Friday, July 6, 2018
Luxuriating on the Banks of Lovely Lake Como
We left our Hotel Nettuno early to get to the train station at Piazza Cadorna for our train to Lake Como. We picked up coffee and croissants from a small café at the station and without losing any time raced off to the platform to board our train. It was only an hour’s journey—by 10.00 am, we were on the bank of lovely Lake Como.
Lake Como is of three lakes that comprise what is known as Italy’s Lake District—the other two lakes are Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore. Of the three, Lake Como is the most glamorous in terms of its gorgeous scenery—you can see the snow-covered Dolomites from its shores—as well as in terms of the small towns that have mushroomed on its banks. Finally, recent celebrities like George Clooney and his lawyer wife, Amal, have put this place on the fame map.
Lake Como also lends itself to the name of the main town—Como. This town can boast a big main piazza which sports a grand Cathedral (the Duomo) as well as a good local bus and tram transportation service. There is also a funicular train that whisks visitors up to the top of the tallest mountain that overlooks the lake for some arresting views of the area. We did not have the time to take the train—or else it would have been a great excursion.
The way to get from one little lake-shore town to the next is through the ferry system. Indeed visitors can board slow-rowing ferries that ply up and down the lake as well as from side to side as they skirt the banks picking up and dropping passengers off. The ferry is the only way to get across the lake and unless one drives around its periphery, there is really no other way to get around.
On The Ferry to Bellagio:
We decided not to waste much time in Como as there were many more picturesque places to be seen. Besides, the crowd at the little ferry dock grew rapidly as the hour for its departure drew near. We bought our tickets to Varenna—a town way in the northern reaches of the lake, which is Y-shaped at the lower end. We then boarded it with a huge horde of people—most were Europeans from neighboring countries out for a few days in the Lake District.
The sun was hot and it grew quiet uncomfortable to sit on the deck—we, therefore, took turns to step inside in the shade and stand by a window where a cool breeze played off the lake. The ferry made frequent stops all along the shores. People got on and off; but the bulk stayed on—obviously with the same final destination in mind. As we bobbed across the water, we took in the sight of lovely classical villas in uniformly warm hues--of orange, brown, russet, yellow, saffron, orche, even pink. Gardens, viewed from the ferry, promised rambles among Italianate topiaries, tall cypresses and elegant statuary. All these towns on the lake-shore sported red tiled roofs. Occasionally, we spied the spire of a church reaching out of the warren of lanes towards the heavens. There were villas everywhere and not a building in sight to spoil the visual glory. With the ice-capped mountains and the lapping lake waves, these scenes wherever the eye turned, were idyllic. There was so much to catch the eye and capture the camera’s lens—I simply did not know when to stop.
About two…yes, two…whole hours later, we arrived at a major stop—it turned out to be Bellagio and almost the entire boat seemed to empty of humanity. We thought we would carry on towards Varenna, but we were mistaken. This was the last stop and we had no choice but to get off.
Bella Bellagio:
Bellagio does not have its reputation for nothing! It is simply glorious! In fact, I am amazed that the Clooneys do not live here. As we made our way from the ferry port up the steep flights of stairs that led, tier after cobbled tier, to the wide open spaces above, we passed by fancy eateries, upscale shops and beautiful little lodgings that seemed to come out of a fairy-tale. In Bellagio’s main square, we shopped for silk scarves—as the town is the center of Italy’s silk-weaving industry. There were souvenir stores, of course, offering magnets, postcards and the like and we bought a few.
Then, feeling famished, we decided to look for lunch. Little wayside eateries presented themselves but we could not linger long as we had our eye on the clock—we needed to get the next ferry heading to Varenna. Accordingly, Delyse and I picked up prosciutto and fontina cheese sandwiches from a deli and found them to be most delicious. Truly, even the simplest ingredients in Italy are so flavorful that no matter what one sets out to concoct, it tastes superlative.
Waltzing in Varenna:
With our sandwiches in hand, we found our way back to the ferry spot. Boarding the next ferry leaving for Varenna, we were dropped off just fifteen minutes later, at our next destination. Less glamorous than Bellagio, Varenna is, nevertheless, every bit as appealing, for it too is filled with glorious villas that form a backdrop for the little beaches and pebbly coves that are a part of the town. At Varenna, after a long hike uphill, we actually dipped our feet into the cooling waters of the lake and took innumerable pictures because every nook and cranny offered the most scenic vistas. I truly wish we could have spent more time in Lake Como, but, overall, I was simply glad that we had a chance to explore it.
Tantalizing Tremezzo:
From Varenna, we boarded the ferry once again and made our way to yet another town: Tremezzo. This little place is famous for Villa Carlotta, a sprawling estate that has a grand villa and many acres of formal classical gardens—as well as its own chapel. Sadly, the premises were out of bounds to tourists as there was a private event going on. All we could do was stand outside the wrought-iron gates of the villa and take pictures.
And then, after we had sauntered a bit longer on the shores of Lake Como and taken in the fancy cars that were whizzing in and out of the mountain roads, it was time for us to board the final ferry that would take us back to Como. This ride seemed a bit shorter—the sun had dipped down and a cool breeze was playing. It made the return journey back far more pleasant.
A Quick Stroll Around Como:
Back at the ferry port at Como, we ventured out into its main square and encircled its huge Duomo. However, it was closed for the day and we could not get inside. The tourist frenzy of the morning had subsided and we seemed to have the town to ourselves. Very slowly, we made our way back to the train station on foot for our return ride to Milan.
Our travels had finally come to an end—as all good things must! It did not end with a bang—just with the gentle sailing on the waters of a placid lake that offered frequent glimpses of the lower Alps and the verdant green sides of mountains that dipped down to kiss the waves of the shores. After the hectic sightseeing of over a week, it was the nicest way to end our stay in Italy and all of us were grateful that we were concluding on a quiet, relaxed and very rejuvenating note.
Back in Milan for our Last Dinner:
Night had fallen by the time we arrived in Milan. We were famished and ready to eat a nice dinner—it was going to be our last one, after all. But Piazza Cadorna was almost deserted and in the darkness, it was so hard to find a suitable restaurant at which we could eat. We did manage to find a convenience store that had a particular hand soap that I was seeking and find it we did!
Then, it was time to look for dinner and while we searched high and low for a suitable Italian restaurant for our last meal in Italy, every single one seemed to be closing for the night. Left with little choice, we were really pleased to come upon Zakuro, a Japanese restaurant not too far from Piazza Cadorna and it was there that we treated ourselves to our last really amazing meal. We ordered ramen soup and a noodles dish filled with shrimp that was so flavorful and such a welcome change from all the pasta and pizza and gelato on which we had gorged for a whole two weeks. The service was excellent and, to my enormous surprise, my friends decided to treat me to the meal—not just because it was going to be my birthday in the next couple of days but also because they wished to say Thank-you to me for inviting them on this ride and for planning it with the kind of attention to detail with which all my travel itineraries are crafted. It was a happy group that raised glasses in a toast to the end of our journey and the hope of more happy travels in the years to come.
Conclusion:
We’d had long and very adventurous travels in Italy—that was for sure. But if I were to pick out the highlights of the trip for me, these are the moments that stick out in my mind:
1. Having the city of Florence all to myself at dawn for two days in a row during which time I enjoying photographing it without shadows in the soft light of morning.
2. Looking out the window during my conference at NYU and for three days seeing nothing but undulating gardens, olive groves, lemon and orange trees, topiaries and moss-covered sculpture at Villa La Pietra just outside Florence.
3. Shopping for a hat in Florence with my friend Tim in La Borsalino—a shop into which I would never have ventured.
4. Becoming introduced to the magnificent frescoes of Fra Angelico at the Convent of San Marco in Florence.
5. Meeting my college classmate Vanessa after more than 35 years in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence and having dinner with her.
6. Being a participant in Il Palio—the annual horse-race--in Sienna.
7. Gasping at the marble mosaics on the floor of the Duomo in Sienna.
8. The four fabulous Bernini sculptures in the Chapel of Santa Maria della Vota in the Duomo in Sienna.
9. The Piccolomini Library in Sienna.
10. Seeing the real head and teeth of St. Catherine in the Basilica of St. Dominic in Sienna.
11. The man dressed as St. Francis on the cobbled streets of Assisi (who fooled Delyse into thinking he was a statue).
12. Lunch with the Brigidine nuns at Suore Brigidine in Assisi.
13. The Pinocoteca Nationale in Bologna with its collection of altarpieces.
14. The Mausoleum of Galla Placidia with its glowing mosaics in Ravenna.
15. The delicious meal of pork chops and grilled vegetables that Delyse and I shared at La Gardela Restaurant in Ravenna.
16. Seeing The Last Supperby Leonardo da Vinci in Milan
17. Attending a performance of Beethoven’s only opera Fidelioat La Scala in Milan.
18. Dipping our toes in Lake Como while on the pebbly shores of Varenna.
There were a lot of images that saw us off to sleep on our final night in Italy. Early the next morning, Delyse, Nafisa and I would be taking a train from the Cadorna station to Milan’s Malpensa Airport. Accordingly, we called a cab at 5.00 pm and fell asleep on a tired note.
Until tomorrow, arrivederci…
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