ever I go!

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These were the plants that were on all of the balconies of the small hotel we stayed in.

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The literal translation is “the-trip-first-road.” What we’re trying to say is “the first road trip”! This is why learning Italian is not simple. The sentence structure is very different from what our English speaking brains are used to.

Wednesday evening we took a look at the calendar and realized that time was flying by and there were still a number of places we wanted to explore in northern Italy. The result? “Prima” Road Trip. We pulled out the road maps and travel books and did some quick planning so we would know where to go in the morning. We planned to head east from Lake Como, to see Bergamo, Verona, and then north into the Dolomite Mountains.

Thursday dawned sunny and gorgeous. Our decision to take a “back road” to Bergamo might not have been the best, and we definitely saw a side of Italian real estate that was not in the guide books: industrial, modern and often messy. But the first stop, Bergamo, was worth the effort. It is a city within a city, with the medieval “citta alta” (pronounced cheetah) perched high above the surrounding city on a rocky crag, protected by imposing stone walls that are 30 to 50 feet tall. The old town is home to University of Bergamo, and the student presence brings a surprising energy to this otherwise quiet, ancient place. Two amazing churches (side by side!), lovely piazza, and an old fort were all there to explore. The highlight was lunch in Café del Tasso, which has been in that location and serving food since 1476!

Late in the afternoon we moved on toward the city of Romeo and Juliet fame: Verona. This turned out to be yet another fabulous, totally surprising jewel, bustling with activity when we arrived near sunset. You enter the old town through a large piazza which is dominated by a Roman amphitheater. This mini-coliseum could originally seat 25,000 people, and is now used as a venue for modern day music performance. A bit deeper in the city is another piazza, surrounded by buildings from the 12th to 15th centuries, many with beautiful frescoed walls looking down onto the lively market area. Like Bergamo, there were few cars, so we filled the late evening with strolling around the streets, reading the tour guides, taking photos, then a late dinner before calling it a day.

The morning view across the lake. Do we have to leave??

This is the main piazza in Bergamo and the hub of the citta alta. Many of the old buildings are now part of the university. Our lunch cafe was just off the left side of the image and the two churches are on the other side of the bell tower.

The next images are from the interiors of two churches which are, at most, 40 yards apart from each other. The predomiately white interior church is on the left in the photo, the more highly decorated church is entered through the arch in the center of the frame. The ornate structure on the right is a mausoleum and no photos were allowed inside.

This is the left hand church with an 18 century baroque designed interior.

The right hand church, the Basilica of St Mary, dates to the 12 century but the interior was “remodelled” in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. If you like tapestries this is the place to go.

Laura has always described the churches in Italy as being like Faberge eggs. Sometmes the exteriors are grandiose, sometimes not so much. But as you open the typical small humble wooden doors you are never sure, and often  completely overcome by the beauty and decoration of the interiors. Both of these churches live up to her description.

Bronze gate ornamentation.

Successive door openings descend a steep street.

Serving great food for over 500 years!

Did I mention we had pizza at lunch? Quit drooling on your keyboard! It is not good for the electronics.

Almost forgot the ravioli with sage butter and sprinkles of raw sugar on it. Sorry. I will try to be more thoughtful.

At the top of town along the walls of the Rocca, or fortress, which has been a strategic strong point for over 700 years.

Not certain what this is but I like the color.

Italy truly is the land of potted flowers.

My taste buds have taken over my brain. It’s hopeless. I see things like this and my head says “kill them.  Eat them all!!!”

I confess. This is not my photo. I stole it from the net. There were way too many people to get a nice shot so I passed. This is the Roman era amphitheater in Verona.

This is the Piazza delle Erbe in Verona which was alive with a central market, sidewalk cafes, and pedestrians strolling.

The second story terrace walls were highly decorated with frescoes all along the piazza.

Verona’s quiet side streets. Here is where we start to look for a place to eat.

The model for the porch at the next house!

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Cafe window still life.

I mentioned in the first post of this blog that this is our fifth trip to Italy and how much we love coming here.  I started thinking about just what is it that draws us back?  Why do we enjoy it so much?  Why do we keep doing this?  Obviously from some of the photos I have posted so far the scenery is a driving force for sure.  It just looks so different, warm, and pleasing to us.  But there is more to it than that.  A lot has to do with the daily experiences we encounter that are so “out of the box” compared to those back in Houston.  Today when we drove up to a little town to find a dentist to glue one of Laura’s crowns back on her tooth, an old man came up to us and started a wonderful conversation with us as we sat on a bench in the middle of his little town.  Never mind that he spok zero English, and Laura was working hard to catch every fifth word of his Italian.  When was the last time any of us talked to a total stranger?

Some experiences make you laugh, others test you and your ability to solve challenges (some of those while driving).  Others warm your heart at the interaction of people so less commonly seen back home. Then there are the ones that are just plain different that cause you to think.  Why don’t we do that?  Not that what we do is wrong or bad,  just a different way to look at life.

Here is a little tour.  Enjoy.

We saw this guy in the piazza outside the Duomo in Milan. He is dressed in a suit, carrying a bouquet of white flower, engaged in a serious conversation on the phone and apparently looking for someone. My guess is an equally well dressed lady. From the little time we watched she never showed.

A street vendor sits on a stool with a bundle of palm fronds at his feet. He is folding and creating various insects and reptiles from his green origami work. People stop, watch, and occaisionally make a purchase. How they pack them and get back them home is anybodies guess.

Cars from somebody other than GM, Ford, and the Japanese. They are almost all small without a doubt, and gas is darn expensive. Some are very good looking vehicles that I wish we had back home.

Small religious shrines dot the city and country landscape. Some are definitely very old, but it is not surprising to find fresh flowers and a new candle burning in them.

First question: How many cars does it take to fill a silo? Second Question: What the hell is an autosilo? Third: Is it different than a “parking structure”

The average American absolutely stinks at driving compared to the Italians. Oh sure they drive fast, red lights are an endangered species, STOP signs are a suggestion and they are REAL close to each other, but your hardly ever see a banged up car, and we have yet to see an accident.

A highly decorated “street artist” (my term) stands stone still and tourists pose next to them for photo ops. It is ‘polite’ to put some coins in the plate.

A public drinking fountain with some style.

Roma era ruins preserved and built around and above at the local parking garage/autosilo.

The variation in color and texture on the exterior wall of a church. You can kinda, sorta, almost pay to get this sort of thing back home. But it just isn’t 200 years old and have the same look and feel.

A condom dispenser on the side of a building along the street in the center of a town instead of at a dingy highway truck stop. 

Some unfinished business required us to head to the “big city” of Como on Monday, in order to overnight some documents back to the states. Happily, there was a Mailbox Etc. just outside the 12^th century walls of the old city (now surrounded by a bustling, more modern expansion). It was another beautiful day, perfect for exploring, so we wandered in.

We were delighted to discover that this old part of Como is almost completely free of motorized vehicles…just a lovely complex of cobbled streets and piazzas, with shops, coffee bars and restaurants all around. The center of the area is anchored by the city’s cathedral (“Como Duomo?”), and we both thought that the interior was absolutely gorgeous, with a sort of geometric cobalt blue-gold star pattern on the ceilings  and two massive, amazing organs perched high on opposite sides of the nave.

Perhaps it was a good thing, but as it turns out, on Monday most of the stores in old Como don’t open until late afternoon, so our credit cards languished as we strolled and window shopped.  Still, it was a delightfully quiet, uncrowded, and absolutely pleasant outing.

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Notice the person in the lower right to get an idea of the scale.

The candle light is wonderful in some of the corners.

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No pews, just chairs, great window light.

Meanwhile, back outside on the streets, life goes about its everyday bike ride past the large statue. Just like home. Not

It is never to early to start thinking “gelato”!

Everday life on the small back streets.

Como colors.

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.