Lake Como, Italy August 3-30, 2016
OK, AlteCocker is not ON Lake Como. She is south of Lake Como, but the exchange is listed as "Lake Como" because that is the nearest place North Americans are likely to be familiar with. AlteCocker is actually close to the town of Lecco--which is where train connections are located.
Please note AlteCocker will not be at the house the entire time as side trips to the Verona Opera Festival and Corsica are planned. There will be sub blogs for those places. Corsica is actually in France so this trip is not 100% in Italy. And now we begin.
Please note AlteCocker will not be at the house the entire time as side trips to the Verona Opera Festival and Corsica are planned. There will be sub blogs for those places. Corsica is actually in France so this trip is not 100% in Italy. And now we begin.
August 2-3, 2016: Arrival and Orientation
Agnese, the daughter of my home exchangers and her very tall boyfriend pick AlteCocker up at Malpensa, Milan's main international airport. Linate, the smaller airport mainly devoted to intraEuropean flights, is more convenient, but, when you are flying from Reykjavik, there is not a lot of choice. The flight is late and then a stuck jetway means we are stuck on the plane. Eventually we deplane through the rear and have to be taken by bus into the terminal. On the plus side, the baggage is waiting for us and perhaps we have avoided a long walk.
After a couple of wrong turns (Agnese hasn't done the Malpensa run much and AlteCocker is very glad to have a GPS in her bag). By the time we arrive at the house it is midnight and too late to do much but to shower and crash. That is what AlteCocker does after deciding she will sleep in the children's bedroom rather than the master bedroom because it is on a lower floor. Instead of putting up with cold and damp in Reykjavik, Italy in August is hot--even in the north. However she will be showering in the master bedroom shower because it is a conventional one. The bath on the lower floor has a hand held shower and AlteCocker has consistent experience with making a mess with those because there is never a shower curtain. Better not to make a mess and have to clean it up.
So that having been settled, it is time to unpack--well, half unpack. Medications are lined up and Agnese has thoughtfully brought AlteCocker 3 delicious rolls and a piece of raspberry cake. She likes the rolls better than the cake, but all get consumed for breakfast. Agnese will be over in the afternoon to show me how everything works. The house is an old Italian house with lovely exposed stone but, typical of European old homes, chaotic interior. The house was built when people hauled water and used firewood for central heating. It is difficult to add things like electricity, central heating and sewers after the house is already built. So, organization of such a house is not what North Americans are used to in their newer homes where everything is logically planned out. The house has many levels and no toilet on the main floor. On the plus side, no American home AlteCocker has ever seen a house with so much and beautiful tile--not to mention exposed stone and brick. The house itself will be a central point of the exchange.
AlteCocker gets into the car--which uses both LPG and conventional gas--and tries to plug in the GPS. It takes awhile to find the cigarette lighter where the GPS can be plugged in. She then changes the "home" location to prevent getting lost finding her way home. That all works. Then it is a brief walk around the neighborhood.
Later in the afternoon Agnese picks me up and shows AlteCocker where one of the train stations is should she want to take the train into Milan. Then we went to Marco Colzani, an incredible bakery, healthy drink and, above all, gelato shop. It has to be seen to be believed. AlteCocker has a gelato while Agnese has a pistachio frappe (basically a milk shake with pistachio gelato). AlteCocker also buys a pear fruit drink in a bottle which she brings home for breakfast. This place will certainly merit a revisit--perhaps several--during her stay in Garbanato.
Then Agnese and AlteCocker return to the house. Agnese introduces AlteCocker to the neighbors before leaving for dinner with her and her boyfriend Matthew at Cratto del Capraio in Civate somewhere in the hills around Garbanato, the small village where AlteCocker is exchanging. Let's say this, without Agnese's navigation, AlteCocker could never have found this place. It is obviously a place for the locals. AlteCocker has pasta with a pesto sauce that has mint in it and she saw the lady picking the mint. Unbelievable even if a huge hike up from where you have to park. You park down below because the road narrows and you can't drive any further. It was not a hike AlteCocker needed but the food was worth it. It was the usual Italian "five minutes and you are there" but with AlteCocker approaching 70 and with recent back surgery, it went much more slowly. You see a gorgeous view of Lake Hanno on the way up. Lake Hanno is one of the smaller lakes in the region. Everything is not Lake Como. Then Agnese drives AlteCocker home. She is off to a holiday in Corsica with her boyfriend and then to the US to join her parents at my house before the exchange ends.
Tomorrow AlteCocker is off to get the lay of the land in a relatively rural area of Italy. Thank goodness for the GPS.
After a couple of wrong turns (Agnese hasn't done the Malpensa run much and AlteCocker is very glad to have a GPS in her bag). By the time we arrive at the house it is midnight and too late to do much but to shower and crash. That is what AlteCocker does after deciding she will sleep in the children's bedroom rather than the master bedroom because it is on a lower floor. Instead of putting up with cold and damp in Reykjavik, Italy in August is hot--even in the north. However she will be showering in the master bedroom shower because it is a conventional one. The bath on the lower floor has a hand held shower and AlteCocker has consistent experience with making a mess with those because there is never a shower curtain. Better not to make a mess and have to clean it up.
So that having been settled, it is time to unpack--well, half unpack. Medications are lined up and Agnese has thoughtfully brought AlteCocker 3 delicious rolls and a piece of raspberry cake. She likes the rolls better than the cake, but all get consumed for breakfast. Agnese will be over in the afternoon to show me how everything works. The house is an old Italian house with lovely exposed stone but, typical of European old homes, chaotic interior. The house was built when people hauled water and used firewood for central heating. It is difficult to add things like electricity, central heating and sewers after the house is already built. So, organization of such a house is not what North Americans are used to in their newer homes where everything is logically planned out. The house has many levels and no toilet on the main floor. On the plus side, no American home AlteCocker has ever seen a house with so much and beautiful tile--not to mention exposed stone and brick. The house itself will be a central point of the exchange.
AlteCocker gets into the car--which uses both LPG and conventional gas--and tries to plug in the GPS. It takes awhile to find the cigarette lighter where the GPS can be plugged in. She then changes the "home" location to prevent getting lost finding her way home. That all works. Then it is a brief walk around the neighborhood.
Later in the afternoon Agnese picks me up and shows AlteCocker where one of the train stations is should she want to take the train into Milan. Then we went to Marco Colzani, an incredible bakery, healthy drink and, above all, gelato shop. It has to be seen to be believed. AlteCocker has a gelato while Agnese has a pistachio frappe (basically a milk shake with pistachio gelato). AlteCocker also buys a pear fruit drink in a bottle which she brings home for breakfast. This place will certainly merit a revisit--perhaps several--during her stay in Garbanato.
Then Agnese and AlteCocker return to the house. Agnese introduces AlteCocker to the neighbors before leaving for dinner with her and her boyfriend Matthew at Cratto del Capraio in Civate somewhere in the hills around Garbanato, the small village where AlteCocker is exchanging. Let's say this, without Agnese's navigation, AlteCocker could never have found this place. It is obviously a place for the locals. AlteCocker has pasta with a pesto sauce that has mint in it and she saw the lady picking the mint. Unbelievable even if a huge hike up from where you have to park. You park down below because the road narrows and you can't drive any further. It was not a hike AlteCocker needed but the food was worth it. It was the usual Italian "five minutes and you are there" but with AlteCocker approaching 70 and with recent back surgery, it went much more slowly. You see a gorgeous view of Lake Hanno on the way up. Lake Hanno is one of the smaller lakes in the region. Everything is not Lake Como. Then Agnese drives AlteCocker home. She is off to a holiday in Corsica with her boyfriend and then to the US to join her parents at my house before the exchange ends.
Tomorrow AlteCocker is off to get the lay of the land in a relatively rural area of Italy. Thank goodness for the GPS.
August 4, 2016: Varenna on Lake como
It was time for AlteCocker to bite the bullet and get in the car and start her perambulations through the region of Lake Como. She did not pick the easiest place to get to. In fact, no place around here is particularly easy to get to. It is teeny roads that go up and down and Italians are honking at AlteCocker because she is only going the speed limit. Italians like to drive fast even on narrow roads. AlteCocker is not joining the the Italian speed demons as she wants to survive this vacation and go home in a seat and not in a box.
So she arrives in Varenna and, thanks to Rick Steves' Italy book finds the paid parking garage and leaves the car there--thankfully getting rid of it for the day.
Then it is off to find lunch. She ate at the first place that looked decent because it was the first place that looked decent: The restaurant at the Hotel Royal Victoria. She had fish and a sort of tiramisu for dessert. As is always true in Europe, some of the translations are amusing. Hey, folks, mascarpone is mascarpone in English not some sort of cheese description. AlteCocker does remember one instance in Germany where the English menu was totally undecipherable. She had to ask for the German menu and, because she knew some German food words, was able to order that way. Please note: AlteCocker does not speak German, just some German food words and occasionally curses. Despite the translation glitches, lunch was very good.
Then it was down, down, down some steps and walking along the shore to where one could get the ferry boats that criss cross the middle of Lake Como. While it was after lunch, AlteCocker got a day pass for 15 euro. AlteCocker did not max it out, but she criss crossed the Lake a few times, stopping in Menaggio, Cadennabia and Bellagio before finally ending up back in Varenna. In Bellagio she had what what was called an "affogato" she did not need--vanilla ice cream with expresso coffee tossed over it. A lady at an adjacent table, traveling with two guys determined to bike (on regular bicycles--not Harleys--the mountains around Lake Como), joked that she was doing the "tour de gelato." AlteCocker has that in mind for her stay in the lakes as well. In fact she was not done for the day yet after the affogato.
She could have taken some smaller boats to other destinations on her day pass, but she had done enough for the day and the Lake views were getting to look similar. So back in Varenna, she had "black chocolate" gelato at La Passerella. Walking by a guy hawking his paintings, she bought one. It was a scene of Varenna and will make a nice souvenir. Yes, it does fit in her suitcase but she certainly needs it like a hole in the head. It was 190 euros and AlteCocker did not have the energy to bargain. It was clearly worth the price and that was that. There is one problem: AlteCocker has no wall space left in her house AND she will be selling her house next spring and moving to a 2 bedroom condo (no more home exchanging with big families, just couples hereafter). Where the hell is she going to put that painting? Damned if she knows. She would rather buy art from local artists tFhan go home with junk souvenirs. They make such nice souvenirs even if they are hung all over the place in AlteCocker's home. Mostly she hangs pictures where she can find a space--and sometimes that is very difficult. The artist was Franco Farina and he can be reached here.
Then it was time to hike up the seemingly interminable steps and liberate the car. Italian towns set on mountainsides don't have streets. They have steps and what goes down must come up again. AlteCocker was very glad to have a hiking pole. Her back was aching and she did not want to fall and have another Roman Disaster. Once through with the Italian hospital system was enough.
Then it was back into the car and letting the GPS tell her how to get home. It did but there was a massive traffic jam in one of the tunnels and it took awhile to get back, but the "Go Home" button took her to the right place and it was time to enlighten all of you readers of AlteCocker's adventures on her first reall full day of touring here.
So she arrives in Varenna and, thanks to Rick Steves' Italy book finds the paid parking garage and leaves the car there--thankfully getting rid of it for the day.
Then it is off to find lunch. She ate at the first place that looked decent because it was the first place that looked decent: The restaurant at the Hotel Royal Victoria. She had fish and a sort of tiramisu for dessert. As is always true in Europe, some of the translations are amusing. Hey, folks, mascarpone is mascarpone in English not some sort of cheese description. AlteCocker does remember one instance in Germany where the English menu was totally undecipherable. She had to ask for the German menu and, because she knew some German food words, was able to order that way. Please note: AlteCocker does not speak German, just some German food words and occasionally curses. Despite the translation glitches, lunch was very good.
Then it was down, down, down some steps and walking along the shore to where one could get the ferry boats that criss cross the middle of Lake Como. While it was after lunch, AlteCocker got a day pass for 15 euro. AlteCocker did not max it out, but she criss crossed the Lake a few times, stopping in Menaggio, Cadennabia and Bellagio before finally ending up back in Varenna. In Bellagio she had what what was called an "affogato" she did not need--vanilla ice cream with expresso coffee tossed over it. A lady at an adjacent table, traveling with two guys determined to bike (on regular bicycles--not Harleys--the mountains around Lake Como), joked that she was doing the "tour de gelato." AlteCocker has that in mind for her stay in the lakes as well. In fact she was not done for the day yet after the affogato.
She could have taken some smaller boats to other destinations on her day pass, but she had done enough for the day and the Lake views were getting to look similar. So back in Varenna, she had "black chocolate" gelato at La Passerella. Walking by a guy hawking his paintings, she bought one. It was a scene of Varenna and will make a nice souvenir. Yes, it does fit in her suitcase but she certainly needs it like a hole in the head. It was 190 euros and AlteCocker did not have the energy to bargain. It was clearly worth the price and that was that. There is one problem: AlteCocker has no wall space left in her house AND she will be selling her house next spring and moving to a 2 bedroom condo (no more home exchanging with big families, just couples hereafter). Where the hell is she going to put that painting? Damned if she knows. She would rather buy art from local artists tFhan go home with junk souvenirs. They make such nice souvenirs even if they are hung all over the place in AlteCocker's home. Mostly she hangs pictures where she can find a space--and sometimes that is very difficult. The artist was Franco Farina and he can be reached here.
Then it was time to hike up the seemingly interminable steps and liberate the car. Italian towns set on mountainsides don't have streets. They have steps and what goes down must come up again. AlteCocker was very glad to have a hiking pole. Her back was aching and she did not want to fall and have another Roman Disaster. Once through with the Italian hospital system was enough.
Then it was back into the car and letting the GPS tell her how to get home. It did but there was a massive traffic jam in one of the tunnels and it took awhile to get back, but the "Go Home" button took her to the right place and it was time to enlighten all of you readers of AlteCocker's adventures on her first reall full day of touring here.
August 5, 2016: Bad Weather
It storms all night and into the morning, so AlteCocker catches up on podcasts (she is listening one on the Italian Unification--which is excellent). Then she hauls herself out of bed and has an epic journey finding Marco Colzani again. She finally heads home after pasta with gelato for dessert. She has one flavor that she just can't place. Oh, well, a new experience. Then it is back to the house where the clothes were left in the wash. There is, of course, no electric dryer here. She will have to wait for morning to hang up the clothes as it is still overcast and could rain again. So it is back to reading and podcasts. Tomorrow will be better weather and the excursions will start again.
August 6, 2016: Milan Duomo, La Scala Museum
After her day off on August 5th, it was back at it today. AlteCocker went to Milan. It was not easy. She had been give advice to use the Merone train station. Well, maybe if you can find it. AlteCocker, even with her trusty GPS, couldn't find it. She knew it would not be easy. It was impossible. When she began to turn into people's driveways, it was time to go another way. She drove. She had been given a place to park the car, so she pulled over and began to look for it under train stations on her GPS. She found it. It was Sesto San Giovanni. It basically is the last station on line 1 on the Milan Metro. Parking cost 3 euros and AlteCocker was done with the car for the day. Whew!
It was about 20 minutes on the Metro into the Duomo stop on line 1. AlteCocker's goal for the day was to visit the Duomo, Milan's cathedral, both inside and on the roof. Tickets can be purchased in advance, but, when you don't know which day or when you will be doing something, you can't. The queue was from here to eternity. So, AlteCocker decided to look for tourist information first and deal with the Duomo queue later. First, except for the police (and, in view of recent ISIS attacks, the Duomo Square was filled with police, no one gave AlteCocker accurate information. AlteCocker assumes the locals, busy selling crap (both physical crap and food crap) to tourists simply didn't want to be bothered and repeatedly sent her deliberately in the wrong direction. So, to prevent you from having the same experience, heed this: As you stand before the Duomo the Galleria, an upscale shopping center is on your left. Go through the shopping center to the end along the main corridor. Tourist information is on the left. It could be better marked, but it isn't. The woman in there was very helpful and gets a photo on the blog, but it took a long while to find the damn place.
AlteCocker's back was not cooperating, so she sat down for lunch at a totally unmemorable pizza place. The Galleria is filled with such places. There is probably not one memorable one among them--and they are all overpriced because The Galleria is the place where those looking for Versace, Gucci, etc., shop. Those areas are all the same everywhere. Having said that, you are a tourist and you end up in such places because they are convenient--and not because they are memorable.
After lunch, AlteCocker went to the La Scala Museum. La Scala is down in August because the subscribers are all on vacation. AlteCocker found the museum somewhat disappointing. She wouldn't bother with it if she had known that it did not include a look at the interior of the house. It is mainly just paintings and sculptures of famous maestros and divas. When AlteCocker stated in the shop that she had not seen Verdi, the individual at the counter did take her back in to see Verdi's death mask and a piece of his hair. OK, thanks, but she would have rather had a tour of the house. It was not available. On the plus side there was no queue for tickets.
Then there was the Duomo. The queue to purchase tickets had disappated, so AlteCocker bought one that included the elevator to the roof. She no longer climbs stairs to the roofs or domes of such buildings. After all, she will be 70 next October and just had back surgery. While her back is improved, her back is still a problem. For those of you willing to climb stairs to save a few euros, go right ahead. She is not part of that club. Where there is an elevator, she takes it. If she doesn't see one, she asks. There is nothing wrong if AlteCockers do this.
However, AlteCockerdom does not mean avoiding queues, and there was a 45 minute queue for the elevator. It would have been nice to have chairs, but there weren't any, so AlteCocker leaned on her hiking pole, leaned against the wall, etc. Eventually, she got to the elevator and went up. The roof was a fantastic experience but does involve a lot of stairs even if one takes the elevator. The experience really knocked the wind out of AlteCocker but she did go up to the very top. At the very top, except for the center, it's steep and AlteCocker did not walk around. She sat down and took a few photos, but she was, quite frankly, afraid of falling, so she watched less intimidated and younger folks hop around like mountain goats. The bad news is you have to go down the same way you got up. Lots of steps down and this side of exhaustion combined with sore back. You end up on the opposite side of the Duomo from where you went up. Definitely worth it although it will be the last cathedral AlteCocker does on this trip--and maybe ever.
Coming down, there was another huge queue to get into the church on the main level--and she had had a glimpse of it from above. Was she going to go? First, there was the gelato stop--and never mind downing a bottle of water. She lingered over her gelato concoction (also unmemorable but convenient) and finally was about to join the queue when a lovely young woman connected to the tourist office took her under her wing. She took AlteCocker under her wing and, boom, she was not obliged to stand in the queue. She was in the church.
The church inside was not as spectacular as the roof, but AlteCocker was glad she did it. However, in the morning she had put on her black dress noting warnings about shorts, bare shoulders, etc. However, they were not concerned about anything other than bare shoulders. The dress was unnecessary, so just watch bare shoulders. Some people were given cover ups to go into the church. AlteCocker could have worn shorts and avoided a load of laundry before her trip to Verona because she needs her black dress for the opera there. So, there really is no effort to toss out people with shorts or bare shoulders. They make accommodation.
Then it was back to the car on the Metro and the drive "home". The drive back was considerably shorter than the drive there (no diversion to the unfindable Merone train station). She went directly into the shower and then slept for 3 hours before she had the energy to do the blog. An exhausting, but ultimately fullfilling day.
It was about 20 minutes on the Metro into the Duomo stop on line 1. AlteCocker's goal for the day was to visit the Duomo, Milan's cathedral, both inside and on the roof. Tickets can be purchased in advance, but, when you don't know which day or when you will be doing something, you can't. The queue was from here to eternity. So, AlteCocker decided to look for tourist information first and deal with the Duomo queue later. First, except for the police (and, in view of recent ISIS attacks, the Duomo Square was filled with police, no one gave AlteCocker accurate information. AlteCocker assumes the locals, busy selling crap (both physical crap and food crap) to tourists simply didn't want to be bothered and repeatedly sent her deliberately in the wrong direction. So, to prevent you from having the same experience, heed this: As you stand before the Duomo the Galleria, an upscale shopping center is on your left. Go through the shopping center to the end along the main corridor. Tourist information is on the left. It could be better marked, but it isn't. The woman in there was very helpful and gets a photo on the blog, but it took a long while to find the damn place.
AlteCocker's back was not cooperating, so she sat down for lunch at a totally unmemorable pizza place. The Galleria is filled with such places. There is probably not one memorable one among them--and they are all overpriced because The Galleria is the place where those looking for Versace, Gucci, etc., shop. Those areas are all the same everywhere. Having said that, you are a tourist and you end up in such places because they are convenient--and not because they are memorable.
After lunch, AlteCocker went to the La Scala Museum. La Scala is down in August because the subscribers are all on vacation. AlteCocker found the museum somewhat disappointing. She wouldn't bother with it if she had known that it did not include a look at the interior of the house. It is mainly just paintings and sculptures of famous maestros and divas. When AlteCocker stated in the shop that she had not seen Verdi, the individual at the counter did take her back in to see Verdi's death mask and a piece of his hair. OK, thanks, but she would have rather had a tour of the house. It was not available. On the plus side there was no queue for tickets.
Then there was the Duomo. The queue to purchase tickets had disappated, so AlteCocker bought one that included the elevator to the roof. She no longer climbs stairs to the roofs or domes of such buildings. After all, she will be 70 next October and just had back surgery. While her back is improved, her back is still a problem. For those of you willing to climb stairs to save a few euros, go right ahead. She is not part of that club. Where there is an elevator, she takes it. If she doesn't see one, she asks. There is nothing wrong if AlteCockers do this.
However, AlteCockerdom does not mean avoiding queues, and there was a 45 minute queue for the elevator. It would have been nice to have chairs, but there weren't any, so AlteCocker leaned on her hiking pole, leaned against the wall, etc. Eventually, she got to the elevator and went up. The roof was a fantastic experience but does involve a lot of stairs even if one takes the elevator. The experience really knocked the wind out of AlteCocker but she did go up to the very top. At the very top, except for the center, it's steep and AlteCocker did not walk around. She sat down and took a few photos, but she was, quite frankly, afraid of falling, so she watched less intimidated and younger folks hop around like mountain goats. The bad news is you have to go down the same way you got up. Lots of steps down and this side of exhaustion combined with sore back. You end up on the opposite side of the Duomo from where you went up. Definitely worth it although it will be the last cathedral AlteCocker does on this trip--and maybe ever.
Coming down, there was another huge queue to get into the church on the main level--and she had had a glimpse of it from above. Was she going to go? First, there was the gelato stop--and never mind downing a bottle of water. She lingered over her gelato concoction (also unmemorable but convenient) and finally was about to join the queue when a lovely young woman connected to the tourist office took her under her wing. She took AlteCocker under her wing and, boom, she was not obliged to stand in the queue. She was in the church.
The church inside was not as spectacular as the roof, but AlteCocker was glad she did it. However, in the morning she had put on her black dress noting warnings about shorts, bare shoulders, etc. However, they were not concerned about anything other than bare shoulders. The dress was unnecessary, so just watch bare shoulders. Some people were given cover ups to go into the church. AlteCocker could have worn shorts and avoided a load of laundry before her trip to Verona because she needs her black dress for the opera there. So, there really is no effort to toss out people with shorts or bare shoulders. They make accommodation.
Then it was back to the car on the Metro and the drive "home". The drive back was considerably shorter than the drive there (no diversion to the unfindable Merone train station). She went directly into the shower and then slept for 3 hours before she had the energy to do the blog. An exhausting, but ultimately fullfilling day.
August 7, 2016: Lake Orta
Why Lake Orta? AlteCocker saw a nice recommendation of it in Rick Steves' Italy book. She initially thought that it was one of the 3 little lakes near where she is living in Garbanate Monasterio. It obviously was not. In fact, it was West of Lake Maggiore—where AlteCocker had no intention of going because it was too far. Sometimes you just plug in the GPS, put in a destination and go.
In addition to doing a long drive this was a late start day. There was a morning of killing a lot of ants in the home exchange kitchen. AlteCocker send out an SOS to the home exchange family because she had no idea where the ant spray was. The ants invaded overnight and even got into one of AlteCocker's medications. Not good. Fortunately, it is a medication AlteCocker is not likely to use because it is now tossed. Maybe there was sugar in those pills because the ants seemed to love them.
Anyway, after slamming ants and putting the medication bag in the fridge, AlteCocker put “Orta San Giulio” in the GPS; Orta San Giulio is the main town on the lake and the hub of tourism. 74 km? Seemed rather far for a nearby lake, but what the hell. So, she set off. It wasn't than many kilometers but some of the roads were, well, “interesting”--you know the twisty turny roads with one narrow lane on each side. On the positive side, there were terrific views of the alps but nowhere to park to take photos. Bah! Finally, she arrived and found the paid parking (always uphill, with a downhill walk to the lake, vendors, boats and food)--meaning an uphill journey afterward. There is never free parking in these places.
AlteCocker parked herself at the usual mediocre place next to the boat dock with a nice view. The attraction of Lake Orta is that it is relatively untouristed. She met only one other set of Americans—refugees from a conference in Turin—all day. There were many Italians and French but relatively few of the other nationalities. Orta would be sort of quiet if you were vacationing with children—although certainly having an over abundance of gelato joints. Gelato was, in fact, what AlteCocker had for lunch because it was too late for a mediocre pizza. Gelato is not a bad lunch. AlteCocker had a concoction with hazelnut and vanilla with a bacio candy on top; true to form with lakeside restaurants, it was nothing great, but it was a valued seat. No tap water was offered. That is another scam in a lot of places in Italy. They make you buy bottled water. What the heck, you are on vacation.
Then a boat was leaving for Isola d'Orta. This island in the middle of the lake is inhabited. The journey took about 10 minutes. The island is known as the island of silence. It has one bar/cafe and AlteCocker wishes she had known before going over to the island because she would have eaten there. All the tourists sort of ruined any thought of silence. The church, devoted to San Guilio d'Orta, features his body in the usual glass “casket”, but the real star in the church were some medieval frescos. The more modern artwork was “meh” but the frescos were very good indeed. Unfortunately, no photos allowed.
AlteCocker bought a fridge magnet from a lady who runs a tschotschke shop on the island and that was her only purchase of the day. Then it was up the hill, liberate the car, and head home. Aside from losing about 15 minutes to some traffic construction not recognized by the GPS, there were no major problems. She likes to finish driving before it gets dark. After dark, there are bound to be more problems when you really don't know where you are.
Dinner was nada. AlteCocker had a can of ant spray on the door in a plastic bag. Once she figured out how the spray worked, she worked over the kitchen and, upon instructions from her home exchange family, the doors to the garden. Tomorrow is AlteCocker's 2 day trip to the opera festival in Verona. She would not want to come home to thousands of ants after the operatic diversion is over.
There will be a sub blog for Verona. So check here.
But, ugh, she had to do laundry. AlteCocker got a note from the opera festival folks saying that upscale dress was required in the reserved seats. Her one dress, which was used yesterday in Milan due to the Duomo visit, was in the wash. She was going to wear shorts. Guess not. The interminable European washer is now cleaning her dress (and her other dirty duds). She will have to hang everything up before going to bed.
In addition to doing a long drive this was a late start day. There was a morning of killing a lot of ants in the home exchange kitchen. AlteCocker send out an SOS to the home exchange family because she had no idea where the ant spray was. The ants invaded overnight and even got into one of AlteCocker's medications. Not good. Fortunately, it is a medication AlteCocker is not likely to use because it is now tossed. Maybe there was sugar in those pills because the ants seemed to love them.
Anyway, after slamming ants and putting the medication bag in the fridge, AlteCocker put “Orta San Giulio” in the GPS; Orta San Giulio is the main town on the lake and the hub of tourism. 74 km? Seemed rather far for a nearby lake, but what the hell. So, she set off. It wasn't than many kilometers but some of the roads were, well, “interesting”--you know the twisty turny roads with one narrow lane on each side. On the positive side, there were terrific views of the alps but nowhere to park to take photos. Bah! Finally, she arrived and found the paid parking (always uphill, with a downhill walk to the lake, vendors, boats and food)--meaning an uphill journey afterward. There is never free parking in these places.
AlteCocker parked herself at the usual mediocre place next to the boat dock with a nice view. The attraction of Lake Orta is that it is relatively untouristed. She met only one other set of Americans—refugees from a conference in Turin—all day. There were many Italians and French but relatively few of the other nationalities. Orta would be sort of quiet if you were vacationing with children—although certainly having an over abundance of gelato joints. Gelato was, in fact, what AlteCocker had for lunch because it was too late for a mediocre pizza. Gelato is not a bad lunch. AlteCocker had a concoction with hazelnut and vanilla with a bacio candy on top; true to form with lakeside restaurants, it was nothing great, but it was a valued seat. No tap water was offered. That is another scam in a lot of places in Italy. They make you buy bottled water. What the heck, you are on vacation.
Then a boat was leaving for Isola d'Orta. This island in the middle of the lake is inhabited. The journey took about 10 minutes. The island is known as the island of silence. It has one bar/cafe and AlteCocker wishes she had known before going over to the island because she would have eaten there. All the tourists sort of ruined any thought of silence. The church, devoted to San Guilio d'Orta, features his body in the usual glass “casket”, but the real star in the church were some medieval frescos. The more modern artwork was “meh” but the frescos were very good indeed. Unfortunately, no photos allowed.
AlteCocker bought a fridge magnet from a lady who runs a tschotschke shop on the island and that was her only purchase of the day. Then it was up the hill, liberate the car, and head home. Aside from losing about 15 minutes to some traffic construction not recognized by the GPS, there were no major problems. She likes to finish driving before it gets dark. After dark, there are bound to be more problems when you really don't know where you are.
Dinner was nada. AlteCocker had a can of ant spray on the door in a plastic bag. Once she figured out how the spray worked, she worked over the kitchen and, upon instructions from her home exchange family, the doors to the garden. Tomorrow is AlteCocker's 2 day trip to the opera festival in Verona. She would not want to come home to thousands of ants after the operatic diversion is over.
There will be a sub blog for Verona. So check here.
But, ugh, she had to do laundry. AlteCocker got a note from the opera festival folks saying that upscale dress was required in the reserved seats. Her one dress, which was used yesterday in Milan due to the Duomo visit, was in the wash. She was going to wear shorts. Guess not. The interminable European washer is now cleaning her dress (and her other dirty duds). She will have to hang everything up before going to bed.
August 11, 2016: Barzio: Lunch in the Hills
No this blog is not missing days. August 8-10 were involved in visiting Verona and seeing "Aida" during the summer opera festival in the Arena there. There is a sub blog for the side trip, so check there.
Today the thought was to eat at the one restaurant in Garbanato Monasterio, Moltera, but, alas, the restaurant was closed for the month of August. You know the Europeans, vacations come before money because their regular clientelle is away. So, that was out.
AlteCocker had this idea to go to a concert in a place called Barzio that was supposed to take place at 6:30pm, so why not go there and have a long lunch? This decision was arrived at after several false starts and diversions, but eventually AlteCocker found herself high in the hills above Lake Como installing the car in a paid parking in Barzio. She ate lunch at La Locanda di Miro in the main square of Barzio. She had steak because that was the restaurant's speciality. She was able to tell the waiter that she wanted steak but not some enormous stake dish. What she got was strips of steak on a sizzlling platter with salad and cheese on top. It was quite good but the steak got too cooked sitting on the mini grill while AlteCocker ate it. Nevertheless she was satisfied, but not so satisfied that she did not have dessert. The waiter suggested tiramisu--a dessert that appears on every Italian menu in Italy (and in the US). She ordered a semi freddo (basically ice cream) with an "affogato"--when you see that word "affogato" that means they give you a shot of expresso to pour over it. It has become AlteCocker's dessert of choice in Italy because she has never seen it on a menu in the US (hint, hint). Then, for the ultimate finish, she had a "cafe correcto"--coffee with the Italian liquor grappa. Her friend Tom introduced her to that delight several months ago during her stay in Chiang Mai. She is throughly addicted to it and has thinked about him a lot while drinking a few cafe correctos. AlteCocker thinks the waiter finally got the message that AlteCocker knows her way around a bit of Italian menus by this time. After all, it is not her first trip to Italy, although her last one was a disaster.
After lunch, she had a decision to make. Either wait 2 hours until the tourist office opened after the lunch break or give up on the concert. Her GPS did not recognize the location and only one person sort of gave her directions in Barzio. He said it wasn't in Barzio (despite the listing in the brochure), but in a neighboring town. She sat around for awhile reading a couple of books on her Kindle but eventually just bagged the whole thing and returned to the house. It took a lot less time to get "home" than it did to go because AlteCocker did not make diversions. She was back home at 5:00pm.
Please note this day trip involved a somewhat arduous drive up into the mountains through tunnels and roads with steep grades. Going down there were a lot of smelly brakes and ultimately a stopped truck whose driver was pouring water on various bits of his truck with a 1 liter bottle creating a traffic jam. AlteCocker has a lot of experience with manual driving and has not stalled the car out at all, but, if you are new to manual driving, don't do this drive until you are 100% comfortable with the car.
Today the thought was to eat at the one restaurant in Garbanato Monasterio, Moltera, but, alas, the restaurant was closed for the month of August. You know the Europeans, vacations come before money because their regular clientelle is away. So, that was out.
AlteCocker had this idea to go to a concert in a place called Barzio that was supposed to take place at 6:30pm, so why not go there and have a long lunch? This decision was arrived at after several false starts and diversions, but eventually AlteCocker found herself high in the hills above Lake Como installing the car in a paid parking in Barzio. She ate lunch at La Locanda di Miro in the main square of Barzio. She had steak because that was the restaurant's speciality. She was able to tell the waiter that she wanted steak but not some enormous stake dish. What she got was strips of steak on a sizzlling platter with salad and cheese on top. It was quite good but the steak got too cooked sitting on the mini grill while AlteCocker ate it. Nevertheless she was satisfied, but not so satisfied that she did not have dessert. The waiter suggested tiramisu--a dessert that appears on every Italian menu in Italy (and in the US). She ordered a semi freddo (basically ice cream) with an "affogato"--when you see that word "affogato" that means they give you a shot of expresso to pour over it. It has become AlteCocker's dessert of choice in Italy because she has never seen it on a menu in the US (hint, hint). Then, for the ultimate finish, she had a "cafe correcto"--coffee with the Italian liquor grappa. Her friend Tom introduced her to that delight several months ago during her stay in Chiang Mai. She is throughly addicted to it and has thinked about him a lot while drinking a few cafe correctos. AlteCocker thinks the waiter finally got the message that AlteCocker knows her way around a bit of Italian menus by this time. After all, it is not her first trip to Italy, although her last one was a disaster.
After lunch, she had a decision to make. Either wait 2 hours until the tourist office opened after the lunch break or give up on the concert. Her GPS did not recognize the location and only one person sort of gave her directions in Barzio. He said it wasn't in Barzio (despite the listing in the brochure), but in a neighboring town. She sat around for awhile reading a couple of books on her Kindle but eventually just bagged the whole thing and returned to the house. It took a lot less time to get "home" than it did to go because AlteCocker did not make diversions. She was back home at 5:00pm.
Please note this day trip involved a somewhat arduous drive up into the mountains through tunnels and roads with steep grades. Going down there were a lot of smelly brakes and ultimately a stopped truck whose driver was pouring water on various bits of his truck with a 1 liter bottle creating a traffic jam. AlteCocker has a lot of experience with manual driving and has not stalled the car out at all, but, if you are new to manual driving, don't do this drive until you are 100% comfortable with the car.
August 12, 2016: Milan again: Sforza Castle Museums
Well, it was time to knock off another site in Milan. The one selected was the Sforza Castle--which has been turned into a series of museums. This time, AlteCocker decided to try and find the Merone train station, leave the car there and take the train from there. Be sure to have small change for your ticket if you go into Milan from Merone in August. The ticket seller is on holiday through the end of August. Fortunately AlteCocker had small money, but, should she use the train station again, she will be sure to have pocket change.
Getting into Milan from Merone Station was a slow ride on a local train. It stopped at every station. Eventually arrival was at Cadorna Station. AlteCocker looked around and couldn't see Sforza Castle--which the map showed as being adjacent to the station. The moment AlteCocker asked, of course, someone pointed and she could see it. It was a case of "If it had teeth, it would bite you."
There are not a lot of restaurants immediately around Cadorna Station--at least that AlteCocker saw. So, she trundled into the castle, searched for the ticket office, bought a day ticket (5 euros for regular people and 3 euros for students and AlteCockers), and headed for the castle restaurant. There she had a salad that included tunafish and polished it off with a pistachio gelato and an expresso coffee. When no one was looking, she poured most of her expresso shot over the gelato and made her own affogato.
Then it was off to see what there was to be seen. There area a series of museums at the castle. AlteCocker did not have the energy to see all of them. She saw the Picture Gallery, Museum of Ancient Art, and Museum of Decorative Arts. She did have the Museum of Musical Instruments on her list, but never got there. Don't get upset here thinking that AlteCocker missed Michelangelo's last unfinished Pieta. Of course, AlteCocker saw that. That polished off the day.
Then it was back on the train to Merone. The drive home from the station was considerably shorter than it was going there, but still not without wrong turns. The infuriating thing is some of those wrong turns had been made by AlteCocker before. One would think she would learn. Sigh. In any event, when she got home, it was time to face the accumulating pile of dirty clothes and do the blog.
Getting into Milan from Merone Station was a slow ride on a local train. It stopped at every station. Eventually arrival was at Cadorna Station. AlteCocker looked around and couldn't see Sforza Castle--which the map showed as being adjacent to the station. The moment AlteCocker asked, of course, someone pointed and she could see it. It was a case of "If it had teeth, it would bite you."
There are not a lot of restaurants immediately around Cadorna Station--at least that AlteCocker saw. So, she trundled into the castle, searched for the ticket office, bought a day ticket (5 euros for regular people and 3 euros for students and AlteCockers), and headed for the castle restaurant. There she had a salad that included tunafish and polished it off with a pistachio gelato and an expresso coffee. When no one was looking, she poured most of her expresso shot over the gelato and made her own affogato.
Then it was off to see what there was to be seen. There area a series of museums at the castle. AlteCocker did not have the energy to see all of them. She saw the Picture Gallery, Museum of Ancient Art, and Museum of Decorative Arts. She did have the Museum of Musical Instruments on her list, but never got there. Don't get upset here thinking that AlteCocker missed Michelangelo's last unfinished Pieta. Of course, AlteCocker saw that. That polished off the day.
Then it was back on the train to Merone. The drive home from the station was considerably shorter than it was going there, but still not without wrong turns. The infuriating thing is some of those wrong turns had been made by AlteCocker before. One would think she would learn. Sigh. In any event, when she got home, it was time to face the accumulating pile of dirty clothes and do the blog.
August 13, 2016: Piani d'Erna
iToday's goal was to find the Lecco cable car and to take it. Who knew what the name of the damn thing was? Certainly AlteCocker had no clue. What she did know was that she was not going back to Milan until August 16th when she has a reservation for Leonardo's Last Supper. Milan takes a lot of energy. It is far easier to see the sights around where the house is out in the countryside than to deal with the intricacies of getting into the big city every day.
So, she sets out for Lecco trying to enter "Lecco cable car" into the GPS. No luck there. She goes this way; she goes that way. Still no luck. Finally, she sees a sign that says Piani d'Erna with a picture of a cable car. She turns off the GPS and follows the signs and finally she arrives. Parking is 2 euros, but can be free if you want to forage and walk, but AlteCocker is an AlteCocker and pays the 2 euros for convenience. It was 8 euros for the cable car (AlteCocker thinks she got a 1 euro discount for being an AlteCocker but is not certain. The cable car only runs about every half hour so there is a wait, but AlteCocker soon arrives and gets some nice views. The mountains in the area--really a continuation of the Alps but on the east side of them are known as "The Dolomites". There is no snow on top but pretty spectacular anyway. AlteCocker wonders how people with homes in the mountains bring supplies in. Doesn't look as if there are lots of roads--and the ones that exist are brake burners going down.
As is usual at the top of anything, there's a restaurant. The menu is, of course, only in Italian. Uno problemo per mei. It's a problem for me. While Italian desserts use the exact same words in English, the main courses do not and some are very different from what is available in the US. Finally, with some help from people from the next table and a waitress who knew restaurant English--more or less--AlteCocker orders pizzoccheri. This is not a little pizza. It is a local specialty left over from impoverished days of yore and consists of pasta, potatoes and cheese--lots of cheese. AlteCocker's home exchangers said she should try it at some point and so she does. It's OK, but, of course, a bit heavy. She has a glass of red wine with lunch, as it will be a bit before she has to drive. She skips the cafe correcto and just orders coffee and a sort of coffee frappe (but much smaller than a milkshake) for dessert. Total was about 12.50 euros. There are plenty of walks available from Erna but AlteCocker really is not up for doing one of them. Her back aches and pains have returned--even if in lower gear. So she descends in the cable car and finds getting home much easier than getting to the cable car. For once, she does not make any wrong turns. She is learning--slowly.
So, she sets out for Lecco trying to enter "Lecco cable car" into the GPS. No luck there. She goes this way; she goes that way. Still no luck. Finally, she sees a sign that says Piani d'Erna with a picture of a cable car. She turns off the GPS and follows the signs and finally she arrives. Parking is 2 euros, but can be free if you want to forage and walk, but AlteCocker is an AlteCocker and pays the 2 euros for convenience. It was 8 euros for the cable car (AlteCocker thinks she got a 1 euro discount for being an AlteCocker but is not certain. The cable car only runs about every half hour so there is a wait, but AlteCocker soon arrives and gets some nice views. The mountains in the area--really a continuation of the Alps but on the east side of them are known as "The Dolomites". There is no snow on top but pretty spectacular anyway. AlteCocker wonders how people with homes in the mountains bring supplies in. Doesn't look as if there are lots of roads--and the ones that exist are brake burners going down.
As is usual at the top of anything, there's a restaurant. The menu is, of course, only in Italian. Uno problemo per mei. It's a problem for me. While Italian desserts use the exact same words in English, the main courses do not and some are very different from what is available in the US. Finally, with some help from people from the next table and a waitress who knew restaurant English--more or less--AlteCocker orders pizzoccheri. This is not a little pizza. It is a local specialty left over from impoverished days of yore and consists of pasta, potatoes and cheese--lots of cheese. AlteCocker's home exchangers said she should try it at some point and so she does. It's OK, but, of course, a bit heavy. She has a glass of red wine with lunch, as it will be a bit before she has to drive. She skips the cafe correcto and just orders coffee and a sort of coffee frappe (but much smaller than a milkshake) for dessert. Total was about 12.50 euros. There are plenty of walks available from Erna but AlteCocker really is not up for doing one of them. Her back aches and pains have returned--even if in lower gear. So she descends in the cable car and finds getting home much easier than getting to the cable car. For once, she does not make any wrong turns. She is learning--slowly.
August 14, 2016: From Lecco to Bellagio
AlteCocker is getting tired--which means she is sleeping in too late. She tries to have a lunch at a recommended restaurant without success. Many places are closed for August and almost everything is closed this week. August 15th is a huge holiday in Roman Catholic countries. Last year in Spain, she saw a religous procession. She hasn't seen one advertised around here, but that does not mean people aren't away. Almost everyone's vacation includes this week. The holiday is known as Ferraugusto. As soon as this week is over, people begin to go home after vacation and prepare for the start of the school year and the return to work. So many restaurants are closed because the locals are away.
After striking out on the restaurant, AlteCocker realizes she is near the Colzani gelato place--which also serves food. So she goes there for a light breakfast and then heads for Lecco. The goal is to see Lake Como from Lecco and, if possible, take a long boat ride to Bellagio. She previously visited Bellagio from Varenna, but she didn't have a lot of time there and, besides, a boat ride is nice. Fortunately she arrives in time for the 3:00pm boat. It takes about 1 1/2 hours to get to Bellagio with plenty of time for photos. That gives AlteCocker about 1 1/2 hours to explore Bellagio. She walks up most of the stairs to the top of the main street. The big purchase was a t-shirt from Bellagion for 16 euros. T-shirts are expensive in Europe so you have to ration your purchases. You can't buy a bunch, as you do in SE Asia, where they are $3 each.
Then there is the boat ride back to Lecco. She has some concern that the parking lot she was in was limited to 2 hours, but there was no problem. Parking cost 6 euros. AlteCocker's philosophy is that convenience is worth the price when on a vacation. She probably would feel differently at home.
Then it was time to go back to the home exchange house. AlteCocker decided to have a decent dinner. She stops at a restaurant called Birra e Brace just off the exit for Garbanate Monasterio. It was a good choice. AlteCocker had steak, a glass of wine and a banana mousse concoction for dessert. The place was full of people with babies. The pizza in the restaurant looked pretty good too. Maybe, if there is a next time. The steak was pretty good too and cooked rare as AlteCocker likes it.
Then it was time to go home in the dark--and AlteCocker had to go home a different way because she couldn't exit the parking lot for the restaurant so she could go home the usual way. The GPS did do its work and she soon realized where she was.
After striking out on the restaurant, AlteCocker realizes she is near the Colzani gelato place--which also serves food. So she goes there for a light breakfast and then heads for Lecco. The goal is to see Lake Como from Lecco and, if possible, take a long boat ride to Bellagio. She previously visited Bellagio from Varenna, but she didn't have a lot of time there and, besides, a boat ride is nice. Fortunately she arrives in time for the 3:00pm boat. It takes about 1 1/2 hours to get to Bellagio with plenty of time for photos. That gives AlteCocker about 1 1/2 hours to explore Bellagio. She walks up most of the stairs to the top of the main street. The big purchase was a t-shirt from Bellagion for 16 euros. T-shirts are expensive in Europe so you have to ration your purchases. You can't buy a bunch, as you do in SE Asia, where they are $3 each.
Then there is the boat ride back to Lecco. She has some concern that the parking lot she was in was limited to 2 hours, but there was no problem. Parking cost 6 euros. AlteCocker's philosophy is that convenience is worth the price when on a vacation. She probably would feel differently at home.
Then it was time to go back to the home exchange house. AlteCocker decided to have a decent dinner. She stops at a restaurant called Birra e Brace just off the exit for Garbanate Monasterio. It was a good choice. AlteCocker had steak, a glass of wine and a banana mousse concoction for dessert. The place was full of people with babies. The pizza in the restaurant looked pretty good too. Maybe, if there is a next time. The steak was pretty good too and cooked rare as AlteCocker likes it.
Then it was time to go home in the dark--and AlteCocker had to go home a different way because she couldn't exit the parking lot for the restaurant so she could go home the usual way. The GPS did do its work and she soon realized where she was.
August 15, 2016: Ferragusto and a Scenic Lunch
The great mid August holiday, Ferragusto, is upon us. AlteCocker gets awakened by booming church bells. It is, after all, a religious holiday that celebrates Mary's Ascension into heaven--hence the church bells.
For once AlteCocker got out of bed at a reasonable hour (meaning before noon) and headed over to the town of Como on Lake Como's left foot. Como is a bit nicer than Lecco. There is a bit more parking than at Lecco, but a lot more car. The most convenient lot is full so AlteCocker just keeps driving along the outside of the left leg. It takes you above the lake and you can see the houses chaotically stepped below. Eventually she finds Henry's Bar at the Hotel Bersagliere tucked up along the left side of the road. With great views of Lake Como and adequate parking, it becomes the lunch stop. The food was so so but the view was to die for (which is not reflected in the photos which fail to capture the scene). The dessert tiramisu was obviously not home made as it was still partially frozen. Main course was salmon. They were not big on fish from the lake. Nevertheless, with the view to die for, the food begin just average did not matter. AlteCocker orders a glass of white wine. By the time she returned to the home exchange, she was sleepy. Not good. She knows better than that. You drink when you know you are not going to be driving. Anyway, all is well that ends well.
After a 2 hour nap, AlteCocker was ready to do the blog and absolutely nothing for the rest of the day.
For once AlteCocker got out of bed at a reasonable hour (meaning before noon) and headed over to the town of Como on Lake Como's left foot. Como is a bit nicer than Lecco. There is a bit more parking than at Lecco, but a lot more car. The most convenient lot is full so AlteCocker just keeps driving along the outside of the left leg. It takes you above the lake and you can see the houses chaotically stepped below. Eventually she finds Henry's Bar at the Hotel Bersagliere tucked up along the left side of the road. With great views of Lake Como and adequate parking, it becomes the lunch stop. The food was so so but the view was to die for (which is not reflected in the photos which fail to capture the scene). The dessert tiramisu was obviously not home made as it was still partially frozen. Main course was salmon. They were not big on fish from the lake. Nevertheless, with the view to die for, the food begin just average did not matter. AlteCocker orders a glass of white wine. By the time she returned to the home exchange, she was sleepy. Not good. She knows better than that. You drink when you know you are not going to be driving. Anyway, all is well that ends well.
After a 2 hour nap, AlteCocker was ready to do the blog and absolutely nothing for the rest of the day.
august 16, 2016: "The Last Supper"
AlteCocker can now die comfortably for she has seen Davinci's "Last Supper" on the wall of the refectory of the convent adjacent to Santa Maria della Grazie. Let me tell you, should your travels take you to Milan, go through all the hassle (advance reservations are a must) and do this. AlteCocker has seen a lot of art in her travels--including the Sistine Chapel (Rome is not on the itinerary this time except to catch the plane to go home)--but the experience of seeing this painting just blew her away. It is a painting everyone knows. It is, by the way, a painting not a fresco--which is why it has been so difficult to preserve. Do not walk over to the entrance expecting to score a ticket because AlteCocker saw a lot of disappointed people. You must make the reservation ahead of time. It is easy to do online, but even AlteCocker did not immediately score a reservation two months before going. She had to check a lot of different dates. If you are desperate, you can take a guided tour with a private company (They book up most of the tickets and then charge people through the roof; everyone has to make a living). You don't have to do that if you plan in advance--well in advance.
AlteCocker took the train from Merone Station near where her home exchange is to Milan Cadorna. Cadorna is the nearest train station--and Metro--to the painting. As usual, it was pointless to ask for directions. A "helpful" policeman took AlteCocker to train information in the station when she asked him to point her in the direction. She had a map, but a map only helps after you are orientated as to direction. She thanked the policeman and then walked outside the station and there was a directional sign. But first there was a stop for gelato and then later for lunch as AlteCocker's intention to see other sights before her 4:15pm rendezvous with DaVinci.
Lunch was at Chic & Go at Piazza Virgilio 4. They specialize in beef tartare. No, AlteCocker didn't order that but she did have marinated strips of roast beef (marinated, not cooked) on a delicious sandwich. While AlteCocker only had water, the small restaurant does make its own juices. On reflection some real orange juice would have been nice. As those of you who have been to Europe know, the "juice" in Europe often isn't the real thing. At Chic & Go, when you pick out your sandwich, they then present a bread basket and you pick the sort of bread you want. The sandwich was delicious and what the others in the restaurant were eating looked good as well. The restaurant does a large take out business as well, so, if you stay in the area around Cadorna Station, this might be an option when you don't want pasta or pizza--or a heavy meal. AlteCocker did have sorbet for dessert at the restaurant but would not rate that as high as the sandwich. The portion was enormous and she did not finish it (of course she had a small gelato not to much beforehand, but, hey, when in Milan. . . .).
Then it was off to Santa Maria della Grazie, but, wait, AlteCocker stopped at Leonardo's Vineyard--a watering hole/souvenir shop that also offers tours of the house just behind which has recreated Leonardo's Vineyard in the gorgeous garden. AlteCocker was, however, just looking for a place to sit, so she ordered a bottle of water and sat. Others were doing likewise, before or after paying their respects to "The Last Supper"--which was just across the plaza in front of the church.
Then it was time to pick up her ticket. Upon Rick Steves' recommendation, AlteCocker, paid 3.50 euro extra for the acoustiguide. She played it immediately and then played some of the numbers a second time when actually before the painting. She joined the queue. You go through a series of small air conditioned areas before a door opens and you are there. AlteCocker was blown away from this experience. It rates right up there with the Sistine Chapel and Raphael's "School of Athens" in the Vatican Museum. The sign said no photos but everyone was taking photos and the custodians seemed to have given up enforcing the "no photo" rule. Yes, there were people taking selfies--something that AlteCocker does not understand. Do you have to prove you saw something by always putting yourself in the photo? AlteCocker just took a few of the painting itself and "The Last Judgment" fresco opposite "The Last Supper". If she takes too many photos, she will bore herself--never mind all of you.
Then it was a quick obligatory walk through the gift shop and out into hot Milan. AlteCocker walked around to the ticket office and returned her acoustiguide (and picked up her passport which was held hostage for its safe return). On the advice of the guy in the ticket office, AlteCocker walked back to Leonardo's Vineyard and took the tour of the house and vineyard. It was worth it since she was there anyway. She then walked through Santa Maria della Grazie.
All thought of doing anything else dissolved in the Milan heat--not to mention AlteCocker's back. So it was back to Cadorna Station to take the train "home". When she got there, she took a shower and then crawled into bed for 3 hours before doing the blog. As is true with any large city, Milan is exhausting.
AlteCocker took the train from Merone Station near where her home exchange is to Milan Cadorna. Cadorna is the nearest train station--and Metro--to the painting. As usual, it was pointless to ask for directions. A "helpful" policeman took AlteCocker to train information in the station when she asked him to point her in the direction. She had a map, but a map only helps after you are orientated as to direction. She thanked the policeman and then walked outside the station and there was a directional sign. But first there was a stop for gelato and then later for lunch as AlteCocker's intention to see other sights before her 4:15pm rendezvous with DaVinci.
Lunch was at Chic & Go at Piazza Virgilio 4. They specialize in beef tartare. No, AlteCocker didn't order that but she did have marinated strips of roast beef (marinated, not cooked) on a delicious sandwich. While AlteCocker only had water, the small restaurant does make its own juices. On reflection some real orange juice would have been nice. As those of you who have been to Europe know, the "juice" in Europe often isn't the real thing. At Chic & Go, when you pick out your sandwich, they then present a bread basket and you pick the sort of bread you want. The sandwich was delicious and what the others in the restaurant were eating looked good as well. The restaurant does a large take out business as well, so, if you stay in the area around Cadorna Station, this might be an option when you don't want pasta or pizza--or a heavy meal. AlteCocker did have sorbet for dessert at the restaurant but would not rate that as high as the sandwich. The portion was enormous and she did not finish it (of course she had a small gelato not to much beforehand, but, hey, when in Milan. . . .).
Then it was off to Santa Maria della Grazie, but, wait, AlteCocker stopped at Leonardo's Vineyard--a watering hole/souvenir shop that also offers tours of the house just behind which has recreated Leonardo's Vineyard in the gorgeous garden. AlteCocker was, however, just looking for a place to sit, so she ordered a bottle of water and sat. Others were doing likewise, before or after paying their respects to "The Last Supper"--which was just across the plaza in front of the church.
Then it was time to pick up her ticket. Upon Rick Steves' recommendation, AlteCocker, paid 3.50 euro extra for the acoustiguide. She played it immediately and then played some of the numbers a second time when actually before the painting. She joined the queue. You go through a series of small air conditioned areas before a door opens and you are there. AlteCocker was blown away from this experience. It rates right up there with the Sistine Chapel and Raphael's "School of Athens" in the Vatican Museum. The sign said no photos but everyone was taking photos and the custodians seemed to have given up enforcing the "no photo" rule. Yes, there were people taking selfies--something that AlteCocker does not understand. Do you have to prove you saw something by always putting yourself in the photo? AlteCocker just took a few of the painting itself and "The Last Judgment" fresco opposite "The Last Supper". If she takes too many photos, she will bore herself--never mind all of you.
Then it was a quick obligatory walk through the gift shop and out into hot Milan. AlteCocker walked around to the ticket office and returned her acoustiguide (and picked up her passport which was held hostage for its safe return). On the advice of the guy in the ticket office, AlteCocker walked back to Leonardo's Vineyard and took the tour of the house and vineyard. It was worth it since she was there anyway. She then walked through Santa Maria della Grazie.
All thought of doing anything else dissolved in the Milan heat--not to mention AlteCocker's back. So it was back to Cadorna Station to take the train "home". When she got there, she took a shower and then crawled into bed for 3 hours before doing the blog. As is true with any large city, Milan is exhausting.
August 17, 2016: Frescos and Rain in Clusone
AlteCocker's home exchangers have left her a brochure about a church in Clusone that has some interesting frescos. Since AlteCocker went to Milan yesterday, Milan was out for today. So, she headed for Clusone--past Bergamo in the mountains. It took about 1 1/2 hours. Note: the GPS sent her there by back roads and home a less scenic but faster route that included a bit of the autostrada she took when she went to Verona. No figuring out what the GPS does so long as she arrives.
Lots of pretty scenery and country roads on the way out. When she finally arrived she headed for a pastry/lunch place on the main road. She had some really large pasta with tomato sauce followed by another affogato for dessert. She did not take photos. How much can you look at food photos--especially when the food was not really interesting?
Then it was time to find the church were most of the interesting stuff was located. It was a case of down below and walking straight up, climbing stairs, etc., to reach the church on the top of the hill. By that time it was pouring rain. Fortunately, AlteCocker had grabbed her umbrella, but at the expense of her hiking pole. She simply cannot handle a hiking pole, purse, umbrella and camera at the same time. If the umbrella comes, the hiking pole has to stay behind or she will be flailing from carrying too much crap. She perhaps should have replaced her purse with her day backpack, but she did not know it was going to pour and it is such a pain to switch gear.
So, after lunch it was either go up in the rain or go home. Since she was 95% of the way there, she went up. Predictably an Italian, who must have had kin among mountain goats, told her it was only 5 minutes to the Church at the top of the hill. It took closer to 20-25 minutes and, predictably, the museum was closed for lunch when she arrived. The poor beknighted tourists were all hudling under various overhangs. Many had no umbrellas. Finally at 3:00pm the museum opened and AlteCocker was able to see a spectacular group of frescos on the life of Jesus. What she thought would be several frescos on "The Dance of Death" turned out to be one on the exterior of the Oratorio/Museum. The Basilica used to have a monastery or nunnery attached to it. That is long gone but the frescos are the town's claim to fame. The "dance of death" theme was very popular during the Middle Ages when many felt that the Black Death was a result of sin. Some even whipped themselves. People had no explanation for why so many were dying and it was their way of looking for a cure.
After photographing the "Dance of Death" exterior fresco, AlteCocker tucked into the Basilica for awhile to stay out of the rain--with a few other tourists doing the same thing. One couple asked AlteCocker where her car was parked. They had no umbrellas and were, no doubt, hoping against hope that AlteCocker had her car at the top of the hill and could give them a ride down. She would have gladly done so if she had been dumb enough to bring her car up the town's teeny streets, but her wheels were all the way down the hill too. AlteCocker passed the Piazza d'Horloge on the way down--where there is a large fresco of a clock that has obviously been "improved" by repainting and a lot of small pieces of other frescos. In fact many of the homes in the town have frescos on the exterior. It would have been nice on a sunny day, but it was less nice with the heavens not cooperating.
So, AlteCocker took a few photos and headed for home. When she got there, there would be wash to hang up and the blog to do. You can't control the weather on a holiday--or anywhere.
Lots of pretty scenery and country roads on the way out. When she finally arrived she headed for a pastry/lunch place on the main road. She had some really large pasta with tomato sauce followed by another affogato for dessert. She did not take photos. How much can you look at food photos--especially when the food was not really interesting?
Then it was time to find the church were most of the interesting stuff was located. It was a case of down below and walking straight up, climbing stairs, etc., to reach the church on the top of the hill. By that time it was pouring rain. Fortunately, AlteCocker had grabbed her umbrella, but at the expense of her hiking pole. She simply cannot handle a hiking pole, purse, umbrella and camera at the same time. If the umbrella comes, the hiking pole has to stay behind or she will be flailing from carrying too much crap. She perhaps should have replaced her purse with her day backpack, but she did not know it was going to pour and it is such a pain to switch gear.
So, after lunch it was either go up in the rain or go home. Since she was 95% of the way there, she went up. Predictably an Italian, who must have had kin among mountain goats, told her it was only 5 minutes to the Church at the top of the hill. It took closer to 20-25 minutes and, predictably, the museum was closed for lunch when she arrived. The poor beknighted tourists were all hudling under various overhangs. Many had no umbrellas. Finally at 3:00pm the museum opened and AlteCocker was able to see a spectacular group of frescos on the life of Jesus. What she thought would be several frescos on "The Dance of Death" turned out to be one on the exterior of the Oratorio/Museum. The Basilica used to have a monastery or nunnery attached to it. That is long gone but the frescos are the town's claim to fame. The "dance of death" theme was very popular during the Middle Ages when many felt that the Black Death was a result of sin. Some even whipped themselves. People had no explanation for why so many were dying and it was their way of looking for a cure.
After photographing the "Dance of Death" exterior fresco, AlteCocker tucked into the Basilica for awhile to stay out of the rain--with a few other tourists doing the same thing. One couple asked AlteCocker where her car was parked. They had no umbrellas and were, no doubt, hoping against hope that AlteCocker had her car at the top of the hill and could give them a ride down. She would have gladly done so if she had been dumb enough to bring her car up the town's teeny streets, but her wheels were all the way down the hill too. AlteCocker passed the Piazza d'Horloge on the way down--where there is a large fresco of a clock that has obviously been "improved" by repainting and a lot of small pieces of other frescos. In fact many of the homes in the town have frescos on the exterior. It would have been nice on a sunny day, but it was less nice with the heavens not cooperating.
So, AlteCocker took a few photos and headed for home. When she got there, there would be wash to hang up and the blog to do. You can't control the weather on a holiday--or anywhere.
August 18, 2016: Wet Clothes and Pinacoteca di Brera
One disadvantage of not having a dryer and hanging clothes on the line is what happens when it rains. AlteCocker was awakened in the wee hours with thunder rumbling outside but it was too late. The laundry got wet instead of dry--not dripping wet but it's still drying INSIDE as of this evening. Fortunately, she had something to wear and was not totally out of clothes. However, as a result of a blue t-shirt purchased in Bellagio, almost everything has a blue tinge. AlteCocker should have lowered the temperature on the machine. Fortunately, everything now blue (and AlteCocker has very blue underpants instead of flesh toned ones) is disposible clothing, so no big deal.
Getting back to sleep after the laundry disaster was difficult but AlteCocker did get over to the Merone train station in time to decent job on Milan's main Art Gallery, Pinacoteca di Brera. AlteCocker is using elevators when she can find them and it was not so easy to find them at the museum. However, the museum quickly redeemed itself. They had 2 motorized scooters. When AlteCocker asked if she could rent one, they said the were free. AlteCocker spent a good long time in the museum and it was made so much easier using one of those chairs with her back not being 100% from recent surgery. Almost everything except one small area with the two Canalettos was accessible. AlteCocker just drove right up but was always considerate of others viewing the paintings. She would hang back until they were done.
Most of the art is religious and all the great ones including Varenese and Rubens are represented. There is one small section of 60 odd works that was the result of a private collection that included a Picasso, Braque and Modigliani works. The acoustiguide was absolutely terrific and well worth the rental fee. Sitting in the chair not straining her back and getting educated made it an excellent 2 hours or so. At that point there was a gelato stop (a sandwich for lunch was earlier). Then it was time to go back on the train. The clothes had not finished drying when she got back but progress had been made. She did not put them back on the line because she did not need an extension of the wet laundry crisis.
The Brera is not a long walk from the Cadorna Train Staion. However, it was not 5 minutes as AlteCocker was assured by another helpful Italian. Even a fast walker would do it in 10-15. AlteCocker, of course, took longer.
Getting back to sleep after the laundry disaster was difficult but AlteCocker did get over to the Merone train station in time to decent job on Milan's main Art Gallery, Pinacoteca di Brera. AlteCocker is using elevators when she can find them and it was not so easy to find them at the museum. However, the museum quickly redeemed itself. They had 2 motorized scooters. When AlteCocker asked if she could rent one, they said the were free. AlteCocker spent a good long time in the museum and it was made so much easier using one of those chairs with her back not being 100% from recent surgery. Almost everything except one small area with the two Canalettos was accessible. AlteCocker just drove right up but was always considerate of others viewing the paintings. She would hang back until they were done.
Most of the art is religious and all the great ones including Varenese and Rubens are represented. There is one small section of 60 odd works that was the result of a private collection that included a Picasso, Braque and Modigliani works. The acoustiguide was absolutely terrific and well worth the rental fee. Sitting in the chair not straining her back and getting educated made it an excellent 2 hours or so. At that point there was a gelato stop (a sandwich for lunch was earlier). Then it was time to go back on the train. The clothes had not finished drying when she got back but progress had been made. She did not put them back on the line because she did not need an extension of the wet laundry crisis.
The Brera is not a long walk from the Cadorna Train Staion. However, it was not 5 minutes as AlteCocker was assured by another helpful Italian. Even a fast walker would do it in 10-15. AlteCocker, of course, took longer.
August 19, 2016: Pinocoteca Ambrosiana in Milan
Today AlteCocker decided to knock off the Pinocoteca Ambrosiana. So, for once she caught an earlier train because she finally figured out how to override the GPS so she could get to the Merone train station (the nearest train station) that didn't take forever. Back home has always been easy, but it took her awhile to figure out that she was getting off the wrong exit off the highway because that was how the GPS was telling her she should do it. The "trick" was going to the next exit. Then everything took 1/3 the time and did not include teeny one way streets. It goes along with "When you figure out how everything works, the home exchange is over." It is almost over.
So she got into Cadorna Station before noon and headed over by Metro's Cordusio Station to the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana--Milan's oldest museum--via a coffee shop advertising that it was "American". Lunch was a fancy coffee and a piece of excellent apple pie. It was also breakfast.
Then it was off to the museum. The museum is in an old library and the building itself is quite interesting. However, there was a major disappointment. AlteCocker arrived with Rick Steves' guidebook in hand. No mention that one of the things AlteCocker wanted to see, the Raphael cartoon for the School of Athens fresco is under restoration and cannot be seen. Many years ago AlteCocker spent an entire day at the Vatican Museum and was totally blown away by the fresco--which is in the area of the papal apartments (and easily missed if you are rushing headlong to get to the Sistine Chapel). To see the painting, click here. However, Raphael did not necessarily paint the fresco. It is thought that it was done by members of his workshop after the cartoon was transferred to the wall. Raphael did, however, do the cartoon. So the number one thing AlteCocker wanted to see in the museum was not on display. The cartoon has thousands of pin pricks which were used to transfer the design to the wall at the Vatican. Raphael died in his 30s--a real loss to the art world. Had he lived longer he might have been as well known as Michealangelo. After being mesmerized by the School of Athens at the Vatican, it was a downer not being able to see the cartoon. AlteCocker did watch a film on the restoration and saw the room where the work is being done, but, insofar as the cartoon is concerned, shit out of luck.
The museum does, however, have some other things to see including Leonardo's Portrait of a Musician and a Basket of Fruit by Caravaggio so all was not lost. Many of the paintings are, however, copies because the museum began as a teaching academy. There are some nice Brughels if you like him (and AlteCocker does).
There was no electric scooter chair but AlteCocker's back was doing better and was not a problem. Unfortunately, she could not get an acoustiguide because they were all taken by the time she entered the museum. There was a special exhibit of drawings Leonardo made of war machines at the end of the museum. The Caravaggio painting, which had been in the room with the unavailable cartoon, is in that room as well. No photos are allowed in the museum. AlteCocker did take two "legal" ones of the courtyard and one "illegal" one of the courtyard as well. The lighting of the paintings is just absolutely wonderful through much of the main area of the museum. Really, they show how it should be done. Of course, there is lots of religous art. For those who have not seen the "Last Supper" painting, there is a copy in the museum. It was ordered by Cardinal Borremeo when the problems with the original fresco were first noticed. It gives you an idea of the original colors.
After a couple of hours in the Ambrosiana, AlteCocker walked over to the Duomo and realized how small the central area of Milan was. She decided to take the hop on/hop off bus (she did A & C routes). The C route went out to the hippodrome where the huge reconstruction of Leonardo's horse is located. Unfortunately, it was impossible to photograph from the bus. The entire point of tour route C appears to be to cater to soccer fans who want to take the tour of the nearby Milan stadium. Not to many people on the bus were interested in the horse. AlteCocker should have just gone out there by Metro, but who knew? It will have to be a photo opportunity missed.
Then it was back to Merone train station and, yes, after that fabulous pizza last night, it was back to Biera & Brache to repeat it. By the way, they charge 50 euro cents for tap water. That was a new experience for AlteCocker but it's Europe. You don't get free soda refills anywhere.
So she got into Cadorna Station before noon and headed over by Metro's Cordusio Station to the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana--Milan's oldest museum--via a coffee shop advertising that it was "American". Lunch was a fancy coffee and a piece of excellent apple pie. It was also breakfast.
Then it was off to the museum. The museum is in an old library and the building itself is quite interesting. However, there was a major disappointment. AlteCocker arrived with Rick Steves' guidebook in hand. No mention that one of the things AlteCocker wanted to see, the Raphael cartoon for the School of Athens fresco is under restoration and cannot be seen. Many years ago AlteCocker spent an entire day at the Vatican Museum and was totally blown away by the fresco--which is in the area of the papal apartments (and easily missed if you are rushing headlong to get to the Sistine Chapel). To see the painting, click here. However, Raphael did not necessarily paint the fresco. It is thought that it was done by members of his workshop after the cartoon was transferred to the wall. Raphael did, however, do the cartoon. So the number one thing AlteCocker wanted to see in the museum was not on display. The cartoon has thousands of pin pricks which were used to transfer the design to the wall at the Vatican. Raphael died in his 30s--a real loss to the art world. Had he lived longer he might have been as well known as Michealangelo. After being mesmerized by the School of Athens at the Vatican, it was a downer not being able to see the cartoon. AlteCocker did watch a film on the restoration and saw the room where the work is being done, but, insofar as the cartoon is concerned, shit out of luck.
The museum does, however, have some other things to see including Leonardo's Portrait of a Musician and a Basket of Fruit by Caravaggio so all was not lost. Many of the paintings are, however, copies because the museum began as a teaching academy. There are some nice Brughels if you like him (and AlteCocker does).
There was no electric scooter chair but AlteCocker's back was doing better and was not a problem. Unfortunately, she could not get an acoustiguide because they were all taken by the time she entered the museum. There was a special exhibit of drawings Leonardo made of war machines at the end of the museum. The Caravaggio painting, which had been in the room with the unavailable cartoon, is in that room as well. No photos are allowed in the museum. AlteCocker did take two "legal" ones of the courtyard and one "illegal" one of the courtyard as well. The lighting of the paintings is just absolutely wonderful through much of the main area of the museum. Really, they show how it should be done. Of course, there is lots of religous art. For those who have not seen the "Last Supper" painting, there is a copy in the museum. It was ordered by Cardinal Borremeo when the problems with the original fresco were first noticed. It gives you an idea of the original colors.
After a couple of hours in the Ambrosiana, AlteCocker walked over to the Duomo and realized how small the central area of Milan was. She decided to take the hop on/hop off bus (she did A & C routes). The C route went out to the hippodrome where the huge reconstruction of Leonardo's horse is located. Unfortunately, it was impossible to photograph from the bus. The entire point of tour route C appears to be to cater to soccer fans who want to take the tour of the nearby Milan stadium. Not to many people on the bus were interested in the horse. AlteCocker should have just gone out there by Metro, but who knew? It will have to be a photo opportunity missed.
Then it was back to Merone train station and, yes, after that fabulous pizza last night, it was back to Biera & Brache to repeat it. By the way, they charge 50 euro cents for tap water. That was a new experience for AlteCocker but it's Europe. You don't get free soda refills anywhere.
August 20, 2016: Threatening skies and a Day off
The skies are threatening and the weather report is for thunderstorms. AlteCocker decides to do laundry and basically veg out. There are still things she has not seen in Milan, but, yes, she is tired. So it is time to have a nothing day. After all, tomorrow will be the drive to Genoa, getting the car situated in long term parking, and the night boat to Corsica. A day off is not a bad thing. So she catches up on political podcasts and puts the laundry in the wash. For obvious reasons, the laundry will be hung up in the house. The drive time to Genoa is only about 2 hours, but, since AlteCocker does not know where she is going and looking for parking will be a pain in the ass, she will allow much more time. Perhaps she will have time to look at something related to Columbus or a hop on/hop off tour if she gets there early. She does not have a cabin on the boat--which is a night boat to Bastia leaving at 10:00pm--because she would have had to purchase the whole damn cabin. Instead she will have to try to sleep in her seat--never much fun--but so it is. So she had better take it easy today to get ready for a stressful tomorrow--or at least that is her excuse.
August 27, 2016: When you Can't find what you Want
For those of you looking for August 21-26, 2016, AlteCocker was in Corsica. Now she is back at the home exchange.
For August 27 AlteCocker decided to go up to the Piani di Bobbio, another cable car. Following the GPS, however, was not correct. It led her on a road that was going to take her up the mountain itself. The road turned not so hot and AlteCocker turned around and stopped at a restaurant that she saw when she made the wrong turn, Belevedere. It is one of many restaurants with a great view and mediocre food. She enjoys the view, the food less. After doing some research after her wrong turn, she figures out what she did wrong and decides to try the Piani di Bobbio on the 28th. The 29th will be her last day at the home exchange--a day to pack, make sure she is leaving nothing behind and prepare for the train schlep to Venice where she will stay in an expensive hotel for 3 nights, so no big local sightseeing for August 29th. August 30th, the boyfriend of her home exchangers' oldest daughter will take her to the Lecco train station where she can get the train to Milan's Central Station and connect with a train to Venice. She has not advance booked the Venice train because she has no clue when she will get to the Central Station.
For August 27 AlteCocker decided to go up to the Piani di Bobbio, another cable car. Following the GPS, however, was not correct. It led her on a road that was going to take her up the mountain itself. The road turned not so hot and AlteCocker turned around and stopped at a restaurant that she saw when she made the wrong turn, Belevedere. It is one of many restaurants with a great view and mediocre food. She enjoys the view, the food less. After doing some research after her wrong turn, she figures out what she did wrong and decides to try the Piani di Bobbio on the 28th. The 29th will be her last day at the home exchange--a day to pack, make sure she is leaving nothing behind and prepare for the train schlep to Venice where she will stay in an expensive hotel for 3 nights, so no big local sightseeing for August 29th. August 30th, the boyfriend of her home exchangers' oldest daughter will take her to the Lecco train station where she can get the train to Milan's Central Station and connect with a train to Venice. She has not advance booked the Venice train because she has no clue when she will get to the Central Station.
August 28, 2016: Piani di Bobbio at Last
AlteCocker retraces her tracks of yesterday and, yes, she finally finds the cable car. It turns out to be just past Barzio where she looked for the concert and never found it earlier in the trip. There was a bit of driving back and forth but finally, there it was. There is plenty of parking but AlteCocker is too late to get into the closest parking lot. It is clear that fewer people go to the Piani di Bobbio than go to the Piani d'Erna.
Please be aware that the cable car does close down for lunch--an annoying custom interrupting tourism through much of Europe. In any event, for once AlteCocker gets going early in the morning and arrives at the cable car well in advance of the lunch break.
Getting to the top, AlteCocker chooses the second of the 3 restaurants and has a lunch that includes weird looking ravoli with meat inside. AlteCocker suspects it was donkey based on what someone else said. Whatever it was (mystery meat for sure), it tasted fine. She ordered it simply because it was labelled as a local dish and AlteCocker had never had it before. It was a small portion but sufficient for AlteCocker's lunch. Many Italians lunching were ordering huge plates of various ham based cold cuts and cheese. AlteCocker just had the pasta and what she was told was a yoghurt cake for dessert. The yoghurt cake was sort of dry even with the powdered sugar and chocolate sauce dribbled over it. Lunch finished with a coffee--an Italian expresso. She was asked about cafe Americano. Lord knows what she would have gotten had she asked for one. When in Rome, AlteCocker does order what the Romans order. American coffee she can get at home--and she will be home soon enough. Luch was a bargain at 11 euros.
After lunch AlteCocker walks down to the inevitable church on the Piani di Bobbio. Things are farther away than they look up there. By the time she gets close enough to take a photo of the church, AlteCocker's back is telling her she has over done it. She sits down for awhile on the grass and reads a book from her Kindle. Then it is time to walk back to the cable car. She takes a lot of photos. Beautiful scenery, but she decides that the scenery at at the Piani d'Erna was more dramatic. But, still, she wanted to go up the Piani di Bobbio and she did it. She might have stayed a bit longer just to relax, but the sky was threatening rain as she went down.
After doing the blog and showering, time for one last dinner at Bierra & Brache. AlteCocker had the same Bella Italia pizza she had the last time--just cheese and fresh tomatoes with a little bit of basil. What makes it yummy is the crust. AlteCocker definitely will miss that crust.
This will be the last day of heavy sightseeing from the home exchange home. It is time to pack up, do some cleaning and be prepared to leave early on the morning of August 30th. This home exchange is almost history.
Please be aware that the cable car does close down for lunch--an annoying custom interrupting tourism through much of Europe. In any event, for once AlteCocker gets going early in the morning and arrives at the cable car well in advance of the lunch break.
Getting to the top, AlteCocker chooses the second of the 3 restaurants and has a lunch that includes weird looking ravoli with meat inside. AlteCocker suspects it was donkey based on what someone else said. Whatever it was (mystery meat for sure), it tasted fine. She ordered it simply because it was labelled as a local dish and AlteCocker had never had it before. It was a small portion but sufficient for AlteCocker's lunch. Many Italians lunching were ordering huge plates of various ham based cold cuts and cheese. AlteCocker just had the pasta and what she was told was a yoghurt cake for dessert. The yoghurt cake was sort of dry even with the powdered sugar and chocolate sauce dribbled over it. Lunch finished with a coffee--an Italian expresso. She was asked about cafe Americano. Lord knows what she would have gotten had she asked for one. When in Rome, AlteCocker does order what the Romans order. American coffee she can get at home--and she will be home soon enough. Luch was a bargain at 11 euros.
After lunch AlteCocker walks down to the inevitable church on the Piani di Bobbio. Things are farther away than they look up there. By the time she gets close enough to take a photo of the church, AlteCocker's back is telling her she has over done it. She sits down for awhile on the grass and reads a book from her Kindle. Then it is time to walk back to the cable car. She takes a lot of photos. Beautiful scenery, but she decides that the scenery at at the Piani d'Erna was more dramatic. But, still, she wanted to go up the Piani di Bobbio and she did it. She might have stayed a bit longer just to relax, but the sky was threatening rain as she went down.
After doing the blog and showering, time for one last dinner at Bierra & Brache. AlteCocker had the same Bella Italia pizza she had the last time--just cheese and fresh tomatoes with a little bit of basil. What makes it yummy is the crust. AlteCocker definitely will miss that crust.
This will be the last day of heavy sightseeing from the home exchange home. It is time to pack up, do some cleaning and be prepared to leave early on the morning of August 30th. This home exchange is almost history.
August 30, 2016: Sorting Trash, packing Up
AlteCocker has brunch at Colziane--a vegetarian omelet that comes with carrots and green beans instead of onions, green peppers and mushrooms. Ahe asks for Cafe Americano just to see what they it is. They bring AlteCocker an expresso coffee in a larger cup than normal with a creamer size pitcher of hot water. Well, fair enough. She has gelato for dessert.
Then it is time to figure out the confusing trash. There isn't much but AlteCocker has these instructions to sort it into different colored plastic bags. She can't find the bags and she has looked through everything in the garage as instructed. She basically gives up. The instructions for the trash pick up (this kind of trash one day, that kind of trash another day and everything has to be in the proper colored bags), have left her clueless. In fact, she has been taking some of it with her and dumping it in public bins. In Garbaniate Monasterio it is picked up but AlteCocker has basically given up with the rigamarole. There isn't much left and she doesn't have the correct bags, so she leaves a small bin full of basically paper from all the brochures in the garage. She can't sort it without the special plastic bags. Dunno. Asking her home exchangers just elicits a response to follow the special instructions in the book--which is what she has been trying to do. She does find one bin for glass and puts glass in there but that is about it.
Then she decides to try and find a lake she has been passing on her way to the Merone train station. After a couple of false starts, she finds it. It is Lago di Pusiano. She had been seeing signs "al lago" on her way to the Merone train station and basically wanted to know what was there. In any other place, the lake would be a tourist attraction. It's actually quite large, but, compared to Como, it's a baby. There are at least two swimming areas but no lifeguards. Just a nice place for the locals to play--and they are playing. Actually one of the locals gave her another name for the lake (the name of the town Bosisio Parini). When she researched it online for the blog, she discovered its real name. There is limited free parking. The signs say you can stay only for an hour but I don't know if that is really the case. Lots of empty spots in the lot in the afternoon, but, then, the Italians have begun to go back to work today. AlteCocker did notice a couple of small factories here that were back at it after the usual August close up. Kids are out of school for another week.
Total kilometers driven it Italy were about 1920. AlteCocker drove over 2700 in Iceland. So combined it's about 4700 kilometers--or just under 3,000 miles. AlteCocker is happy she won't be doing any driving for the rest of the trip.
The laundry is in and AlteCocker has been to the ATM, so it is time to close out the blog and thank all of you for reading. Tomorrow morning AlteCocker has to be ready to roll at 7:30am for her ride to the Lecco train station. She'll change trains in Milan to go to Venice. It will be a day of luggage haulting, train rides and stress. For the next part of the trip, check the Venice blog.