Italian Odyssey - 15.

Our cruise left Venice on July 15. With three long blasts on the horn we pulled away from our berth at the Venice Cruise Terminal. Venice might be one of the world's great destinations, but getting around with luggage is a nightmare! The trip from the station to the cruise terminal had sounded so simple. Turn right, cross the new bridge, hop on the new people mover, and you will be there! The reality is, you drag your bag over 150 steps of the new bridge (why on earth would you include steps where people are dragging baggage!!), take your life in your hands crossing the bus station lanes, take the people mover, and drag your bag the final hundreds of metres to the pier! We were exhausted in the 34 degree heat! When finally on board, we met up with our niece Jillian, who has joined us for the last part of our holiday. She has been in Italy for around ten days doing her own tour. It is so nice to meet up with family when so far from home.

All that was forgotten, as at 4.00pm, with a cold drink in hand, we stood at the rail on deck 9, and watched Venice unfold in front of us as we slowly cruised the entire length of the canal, down past San Marco Square. It was just wonderful seeing all the famous buildings from our high vantage point. We could get a true perspective of Venice. What a way to start the cruise. Everyone is in a festive mood, and the atmosphere is just amazing. From here we have a full day & two nights of cruising, to get to know our ship, before arriving at our first port of call. We are sailing on the Holland America line's Nieuw Amsterdam, 86,000 tonnes of luxury. We have a veranda suite on deck 8. With a late booking, Jill is on deck 1, in an ocean view suite. Both are spacious & luxurious. One thing that is a given on any cruise, is the fact that you will eat too much! Lunch was being served when we boarded, and snacks were being handed out as we sailed away! That night, we decided to eat casually at the buffet, where we were given a multitude of choices. After dinner, we took in the show. It was extremely good, featuring the singers, dancers & band of the ship.

To give you an idea of the food options on board. On deck 8 is the Lido Buffet, where breakfast,  lunch & dinner is served every day. The main dinner option is on Decks 2 & 3, and is the Manhatten Dining  Room, where a full a la carte dinner is served every night. You can also be served sit down breakfast here, and on some days, lunch is also served. Around the two pools you can get burgers & pizzas. If that isn't sufficient, there are three Fine Dining options, where for a small extra fee, you can enjoy specialty themed restaurants. The Pinnacle is the signature restaurant serving steaks & seafood. There is Tamarind, high on deck 11, serving Asian food, and Canaletto serving traditional Italian food. We have all agreed to try all of the dining options during the cruise!

Our first port of call is Katakolon in Greece, where the main attraction is Olympia where the ancient Olympic Games began. At each port of call there are a number of shore excursions on offer from the ship. If you have an endless budget, your shore excursions can cost more than your cruise! From talking to friends, we have decided not to do the tour to Olympia, as the temple is now just ruins, and there is only a little to see. The four hour tours, start at US$75.00 per person. Our decision was vindicated by many we spoke to, who said it was pretty underwhelming & extremely hot. Instead, we wandered the streets of Katakolon, with its dozens of restaurants & shops. The shops are of a surprisingly high standard, with lots of jewellery & fashion on offer, as well as heaps of souvenirs. We had a nice lazy time, purchased some nice little items, and enjoyed a cool drink & free wifi, down by the harbour. That night, we decided to do one of the optional dining venues, and dined on delicious Asian dishes at Tamarind. The food was outstanding. We shared, but the menu was really more designed as individual meals. The flavours, and the presentation, were just wonderful, and the pace of service was just right. 

Next morning we arrived in Santorini. This was a change from our original itinerary. The captain had switched our stops at Santorini & Athens. Apparently the Captain had ascertained that our original itinerary would put us in Santorini with seven other ships! That would mean an extra 10 to 15,000 people. Thank God we changed, as we were there with only one other small cruise ship that arrived well after us. Santorini is the Greek Island everyone knows, with its white washed buildings & blue tiled roofs. There isn't a lot at Santorini, other than hotels, restaurants & shops, so we again opted not to do a ship's excursion. We anchored offshore and were tendered into the port of Fira. There are only two real towns on Santorini, Fira & Oia. In both cases, the town is perched high on the cliff above a harbour. In the case of Fira, there are three options to get to the top. The cable car, walk, or the donkey ride. We all decided on the cable car for the up journey. I did consider the donkey ride, but as I approached, they all started rushing to the back of the corral! I took pity & headed for the cable car. At the top, there is laneway after laneway, of shops & cafes. We wandered in and out of some lovely shops, before the girls spied the Fish Foot Spa. Next thing, we were sitting with our feet in tanks full of fish munching on the dead skin of our feet! I was fearful that the famous Anderson foot, may kill off the entire contents of my fish tank, but that wasn't to be! They survived, but looked pretty groggy! We floated out on rejuvenated feet, and decided to take the local bus over to Oia. At €1.60 each way, it was a bargain, and a great ride, getting to see a lot of the Island. We were told it was a 20 minute ride, but with traffic it took around 45 minutes. When we arrived, a quick look at the watch & the crowd waiting for a bus, made up our minds for us! Stay on the bus or risk missing the boat! 

Back in Fira we did a little more wandering and shopping, and Carolyn & I decided to do the donkey ride back down the hill. Jill was giving us the no way head shake, and headed for the cable car. We found the donkey guys, a bunch of mostly elderly Greeks who spoke little or no English. One took our money and walked along his line of donkeys, and soon we were mounted and heading down the track. It is very steep, and as you can imagine with hundreds of donkeys a day, the odour is quite pungent, and as Carolyn soon found out, it isn't easy to hold your nose and the reins at the same time! It was great fun, and we made it to the bottom, where my donkey kicked up his heels in thanks! We found Jill, and headed for the dock to be met by our wonderful crew with ice cold towels & ice cold water. Back on board, we set sail out of the bay, with fantastic views of Fira & Oia. This was a great stop. We loved Santorini.

Our next stop was Istanbul. The change of itinerary meant we would be in Istanbul later than originally planned. We were overnight here. It would be 7.00pm arrival, rather than the original 4.00pm. This was a bit of a pain, as we had booked an evening tour with a private guide, and this had to be cancelled due to our late arrival. The ship had hastily arranged a Bosphorus Cruise, to replace the many tours of their own that also had to be cancelled. This was a lovely cruise. Istanbul is a huge and vibrant city. We arrived at the end of the Ramadan feast, so the place was packed with locals eating out and enjoying the waterfront. There are an estimated 18 million people in this place, and I think we saw most of them! The city is the only one in the world that spans two continents, Asia & Europe. The cruise took us along both sides of the Bosphorus past many palaces and mosques and some very grand old buildings. There is so much history here, dating back to Alexander the Great & beyond. The huge bridges that span the Bosphorus are illuminated and constantly change colour, and as night falls, many of the buildings are beautifully lit. Turkey has a surprisingly strong economy, with car manufacture high on the list. Most of the world's major car manufacturers have big plants in Turkey. The waterway is incredibly busy, being the gateway to the Black Sea and Russia's way out to the Mediterranean. There are freighters & tankers galore, not to mention the four Cruise Ships now in port. Next morning we were up bright and early and off the ship to meet our guide for our private tour. Our friends Wayne & Debbie were here last year on a cruise, and had passed on their knowledge & contacts. We were using the same company. To give you an idea of price difference, the ship's tour on a coach with 50 other people, was US$215 per person. Our private tour of three with our own guide and air conditioned mini van and driver was US$350 for the three of us!!! We met our guide who said call me Oz! Very appropriate indeed! She had us inside the Hippodrome, the ancient square where so much history took place dating back to Roman times, & the Blue Mosque before the buses had left the dock! The Blue Mosque is quite amazing with all its blue tiles. From there, we headed into the Suktan's Topkapi Palace, full of rich history & some incredible relics, some dating back to 500BC. The palace is set over a huge area and was just wonderful, all perched high on a hill to catch the breezes and beautiful vistas of the Bosphorus. 

From here Oz took us underground into the Bianca Cistern. It is amazing to think that these ancient civilisations had the forethought to build huge underground cisterns to hold water in case of a long siege! They were secret as well, to avoid someone poisoning the supply! Now there is only a little water, and we can walk on platforms through this labiryth of columns, where the catfish swim. The columns used came from all over the world, including some ornately carved with Medusa's head to ward off evil! Back above ground, we headed into the huge St.Sophia church. This incredible building has been a church, a mosque & a palace throughout history. Today it is a museum, and quite an impressive one at that, with its mixture of Christian & Muslim artefacts. Something I did not know, was that the Koran forbids religious pictures, so the ornamentation in mosques is by way of ornate tiles and inscriptions. From here it was time for lunch, and Oz took us to a lovely outdoor restaurant, where she guided us through some delicious local food which we shared. A kind of pizza, some breaded creations that looked like arancini but were stuffed with delicious lamb mince, a Turkish pide and of course we finished off with baklava! 

After lunch our driver took us to the shops. First stop was a Persian Carpet shop, where we were given a demonstration of the weaving process by a master weaver. Fascinating, as carpets are made from wool, cotton or silk. The demonstration was with silk, the slowest and most expensive. All are made by hand, and a typical silk carpet will take almost two years to complete! After the demonstration we were served traditional apple tea and Turkish coffee, and shown dozens of carpets. There was no compulsion to buy, but I had the feeling the display was going to continue until we did! Anyway it ended in a good hearted way, and we were transported into shopping heaven, Istanbul's Grand Bazaar! Frank Louw eat your heart out! This is the world's biggest shopping centre with 6400 shops, both indoor and outdoor. It is amazing! The noise is deafening from spruikers selling carpets, leather goods, jewellery, Turkish Delight, clothes and more. To save time and our money, Oz asked what we would like to buy, and then took us to shopkeepers she knew & trusted. She also helped with our bargaining, admonishing the shopkeeper if she thought he was being less than generous. It was a wonderful experience, and the end to a memorable day in Istanbul.

We sailed away from Istanbul and set course for the Greek Island of Lesvos and its port of Mytilene. Here even the ships tours were sparse! We just wandered the streets around the harbour and sampled the local food. The girls shopped while John tried to find WiFi that worked! We walked up to the old fort, which is quite ancient, and like many such buildings now a venue for music concerts. It was incredible hot with the temperature in the high 30's, so the best place to be was in an air conditioned shop or back on the ship! That decision became much easier when at 1.30pm the shops started to close for lunch & siesta! No wonder there is a Greek Crisis! Hello, here is a captive audience that departs at 4.00pm! can we delay siesta for today? No way Aristotle!!!!! We sailed away without much of a send off as the Mytilinians were all asleep!!!

Next stop Kusadasi, back on the Turkish mainland. This is a lovely town, that has grown through tourism, brought to the area by the discovery only 120 years ago, of the amazing Roman Ruins of the ancient city of Ephesus. We have again arranged a private tour using Wayne & Debbie's contact. We met our guide, the lovely Pashir, and were whisked away in our luxury Mercedes minivan, to Ephesus about 30 minutes drive away. Again we beat the crowds by some time, so when we arrived it was not crowded at all. The ruins here were found by accident, and the excavation has revealed a complete Roman City, buried by an earthquake. The ruins are in much better condition than Pompeii, as the area was never looted. The marble is all still here. The streets are all marble, the buildings are still marble as are the columns and statues. It is quite incredible. This was a large city, and no bodies have been found, so it appears all the inhabitants escaped. The Library building and the arena are the real standouts. Pashir explained the history in much detail and it was fascinating to listen to. Ephesus had been a port city, but now the sea is some kilometres away. I cannot emphasise enough, how extraordinary this place was to see. An interesting aside is the number of cats and kittens that now inhabit the site! They are everywhere! All in good condition and fed by the workers who are still excavating the sight. 

From Ephesus we were asked if we would like to see a leather outlet store. The girls of course jumped at the idea, and I was out voted. This was no ordinary leather shop like you find in the outlet stores of Alexandria! This was high end stuff. The softest leather you can imagine, but only better. We were ushered into a room and given traditional Apple tea, then the show began. A full catwalk fashion parade, with half a dozen models professionally strutting their stuff to loud music and flashing lights! From there it was into the showroom to view the 2500 different designs! Personally I am not big on leather. I look a lot like a Russian Mafia Bodyguard from a B grade movie, but my girl is a big fan, and was soon surrounded by leather, revelling in the attention of the owner who was dressing her and preening her as his eyes kept rolling, waiting for the numbers to align! It only took about 70 coats to find the perfect one! My MasterCard was stretchered out to the car!

Back in the black Mercedes van with the heavy tint windows, I was momentarily lamenting the fact I hadn't bought a black leather jacket. It all seemed to fit! We headed up the mountain to the small village of Sirince. Remember back in 2011, when the Mayan calendar predicted the end of the earth? Well there were only two places on earth that were to be safe, and Sirince was one of them. The original 200 inhabitants must not have been able to believe their luck! How would the Mayans know about Sirince? All a bit spooky for me. Anyway, now it is a vibrant little rural village full of shops and cafes, winding up and down the valleys and hills. Pashir took us to a lovely little restaurant to sample the local food. She and her husband regularly come here on weekends for breakfast. Somewhere in the translation, we ordered enough food for twenty, at a price to feed two! The food was delicious. Half a dozen plates of food were strewn around the table, and we all hoed in, then a big plate of shish kebabs arrived, followed by another and another and another! Man did we waddle out of there!  Still, we had room for Ice Cream! The Turkish Ice Cream is quite different. It has a texture like bubble gum! This is partly because of the ritual that takes place in serving it. The vendors are dressed almost like clowns. The scoop is on a long metal pole, and the guy plays games touching you up with the long scoop, using multiple cones so he can take the ice cream back. It goes on and on and is tremendous fun. The kids think it is hilarious, as do most of the adults. It is a bit too much for some of the serious Germans!!!! As the temperature was again in the high 30's, the ice cream was a hit. We wandered the shops for a while longer, then it was back in the van and back to Kusadasi. We had enjoyed another fantastic day ashore. 

Next day, we had another big day planned, as the port of call was Piraeus, the port city of Athens. We had again booked a private tour. The ship was offering the tours by coach at US$215 per person. We did ours for the same, but the price was for the three of us with a private guide and an air conditioned Mercedes!  We quickly found our guide Fotis, and we were on our way. Fotis is the most lovely guy. A real family man, hell bent on making sure we have a great day. Our first stop was the world's famous Acropolis. It is already crowded, as there are four other cruise ships in port, and ours was the last to dock, due to the change in schedule. It is incredible standing at a place you have seen all your life, and is such a part of world history. The Parthenon is constantly under repair, and today was no exception, with the current work likely to last for some years. From the Acropolis, Fotis whisked us down to the Temple of Zeus, where only a few columns still stand, then over to the stadium built to host the first modern Olympics. From here it was into the city to see the famous changing of the guards at the parliament. This was great with those poor guys dressed in heavy clothes in the stifling heat, putting on a show full of high stepping and arm waving. The girls got a photo with a guard. You are not allowed to touch the guard, if you do, he bangs his rifle butt on the ground to scare the crap out of you! Back in the car, Fotis did a drive around town pointing out countless buildings and statues, then a run through the old city of Plaka, which is really just a collection of souvenir shops and cafes. We took a walk through the Ancient Agora, which is a lot like the Roman Forum, then we were off to lunch. Fotis took us to a lovely part of Athens, where the streets were tree lined and cool. The restaurant he had chosen was a family favourite, and we were given a table right under the air conditioner, which I took as a sign that Fotis was important. Fotis explained the food and helped us order, but declined to join us saying he needed to attend to the car, as parking was a problem around here. We really enjoyed lunch, of stuffed zucchini, lemon flavoured meatballs, yeeros, and the best Greek salad I've ever eaten!

After lunch it was up to the top of the highest hill in Athens for photos and a panoramic view of the city and surrounds. This was a real highlight, being able to see all the famous places from such a vantage point. After that Fotis dropped us off at the new (5 years old), Acropolis Museum, which is itself, and archeological dig sight. As you enter, you are on a glass floor so you can see the work going on below. It is a striking museum. The building is a fabulous design and it sits in the shadow of the Acropolis. There are three floors stuffed with artefacts and reconstructions from the Acropolis site. There is a very informative 15 minute video that runs alternatively in Greek & English, that tells the story of the Acropolis. After that, it is just display cabinet after display cabinet. We only had an hour, but you could easily spend a day. This was our last stop on a busy day. Fotis gave us all a big hug, and I mean all of us, as we said goodbye, and thanked him for a wonderful day. The day had been one where we had spent it with a friend rather than a guide. The port was bedlam, with all four cruise ships getting ready to depart amidst the dozens of inter island ferries. It was quite a spectacle. That night, we enjoyed a real dining treat, as we had booked a table in the Pinnacle fine dining restaurant for a one off evening celebrating the famous Le Cirque Restaurant in New York. We dined on lobster, escargot, Chateaubriand, and soufflé. It was an excellent meal indeed.

We only had one more stop before returning to Venice, and this was at the Greek Island of Cephalonia & the port of Argostoli. This town had been completely destroyed by an earthquake in 1953, so we sailed into a new & modern town. We didn't do a tour, simply walked into town, which was right beside where we docked. It was a scorching day, and there wasn't much shade. They had one of the little trains doing tours around the town, so we jumped on board. It was crowded, and in a brand new town there wasn't much to see really! When we got off, we did a quick look in some shops, enjoyed a drink whilst trying to connect to hopeless WiFi, then wandered back to the ship for cold towels and ice water! We retired to the air conditioned comfort of the Crows Nest Bar, for happy hour and to watch us sail out of Cephalonia.

From here we had a leisurely day at sea where we sat around on the deck on sun lounges, reading our books and snoozing. We had had some very busy days in a row. In between all our tours we had time for Team Trivia, where we failed miserably most nights, and the girls shared Bingo Cards, winning one Bingo of $220! Couldn't crack the big jackpot prize though, but then neither did anyone else! We enjoyed many shows in the Showroom. The Cruise Director on this ship, Mario, is the best we have ever seen. An African American, he had a wonderful singing voice, a fantastic sense of humour, and one of those voices you just wanted to listen to. He seemed to be everywhere! For our second last night we tried the Italian Restaurant, which was OK, but that was probably because we have had so much Italian food recently!

The end of this cruise was interesting, as we arrived back in Venice at around 1.00pm, and had the afternoon and night before disembarking. There we tour options, but most people seemed to just hang around the ship, having done their Venice sightseeing before the cruise. We fell into that group, and just enjoyed a lazy afternoon. For our last night we were back in The Pinnace Restaurant for one last delicious fine dining meal, and it was good. This is a real American Steakhouse, so we dined on Jumbo Shrimp Cocktails and Fillet Mignon, Bombe Alaska & Soufflé. A perfect end to a great cruise. Next morning we were saying our goodbyes. Jill was staying one more night in Venice, and we were starting our homeward journey, with a flight to London, an overnight stay at Heathrow, followed by a flight to Singapore, where we again meet up with Jill for a few nights.

Cruising sure is a lot of fun, and you get to see a lot in a short time, and we sure have seen and done a lot over the past twelve days and nights!!!

Italian Odyssey - 14.

We somewhat reluctantly left the Lakes District. It has been one of our favourite regions, with Lake Garda our very favourite lake. Such contrasts in scenery around Lake Garda, but all lakes are wonderful in their own ways. We set the sat Nav for Bolzano in the Dolomites, the mountains that seperate Italy from Austria & Switzerland. The medication John was on, was starting to kick in, though there was still lots of coughing when any exertion took place. We headed around the northern end of Lake Como, and it then became obvious that the sat Nav was taking us on the Autostrada route, but we wanted the slower mountain road, so we took the first available exit, which happened to be Bellano, almost opposite Mennagio on the lake! It seemed like a good time to take morning coffee & cake, so we found a car spot and found a cafe. Bellano is not one of the tourist hotspots of Lake Como, and it showed in the pricing. Two coffees & two cakes for €4.60! In Bellagio, this was the price of one coffee!

Back in the car, we tricked the sat Nav by telling it we were going to Sondrio, and off we went. The drive through the long fertile valley was just beautiful. Flat plains full of crops & fruit trees& vines, and hillsides studded with vines and small villages, one after another. These valleys and passes have been used as the gateway to Northern Europe for more than 2,000 years, so there are some grand old churches and castles, built high on the hills. One can only imagine the difficulty of the construction back then. As we got closer to Sondrio, the architecture change to more Swiss style homes, wooden, with colourful window boxes full of blooms. The drive was just one beautiful scene after another, with raging rivers, green fields and those huge mountains looming above it all.

We reprogrammed the sat Nav, and we're now enroute to Bolzano over the mountains. Our next stop was Tirano, where we planned to have lunch, and investigate a rail journey that is run by the Swiss, and takes people up over the mountains to the famous ski resort of St. Moritz. Unfortunately, it was a 5 hour round trip, so it was put into the "next time" basket. Arriving in Tirano, one could have been mistaken that the sat Nav had brought us to Osaka! There were bus loads of Japanese, and more and more just kept rolling in! Now I struggle with the concept that there are families all over Japan sitting around in their lounge rooms, planning their next holiday in Tirano Italy! Why are they here? Surely they must come to visit St. Moritz! One thing is for certain, they were giving the waiters in all the restaurants a stressful time! We tried two restaurants before we could get a waiter to talk to us. They were too busy funnelling out plates of Vienna Schnitzel & Apple Strudel to Japs! We finally found a place that had a limited set menu, and opted to share a pizza. We sat next to a clumsy German, who knocked over every item put on his table! I was dreading the arrival of the drinks order! Right on cue, a shower of mineral water came our way! The waiters were so fed up they just left his steak to swim around the plate. Finally his wife asked for napkins as we asked for our bill!

We were now headed for a real treat. We were going to be driving up and over the famous Stelvio Pass. It is one of the world's greatest drives. My brother Neil & wife Adrienne did it in 2013, and we wanted to be sure to include it on our itinerary. It is simply incredible. The pass is shut for much of the year, being officially open from June 1st to August 31st, subject to weather. We were in luck. The road was busy, with lots of motor cyclists, cyclists, and car enthusiasts. Sections of the road are one way only, and the switchback turns are so steep that if you meet another car, one has to wait. The same applies to some of the tunnels which are one way only. At one tunnel, which was around 300 metres long, we had only just started into it, when we met a host of cars coming towards us. We had to back up about 75 metres, dodging the motor bikes that had followed us in! It was all accomplished with limited fuss and no aggro which is the Italian way! We stopped a number of times to take pictures and just look down at the winding road. As we climbed, it got colder & colder, with the car thermometer dropping from 34 when we left Tirano, to 12 as we crested the top of the pass, which was still covered in icy snow. We have been lucky enough to do some of the world's great drives, and this was another experience we will never forget. As much fun as it was getting to the top, it was just as much fun doing it all again down the other side! The scenery changed dramatically from ice & snow to rocks and rivers and then forests. Quite incredible to see so much change in such a little time.

Down on the flat, we followed the river along another fertile valley floor to Bolzano. In this valley they were growing fruit, mostly apples and stone fruit. We passed mile after mile of them. Guess it's all that apple strudel! We arrived in Bolzano and were immediately impressed. Nestled below the Dolomites in a valley, it is both an old and new city. It is situated at the junction of two rivers, and is tree lined and full of flowers. We found our accommodation, a small apartment, and called the owner to come let us in. The apartment was right on the edge of the old town. A lovely young man, with the very unItalian name of Daniel, arrived on his push bike in a couple of minutes, and let us in. We were immediately impressed with the security, and what we found was an almost brand new, and incredibly modern designed little one bedroom apartment. It had a wall bed, that easily pulled down over the sofa, a very modern bathroom, and a small kitchenette in a cupboard. A fold down table and two chairs completed the furniture. It was very smart indeed, and had two small balconies. Daniel gave us a parking permit that allowed us to park as a resident, and we just left the car parked at the front door. We could walk into town in 5 minutes. First up, we walked to the supermarket to get our breakfast supplies of cereal & yoghurt, plus heaps of fresh fruit. With the larder stocked, we left in search of drinks & dinner.

Unless someone told you, you would believe you are in Switzerland or Germany, not Italy! All signs are in Italian & German, and the ears pick up more German than Italian in the conversations. The restaurants are either Italian or German, though many sell both. We decided that after so much Italian food, we would try something German, so we found a suitable establishment, and ordered our drinks, a good German Wheat Beer for John & white wine for Carolyn. We perused the dinner menu, and decided on Wiener Schnitzel for Carolyn & the Sausage of the day for John. It all tasted so different! We woofed it down. In true German style, the servings were huge, so there was no room left for Apple Strudel! Next time.

Next morning after breakfast we were at the Tourist Office bright and early. We had seen a couple of cable cars heading into the mountains, and wanted to know what else there was to see around Bolzano. The girl was so helpful, and we quickly had our time in Bolzano planned. We had purchased a three day Bolzano Pass each, which gave us access to all the museums, and included all our travel on trains, buses & cable cars. First up we headed to the cable car to take us up the mountain to Soprabolzano, a quaint little village in the mountains looking all Swiss. The scenery from the modern cable car was fantastic, looking down over the town of Bolzano, the vineyards & farmland and at the imposing formations of the Dolomites. At Soprabolzano we hopped on board the little two carriage train, that wound its way across the mountains to another quaint town called Collalbo. From here, there are dozens of walks & hikes to be done. We chose a walk that took us through a forest area and gave us wonderful views of the Dolomites. As we walked back to the station, we decided to have a light lunch at one of the many hotels that make up the towns. We encountered Dumb & Dumber on a day out, masquerading as wait staff. They told us lunch was being served, then removed all the menus & specials boards. We asked for menus, so they brought us snack menus. One item on the menu was soup of the day. It took 10 minutes to find out the soup of the day! Carolyn ordered soup, and I ordered a sandwich. She brought out two soups, realising her mistake as she arrived. There was no spoon, so Carolyn had to go in search, where she just got dumb looks. Finally a huge serving spoon arrived. We waited for ages for my sandwich to arrive, but it never came, nor did Carolyn's bread roll for the soup. When we had had enough we just gave them enough money to cover the soup & left! Total disaster! We boarded the little train for the journey back to Soprabolzano, where we took solace with a fantastic iced coffee, served by a young guy who knew what he was doing! We sat and took in the mountain air & scenery, then jumped on the cable car for the return trip. A fantastic day in the Dolomites. We sat in Piazza Walther and enjoyed a cold drink before heading back home to get ready for dinner. This square is home to the magnificent cathedral that has a brightly coloured green & yellow tiled roof. Quite stunning.

Tonight we first found a nice little bar and ordered drinks. Carolyn had seen a refreshing looking drink full of ice and sprigs of mint. The barman could not explain it, and soon returned with a young lady who was enjoying that same drink and who spoke English. She said the drink did not have an English name! It was only available around this part of Italy! It was a special local wine, to which soda & prosecco were added plus mint & ice. Carolyn thought it was delicious & refreshing, but God knows how we will ever order one again! Might just have to point & hope for the best! We decided on German again for dinner. Carolyn had a desire for goulash, and boy did she bite off more than she could chew! It was enormous, but delicious. The rich sauce was to die for. John had decided on a modest serve of pork ribs, which were also great, and then took on the goulash leftovers. We could not finish the goulash, so Apple strudel was again out of the question! We waddled home, promising to go back to Italian the next night.

Next morning we started late, with coffee at the local cafe almost next door to our place. The guys who ran the place were lovely. We then headed off to our first museum, to see Otzi the Ice Man. You probably remember when his mummified remains were found in a glacier in 1991. Well old Otzi created quite a storm, as it turned out he was almost 5,500 years old, and changed history for the  people of that part of the world. The new museum, purpose built to house the original mummified remains, is very well done. We got to peer into the freezer room & see him, and spent a lot of time looking at the excellent exhibits. From here we wandered down into Piazza Walther to get the shuttle bus out to Castel Roncolo, a Unesco listed sight that contains some of the world's best frescos, that are non religious in theme. The walk up to the castle almost killed us, but it was worth it. Many of the frescos are in very good condition, considering they are 700 years old. It was well worth the trip. We took the shuttle back to town, and that night we decided just to share pizza & salad for dinner. Next morning we were packed and ready to leave early, as we had a deadline to meet regarding the return of our car. The office in Padova, closed at 12.30pm. We had really loved our time in Bolzano.

We took the fast route down the Autostrada to Padova. The Italians drive incredibly fast on the autostradas so you have to be very alert. The speed signs are treated as guides only, and the police seem only to act if driving is reckless. We were told that an old Fiat doing 150kph would attract attention, but a Ferrari doing 200kph would not! We were constantly doing 145kph just to keep up! A short visit to the fast lane to pass, needed great vigilance in the rear view mirror, as a Porsche or similar would make up ground so quickly! A visit to the fast lane by a truck or bus doing 80kph saw some massive braking with hazard lights flashing & horns blowing. But everyone is vigilant and we felt much safer than on a run down the M5! We found our hotel in Padova in good time, dropped off the bags with a bewildered concierge, and found the Avis office a short distance away. It was just on the other side of the station, so an easy walk back. The concierge at the hotel was most helpful with maps & directions and ways to get around. He even gave us restaurant recommendations, one of which, his favourite, we took for that night. Before dinner, we took a walk into town, where we found Padova much larger than we had expected, with even the old part of the city spread out over a large area.

We had chosen to stay at Padova versus Venice for a couple of reasons. Firstly, we had two big things to do in Padova, and secondly, having been to Venice before, we could avoid the high hotel prices, and yet be there in 30 minutes by fast train from Padova. Padova is a very old city, much older than Venice, and has so much history. The highlight of our first day in Padova, was dinner at the restaurant recommended by our concierge. We took a taxi to Antico Brolo, and found a lovely place, all air conditioned & cool, with waiters in long white aprons. The restaurant is famous for seafood & home made pastas, so that is the way we went. We shared an entree of flash fried baby calamari in a filo pastry shell and served with deep fried pumpkin flowers. What a way to start. It was the lightest batter we had ever eaten, and the pumpkin flowers, stuffed with ricotta were sensational. Carolyn's pasta was similar to the small trufie pasta, but had a different name, and came with prawns and vegetables, whilst John had another tube pasta with swordfish & capers. Both were sensational, and so full of flavour. We shared a wonderful bottle of local Pinot Grigio, and finished with an equally fantastic creme brûlée. This was right up there with the best meals we have had in Italy. The fresh pasta was exceptional. We took a slow walk home.

The next day was Sunday, and we were up early as we had an 8.00am departure on the Il Burchiello for a canal cruise from Padova to Venice. Our friend Win had put us onto this. From the 15th & 16th centuries, cargo had been moved from the coast to Padova along a series of canals. From the 16th century, the Brenta Canal, became a playground for the rich merchants from Venice, and hundreds of summer Villas were built along the canal, which became known as the Brenta Riviera. This was a fantastic day, despite the oppressive heat. The journey passes through a series of locks, five in total, and ends at San Marco Square in Venice. Along the way, in addition to the locks, ten swing bridges have to be opened to let us pass. We visited three villas along the canal. The first, and by far the most impressive, is in the village of Stra. It is Villa Pisani, the Doge's summer palace, and is a grand building along palace of Versaile proportions with huge gardens as well. It has 114 rooms, to fit in with the fact that Pisani was the 114th Doge of Venice! The rooms are painted with incredible frescos, by the greatest artists of the time. No expense was spared. Over history, people like Napoleon have stayed here. In fact he owned it at one stage, and in 1934, the first meeting between Adolph Hitler & Mussolini took place here. We did a full guided tour, of this now state owned villa. Next stop was the Villa Widmann, a more typical Villa, much smaller in size, but still with wonderful gardens, and treasures inside. At one stage we had to be transferred off our boat and put onto a bus. A couple of weeks ago, a tornado had torn though a section of the river, smashing Villas and bringing down trees. There was no navigation allowed until the canal had been checked by divers. We passed a section where hundreds of volunteers were working on the damaged Villas. It was sheer devastation.

We stopped in Oriago for lunch. After much discussion, we had decided to opt for the light lunch option offered. The restaurant we stopped at, also called Il Burchiello, was fantastic. Thank God we opted for the light lunch! We got a seafood entree of Squid with Polenta, followed by a huge serving of Fritto Misto with Salad, and a lemon cake for dessert. To wash it down we got a bottle of wine and a bottle of water! The food was fantastic. Those who had opted for the full lunch, got an extra course of pasta! It is the best meal we have ever had on a tour. After lunch we got one more tour, this time of the Villa Foscari at a place called Malcontenta. This villa is still privately owned by a member of the Foscari family. It has beautiful grounds, immaculately kept by the live in caretaker. It was a wonderful location by the canal, and the building has some great artworks still intact. From there it was just smooth sailing along the canal, which is a haven for picnickers and boat owners, before we headed out across the Venice Lagoon and our drop off at San Marco Square. A truly wonderful day, though I must say that the lady providing the commentary on this tour, must be being paid by the word! All the way, there was a constant banter in both Italian & exaggerated English! When we arrived in Venice it was bedlam. There were five cruise ships in port, it was Sunday so lots of locals, and it was hot. We wandered around the square for some time, then found a place in a back laneway to have a drink and watch the end of the Wimbledon Men's Final, before boarding the water bus to take us up the Grand Canal to the station to catch a train home to Padova. Now that was one full day!

A slower start to Monday, with a later breakfast before a walk down to the Scrovengi Chapel for our guided tour. This is one of the most famous things to do in Padova. It is home to one of the greatest collections of Frescos ever painted by the Italian Master, Giotto. To see these frescos, requires a prebooked time. The whole event is bit like Max Smart and the Cone of Silence! You arrive at your designated time, are herded into a chamber, where our group is sealed in and dehumidified, before being led into the Chapel, for 15 minutes of looking. They are so intent on preserving this treasure. We have seen no other exhibit where such lengths have been taken to preserve the treasures. They are impressive, and when you consider they were painted in the early 1300's it is just amazing. Giotto has painted the people with expression and showing emotion. This was the first time an artist had drawn tears on faces. They are quite beautiful, and in keeping with the time all depict the life and times of Christ and stories from his life. Interestingly, the chapel was built by the son. His father was the Userer referred to in Dante's Inferno, and the son was trying to buy his father's way into heaven. Not sure how he went with that! No photos allowed at the Scrovengi Chapel!

Following our tour, we found a nice little place for coffee. I don't think I mentioned this before, but we have found a way to enjoy our coffee even on the hottest day. Back in Turin, Carolyn had spied a drink being delivered to a nearby table. It was called Cafe Shakkerata, so we had one. It is just espresso coffee, with or without sugar, put into a cocktail shaker and shaken like crazy. Served in a champagne or wine glass it is cold and refreshing without all the cream! After coffee we jumped on a fast train and headed back to Venice for the rest of the day. They sure don't miss you on the water bus! A return trip down the Grand Canal is €15 per person! A Daily ticket is €20 per person. The boats are packed all day and all night. We took the water bus down the Grand Canal, got off at San Marco, and wandered our way through the back lanes and lots of shops, to the Rialto Bridge, which is of course under renovation. At least they are only working on one side! The crowds were still big, but not as bad as the day before. There is something about Venice. It is such a unique city with waterways instead of roads. It must be one of the busiest cities on the planet, and boy is it commercial! Since our last visit seven years ago, we cannot believe how many street stalls there are now. There are rows and rows of them everywhere, and they are the licenced ones! Add the fact that half of Africa is here, illegally selling handbags, sunglasses, selfie sticks etc. and there is hardly room for the tourists to move around! It is so funny watching all these 7 Foot tall Africans trying to melt into the crowd when a policeman is spotted! But all in all, you just can't help loving the place. We found a nice restaurant/bar along the canal not far from the Rialto Bridge, and sat and had a couple of drinks as we watched the passing parade. We decided to have dinner there as the staff were great and the prices reasonable, so we shared a spaghetti marinara, which was good. We finished off with a gelato, and hopped on a train back to Padova.

Today, Tuesday, is all about getting ready for the cruise which leaves tomorrow. We have washing to do and some repacking, and of course I am blogging away. This will be the last blog on the land part of our wonderful Italian Odyssey. We have had the most amazing time, and seen so many things it will take a lifetime to remember them all. Not sure how we will ever settle down again. One thing is for certain though, we wouldn't have missed this trip for anything in the world. Not sure how we will go with a blog whilst cruising. I will if I can. If not, I will be back online when we get back home.

For now, arrivederci Italia!

Italian Odyssey - 13.

If there is anything worse than being sick at home, it is being sick whilst away on holidays. I have been fighting a chest infection for weeks, and now after a second visit to a Doctor, have been diagnosed with severe bronchitis, and hopefully now have the correct medication to get rid of it! As a consequence, we have been taking the slow route around the Lake District, not wanting to miss a thing. If it wasn't bad enough for Carolyn not to get sleep due to my constant coughing, she now has her own cold, but as always, is on the go. The show must go on! Albeit at a slower pace!

Before I start in earnest, a couple of cultural things we have observed while here in Italy. We have realised how over governed Australia is. Italy doesn't seem to legislate what is common sense. The laws rely on people doing the right thing, and coming down hard when they don't. When I asked what the drink driving laws were, I was told "just don't hit anyone or anything!" There is no random testing, yet they have police layed on! Drinking generally is not a problem. Alcohol is not taxed to death. It is cheap, plentiful, available everywhere, yet doesn't seem abused. We have been told that it is a cultural thing. Wine is consumed with food, and to be drunk brings shame on a family. The people don't need alcohol to have a good time. On the other hand, there is tobacco. State owned and cheap, smoking is an epidemic. Especially among young women. Gone is the chubby Italian Mama, she has been replaced by a bag of bones walking down the street in a cloud of white smoke! The women are convinced that smoking will keep them thin, and light up before during and after dinner. Men have always smoked. The thing we like least about Italy is all the smoking in restaurants. We are so not used to it. Italy has a huge health problem waiting down the road!

In Turin we collected our brand new hire car, an Opel Mocca, which is a lovely little car. Once we worked out it is fitted with one of these auto cut off systems, and you need to depress the clutch to make it start again, we were out of the car park and on our way into the Piedmont district of Italy, and the Italian Alps. We were headed for our first couple of nights in a town called Domodossola, which was a bit of a disappointment really. The small hotel we stayed at was nice, and the owner Paulo, could not do enough for us. His breakfast, served individually, was his pride & joy, as he presented the local, ham, cheese & home made jams. It was really nice. Domodossola itself, seems to be a jumping off point for the Alps and winter sports, and along the way as we passed by Lake Maggiore, we had called in at Stresa & Baveno right on the lake, and decided we would move ourselves down by the lake.

Before that, we took a lovely drive up to Santa Maria Maggiore, which was a delightful little alpine town. We stopped for coffee, and found an incredible little Patisiceria, which had a fantastic array of little cakes. We really liked the quiet ambience of this town, which had some grand villas, and was beautifully kept. We saw the first of the old stone roofed houses, wondering how on earth, the roof timbers could support all that stone! The tourist office girl, had warned us about not going too far past here on this road, as it was very narrow. We had planned to drive through to Locarno, but when we were run off the road by a crazy woman, we decided discretion was the better part of valour! Before turning around, we did find a rare, modern Basilica In fact, there was a small old 12th century church, added to by a huge 20th century Basilica. It was the Santuaria della Madonna del Sangue. Apparently, black in 1494, a woman was hit in the head by a rock at a big event, and then continued to bleed from the wound for 20 days. This was deemed a miracle, presumably because she didn't die of blood loss! Anyway, seemed a good reason for another big church! It was nice inside with its modern stained glass windows, and huge blue silk banners. That night, down in the main square, we had the worst meal we have had in Italy! We found an Italian place that made bad pizza! Didn't think it possible! The service was equally as bad, something we have found almost non existent in Italy.

We were glad to move onto Baveno. Carolyn had found us Hotel Eden, right on the shores of Lake Maggiore. Here we wouldn't need the car, as the ferry terminal was right across the street. Our room looked out over the lake, and the three famous Borromee Islands. A short distance down the lake is the five star tourist resort town of Stresa, with its amazing hotels lined up along the lake front. This is serious opulence, and the way the lawns and gardens are displayed, has to be seen to be believed. We walked through the foyer of the Grand Hotel Des Iles Borromee, which was dripping with gold & antiques. Absolutely divine! Stresa was nice to walk around with its cafes and boutique shops. For our first night in Baveno, we decided to dine at our hotel restaurant right across the street on the lake edge. The waiter was a real character, and we enjoyed an unhurried dinner of Melon & Prosciutto, followed by a simple pork schnitzel for John and an equally simple pasta with garlic & basil, for Carolyn. We shared an excellent Tiramisu for dessert. Whilst enjoying dinner we got talking to a German couple, who suggested we have dinner on Isle Di Pescatori. This would prove to be excellent advice.

Next morning, we had a sleep in and we were last for breakfast. We had decided to do the Three Islands, using the excellent Public Ferry Service. The ticket price, included entry to the palaces on two of the islands. First stop was Isola Bella. This is one of the most wonderful things we have seen in Italy. To quote from the brochure, "Isola Bella, which resembles a ship sailing north, dominates the middle of Lake Maggiore. It is so small its harmonious complexity seems impossible to describe, a beautiful array studied & built with a masterly combination of human efforts, and the contribution of nature. At the prow, the Baroque Palazzo Borromeo overlooks a little fishing village, while the Italian style gardens, famous for their blooms from March to October, stretch out like a natural extension of the palace towards the opposite end of the island, in a sequence of terraces, flowerbeds, statues, fountains, and charming architectural perspectives & panoramas." It is truly magnificent, and being in full bloom made it all the better. We have never see displays of hydrangeas like we have seen around the lakes. Napoleon & Josehine slept one night here, much to the displeasure of the owners! Apparently, he turned up unannounced, demanded everything, and left the next day, leaving the place like a pig sty! We just wandered around the gardens, taking them in from every direction. There were white peacocks strutting around, and the most incredible statues, many featuring the family emblem, the Unicorn. The treasures inside the palace were equally as impressive, with a tapestry room, all made exclusively for the family with lots of unicorns, the equal of any we have seen.

We boarded the boat and headed for our next island, Isolo di Pescatori. This tends to be more the working island, with hotels and restaurants and shops. Daytrippers in their boats, call in for lunch. It has a very lazy feel. We had a simple lunch of salad and lots of cold water. It was still very hot. In fact all of Europe is experiencing a heat wave, and this one not caused by the Greeks! After lunch we were off to Isolo Madre, the third, and largest island. It is a huge Botanial Garden, with incredible trees and expansive lawns. Some of the trees are famous, including a huge & very rare, Himalayan Cypress, deemed to be the most famous tree in Italy, which was uprooted by a Tornado in 2011. The rescue of the tree was an incredible fete, and it appears to be paying off, with the 300 year old tree, all cabled up and looking quite healthy again. The gardens are lovely, with many sections pointing the way to another  great view across the lake. There is a much less impressive palace, which has a wonderful vista from every window. It also includes some great artworks, most from artists we were not familiar with. One last boat ride and we were back in Baleno, where it was time for a rest, before dinner on the island.

Our island dinner booking was unique. We were going to restaurant Belvedere, and were told to be at the ferry wharf at 7.30pm, where a boat would pick us up. Sure enough, at 7.30pm, the water taxi arrived and whisked us out to Isolo di Pescatori. The captain pointed us in the right direction, and told us he would be there on the hour and on the half hour, whenever we were ready to return. The restaurant was a postcard, all white table cloths and poor waiters in black tie, sweltering in the heat. Our table was at the water's edge, and a welcome glass of Prosecco was poured as we settled in. The specialities were all about the fish from the lake. We shared an entree of the delightful trofie pasta with pesto. This is a Genovese specialty which we loved, so we're glad to see it on a menu again. Carolyn tried a light white fish, while John went for the Trio of Lake Fish. Don't ask me what the fish were, but believe me when I tell you they were delicious, and wonderfully cooked and presented. We enjoyed a local white wine, recommended by the waiter, and had a night to remember watching the activities of the lake unfold in front of us. The reataurant was very busy, but we were left alone to enjoy our evening. At 10.00pm our boatman was there as promised, and we took a slow trip home via a couple of other stops to drop off some staff. 

From Baveno, we headed around to the better known, Lake Como. We were booked at Menaggio, halfway up the lake, opposite Bellagio & Varenna. Our little hotel is just out of town & up the hill, and our room has a decent veranda, and panoramic views across the lake to Varenna. It is lovely, the only drawback being no air conditioning. The family running the hotel are so obliging and helpful. Menaggio is a lovely little town, with a busy square along the lake front. This is the centre of eating & drinking. The day we arrived, a market was in full swing along the lake. Parking is always horrendous, but we managed to find a spot. Menaggio is full of tourists, many of whom are German on motorcycles. The place is so German, that most menus are in Italian, German & English. We walked the markets, under looming storm clouds, and debated where we would eat dinner, as almost everything is designed for outdoor eating. The market stall holders couldn't decide whether it was going to be all bluff, but a couple of huge claps of thunder, and flashes of lightning soon had them scurrying in all directions! We found a spot in under the umbrellas, and managed to keep most of the rain off our Pizza! Once the storm had passed it was pleasantly cooler, and we enjoyed the stroll along the lake to the car. 

Next day, we had decided to take the slow boat, the Milano, down the lake to Como. The storm had cleared away the haze, but it hadn't taken the sting out of the sun. Sitting out on the back deck under the canvas shade, it was one of the most lovely & leisurely days we have had. God knows, and who cares, how many stops we made. It was 2.5 hours each way of scenic bliss! We lost count of the villas. You don't get to see most from the road, but there is no hiding from the boat. Near Lenno, we sailed past one of the most famous villas on the lake, Villa Balbianelo. It's position on the point is incredible, and it is no wonder it has featured in many movies. Remember Daniel Craig stepping out onto the balcony looking out over the lake in Casino Royale. It is quite a sight, with the sculptured green gardens a feature. Near Tremezzo, is the world famous Villa Carlotta. Not a bad kind of wedding present! More on that later, as we did a tour. One of the last stops before Como, is Cernobbio, where you find the also very famous Villa d'Este, one of the most elegant & famous hotels in the world. Wherever you look on this boat trip, it is beautiful. We arrived in a hot and crowded Como. We decided we wouldn't have enough time to ride the Funicular to the top of Como, that would have to wait, so we just wandered the main piazza & had a light lunch, before boarding the boat for the return trip. 

The return trip was equally as good. We got the same seats, so admired the other side of the lake all the way home. Back in Mennagio, we found a table at our favourite bar. The happy little waiter wandered over & said "uno Aperal Spritz & uno birre grande!" Bloody mind reader! This was on top of yesterday, when I first asked if the beer was really cold, as often it is not. The reply came," if the beer is not cold it won't come out my door!" When I downed the first one quite quickly, he came by and collected the glass with " a salty breakfast? I get another!" I knew we would be friends for rest of the stay!!! Having been plied with chips & peanuts, we weren't that hungry. We both craved something unItalian, so when we saw chicken & chips on a menu, decided that would be the go. It was true to its word, a whole chicken & mountain of chips!!! We waddled home, took a cold shower and were just getting into bed, when the fireworks started. Nothing to do with John & Carolyn! They were celebrating the 4th July, so first Bellagio, then Varenna put on an incredible light show we watched from our veranda. Very Impressive.

Sunday, we took ourselves down to Tremezzo for a tour of Villa Carlotta. The Villa itself is an impressive place, with rooms full of interesting treasures, both old & new. But it is outside that Villa Carlotta excels with its incredible gardens. Sadly for us, the azalea & rhododendrons had finished, as there are just so many, but the hydrangeas and other annuals still made a show, and then there are the huge forests of trees and bamboo. We continued our drive along the lake towards Como. Carolyn was on George Clooney watch as she was armed with the news that his villa was around Laglio. Cleverly, the rich people have seen the road diverted from their section of the lake, but we found the narrow winding way down to the lake. Sadly no George, but we parked our little Opel among the BMW & Mercs, and wandered into a little cafe opposite the lake. We ordered a platter of cold meats & a platter of grilled veggies, which were just the thing for a light lunch on the lake. It was uncrowded & very pleasant under the trees. These small family run places are our favourites, and this one was a beauty, even without George!

We found our way into crowded Como, parked and headed for the Funicular. This is a fairly new ride, but it was oppressive! The aircon didn't work, and as we crowded in like sardines, I am amazed no one passed out on the 7 minute ride! We all got off and headed for water & gelato! It is an impressive view though. The trip down was worse! When we reached the bottom, I was in need of the loo, and to cap it all off, found the filthiest toilet in Italy. It was a sewer! The people who run this whole thing should be ashamed. We all should have been given our money back. The only person who should be applauded was the lady running the kiosk for keeping up an endless supply of ice cold water! Home in Menaggio, my little mate had the drinks on the way as soon as he spied us, and boy were they welcome. We were approached by an English couple, who amazed us by asking, "we can hear you are Australian, but are fascinated as to why you would want to come to Lake Como?" I was a bit stunned really, and asked where he expected Australians would travel to. That stumped him! When I asked him why he came, he told us it was close & cheap! I told him neither of those reasons were on our list! We left them looking bewildered. That night, Carolyn had found another quiet family run restaurant tucked away in a corner. It was booked out every night, but tonight we have booked. The local lake fish was just beautiful, and to our pleasant surprise, the main course came with a side dish, so I picked chips (what else do you have with fish!), and Carolyn picked beans, and we had a very nice, well balanced, dinner, all at a reasonable price.

Monday, we were back on the ferries. We can buy a daily Central Lake ticket, that allows us to go to Varenna, Bellagio, Tremezzo & Lenno. We started with breakfast in Varenna at a gorgeous little cafe. In the morning, Varenna is the shady side of the lake, so it was shady & cool. I had my first ever Pistacchio Milkshake, and it was fantastic. I was having a raving for things cold, so had yoghurt with fresh peaches. Carolyn was having her egg craving day, so went for the bacon & eggs, which came out, packed onto the smallest plate we have ever seen! It was delicious, but no room for toast! We explore Varenna, which is a lovely little town. From the ferry, you walk the Lovers Lane to the village. It is a very nice little town. 

Back on the ferry, next stop was brassy Bellagio. Much bigger than the other towns, and lots of designer shops & five star hotels. It is surprisingly hilly as well. We took the little train around town, which was really out of town, but still nice. It only lasted 20 minutes. We trudged up one hilly street of shops & down another. Found it hard to get a cold bottle of water, and settled on Gelato, but even the gelato shops were struggling to keep the ice cream from melting! The sun was really beating down on Bellagio, so we decided to get back on a ferry to Menaggio, and head home for a rest. We are both still barking away, and John is huffing & puffing from the slightest exhaustion. The heat isn't helping either. At least the nightly coughing has stopped!  We stopped into the supermarket to buy fresh fruit & yoghurt for breakfast. We loaded up with figs, which are plentiful and so cheap. Rested, we headed back to town for dinner. Parking was a problem, so we decided to try one of the restaurants out of town on the lake. We found La Groppa, and it was very nice. We both just had a bowl of pasta, mine was just with pancetta, tomato, garlic & chili, while Carolyn's was a spicy tomato with prawns, which was the pick. The house wine was a lovely Pinot Grigio, which went with it all so well. We enjoyed our wine, watching the passing parade on the lake. We were entertained by a guy fishing on one of several little platforms out over the lake. He was very successful , catching 15 or 20 little lake fish, while we ate dinner. When he got thirsty, he ordered a beer from the restaurant, and they just passed it over the fence! 

Our final day in Mennagio is devoted to chores. We have a pile of washing and lots of blogging to do. We enjoyed our breakfast of figs & peaches on our veranda before attacking the day. We did take a short drive north of Menaggio to the small towns of Dongo & Gravedona. It was in Dongo, that Mussolini his mistress and many of his ministers were captured on April 27th, trying to flee Italy into Switzerland. The ministers were executed in the town square, and Mussolini & his mistress suffered the same fate next day. From Gravedona we climbed up to the tiny hilltop village of Peglio. There is nothing at Peglio, but the views over the lake are just spectacular. We headed back to attend to our chores, and for lunch we just went to the market and bought a melon and fresh prosciutto. Add some Crossini and it is a perfect summer lunch. It seems even hotter today! Sorry all you people freezing back home! It is time to take another cold shower, and head down to the village. I can almost hear my little mate pouring my birre grande! 

For our last night in Menaggio we went back to the little family run restaurant in the square. The food there had been excellent and we both felt like fish again. We booked a table, and both had the most wonderful butterflied lake trout, all almond crusted. The house Rosata (Rose), went perfectly with it. After dinner we headed back into the square to have a farewell Limoncello with our barman friend. We said our good byes, and could hear the rumblings of distant thunder and flashes of lightning. We sat on our veranda, watching and listening but it was all bluster. We could certainly do with a big storm to cool it all down. Tomorrow, we head off into the Dolomites. Won't be long before we meet up with Jill, who has arrived in Italy and is enjoying Pompei at present.