DATE: Thursday 20 July, 1995
PLACE: Venice to Lake Como
WEATHER: Hot
REMARKS: Departing this am went smoothly, and paying up
was straight-forward. The Casa Verardo is a surprise - we
finally get 'inside' and find a large dining room full of
tourists, but cluttered and overdone.
We catch the vaporetto, apprehensive about the fate of the
car and its contents in the parking building.
Our worst fears are NOT realized, and the car, and more
importantly the contents are safe and untouched.
We are heading for the Italian Lakes, Como in particular,
north of Milan.
An amazing place: glacial lake; sides are truly precipitate;
and buildings seem to either cling to it, or to grow from
the sheer face!
In trying to find a place to turn around I stop fairly suddenly
(indicating a turn however); and cause someone to drive into
the back of the car behind me. They are very put out, and
decide that because I talk English I must be crazy and incompetent!
My view is that I signaled a turn, the car behind me stopped,
so it's their problem, and I drive on. Albeit angry at being
in that position in the first place.
Two hours later we have traveled through amazingly narrow
roads making no concessions to modem traffic and eventually
find a pensione - Albergo Sole, north of Menaggio. A small
village on a narrow river/stream mouth, it has two rooms for
us, and a beach! Sarah says the water is too cold, but Jayne
and Charlotte are in their element - imaginations run riot
at play beside the stream and on the stony beach. The most
amazingly electric-blue dragon-flies flit by.
Dinner in the ristorante and a stroll up the hill to the
local 'castle' (or castellated villa?).
The view across the lake would be magnificent, if it could
be seen! But the haze is staggering. The lake is less than
2 km across, and each house can be identified, but the haze
blurs outlines and detail. Como to the south is invisible
behind a wall of haze.
To get here we almost ran into Switzerland at Como, and
discover that St Moritz is 'up the mountain' at the head of
the lake. What exalted (and pricey!) places we move in. Desiree is relieved the place is small - same again tomorrow
please. Near Grenoble if we can strike it lucky.
|
