We left Milan this morning...actually this was a relief. I think one or two days is perfect for Milan. We may have wanted to do some shopping, but other than that, the people weren't that friendly, and it is a pretty busy/commercial city, so not the best for outdoor sightseeing. If you have a lot of money...shopping is not a problem. But outside of that, it was time to move on.
We headed for a town called "Como" which sits on "Lago Como", another large lake near Lago Maggiore. Clemens and Judith had been here before, so the drive was much quicker, and we were able to go directly to the best spots in the town.
We arrived in Como about lunch time as we had overslept in Milan and missed breakfast. The funny thing is that we haven't been hungry on this trip at all. I don't know if it is our body adjusting, or that the small portions we are eating are carrying us through the day. Either way, it has been awesome...the food is amazing and yet we don't eat too much of it!
After a cappuccino, we walked the streets, did some window shopping and then decided (about 3pm) that it was time to check into our Hotel for the night. We drove along the lake for about 10 minutes, then we took a hard left and wound our way to the top of the hill overlooking the lake. Our Hotel was perched on top "Allergo Russall". This was the spot...for sure the nicest hotel we've been to in a while. The room was well appointed, but the view and the inn keepers were worth the money on their own. Check out the pictures for only a taste of how beautiful this spot was.
After a short rest, we jumped onto a passenger ferry to check out some of the local towns on the lake. We stopped at the town of "Bellagio" had some Gellato and took in the local vibe. We did some gift shopping, but mostly we sat, people watched, and toured the island on our own. This is truly beautiful country, I would suggest this for anyone taking a vacation to Italy as the ratio of tourist activity vs. the local feel is very favorable. Also, once you get outside the main cities, the locals seem more interested in actually helping you out, and talking about whatever is on their mind.
Dinner at the hotel was great. Basically this was how it went. When we checked in, the Inn Keeper said (in German, then in English) that dinner was at 7:30pm, if you miss it...tough. Dinner was Minestrone or Penne, and then followed the main course...veal cutlet w/spinach and potatoes w/ rosemary. This, coupled with 2 bottles of wine made for probably one of the most amazing meals I've had in quite some time. We topped the evening off with some Fiormagge, some Grappe, and then a nice long conversation outside overlooking the lake until about 12:00pm.
While Clemens and I were out on the patio chatting, the girls went inside to see what all the piano noise was about. Some drunk Italian guy was playing American songs like "My Way" and "What a wonderful world" in a broken Italian accent. The girls went in, and were immediately welcomed by not only the piano player and his friend, but were also befriended by this nice couple from Connecticut that were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary.
The American couple was so drunk on Grappe that she kept mistaking Chris for an Italian girl from Sienna, not an American girl from Seattle. From there, things deteriorated and both Judith and Chris returned to our table outside laughing hysterically. Come to find out that the Piano player had taken such a liking to the girls that he had invited them both back to his boat on the lake. I think Clemens and I are lucky we still have our ladies around.
Chris and I both felt like this was the first day that we were really "on vacation". This spot is a place that neither of us will soon forget.
Ciao
Shane & Chris
