Tour over and on to the next leg of Boca and Bubba's Summer Adventure-
The Italians are many wonderful things - but slow, safe and sane drivers, they are not. Italian highways resemble race tracks more than roads, and cars can be expensive and a hassle in the country’s ancient, pedestrian-oriented cities. Bubs had this illusion of renting a car and driving up to Bellagio on Lake Como. Huh? So rather than risk life and limb we water taxi it to the Venice train station to head to Milan via train. Bubs not thrilled with carrying Boca's shopping booty.
Arrivaderci! One last ride through the stunning canals of Venice.
Bubs has had enough and Boca never tires of all that Venice has to offer. But it really is a sinking beauty. Venice has weathered wars, dictators and conspiracies and enjoyed more than a thousand years of democracy- more or less. But its most treacherous foe may be the very sea it has relied on for centuries. The city is literally sinking into the muddy lagoon on which it was built in spite of advice from experts all over the world- cement injections and ongoing work of restoration and solidification of the canals, this city continues to sink. The search for ways to save one of the most beautiful and extraordinary cities ever built continues....will "global warming" spell doom?
Yup, lots of old buildings in these parts.
The water taxi driver and other boat drivers are quite impressive with their driving ability. They maneuver these canals with impressive skills- lots of traffic and water churning.
Pleep wants to come back for Carnival as he is now mask ready while Bubs wants to stay home in the shade.
80 Euros for a 20 minute ride-a bargain.
The train station is a circus with tons of folks going hither and yon.A porter rolls up to the taxi and wheels our luggage to the train station but stops short of the door and asks for 5 euros per bag- a 2 min job- 30 euros Mr . Hey wait a min. buddy, we need you to come help us carry the luggage to the train. No can do. He can't come inside the train station. Wonderful. Bubba pays up while Boca barks "are you kidding!". So now we look for another porter-not a porter to be found. Bubs kept checking the train schedule board for the posting of the track number-"not posted yet" Huh? Then Boca with all of her patience hissed, "let me check...Bubba, -OMG-it is clear as a bell, track 8 and it is leaving in 2 minutes! We've got 2 mins to get to track 8 and car 2 in a 17 car train!!". Huffing and puffing Boca and Bubs wheel, drag and schlepp their overloaded bags and here come the rogue gypsy porters...grabbing our bags to "help" us. No No Boca screams. Who are these guys? So more huffing and puffing to get to car number 2, of course at the other end of the 17 car train. Toot toot- all aboard. The next thing you know those same guys are on the train- in our car wanting to "help" us load the bags. I was never so happy to see a Gypsy in my life. Up the bags went onto the train and Bubs gladly gave them the Euro's they demanded. How is this allowed? These guys running all over the trains? Why not hire them properly...that way you will have some reasonable thought that your customer's wallet will remain within their trousers and not in a gypsy pocket. What were we thinking to take a train? Should have risked life and limb on the highway.
The train is actually very nice and comfortable.
It was a bit tricky finding space for our way over the limit luggage. Oops.
Our travel agent had enough sense to hire us a driver to pick us up in Milan and drive us up to Bellagio on Lake Como.
It must be against the law to drive with out leaning on your horn every 30 seconds. Bubs is looking forward to no more touring and chillaxing.
BELLAGIO, COMO
Right there on the border of Italy and Switzerland. Have you been up this way? It is our first time- glad to finally make it to Lake Como.
Bellagio is a municipality in the Province of Como in the Italian region of Lombardy. It is located on Lake Como, also known by its Latin-derived name, the Lake of Lario. The arms of the lake form an inverted Y. The triangular land mass at the base of the inverted Y is the Larian Triangle. The Como arm of the lake lies to its south west, the Lecco arm of the lake to its south east. At the northern point of the triangle sits Bellagio, looking across to the northern arm of the lake and, behind it, the Alps. It has always been famous for its location.
And breathtaking it is! Bellagio is situated upon the cape of the land mass that divides Lake Como in two. The city centre occupies the tip of the promontory, while other districts are scattered along the lake shores and up the slopes of the hills.
How did such a beautiful geography develop? The great Pleistocene glaciations with their imposing flows coming from the Valtellina and Valchiavenna modelled the actual landscape of Lake Como: at least four times the glaciers went as far as Brianza to the south. From the ancient glacial blanket only the highest tops emerged, one of them Mount St. Primo, which obliged the glaciers to divide into two arms. Loaded with trees and flowers and a mild sweet climate- we're all in.
The Grand Dame- our digs!
Just behind the hill of the promontory into the lake, protected from the winds, is the building complex of Villa Serbelloni. The villa dominates the town's historic centre. It was built in the fifteenth century in place of an old castle razed in 1375. Villa Serbelloni was later rebuilt several times. In 1788 it came into the possession of Alessandro Serbelloni (1745–1826) who enriched it with precious decorations and works of art of the 17th and 18th centuries. On the inside, elegant halls with vault and coffered ceilings follow one another accurately decorated in the style of the 17th and 18th centuries. In 1905, the villa was transformed into a luxury hotel. In 1959 it became the property of the Rockefeller Foundation of New York at the bequest of the American-born Princess of Thurn and Taxis, who had bought it in 1930. Since 1960 the Bellagio Center in the villa has been home to international conferences, often held by US scholars, housed in the former villa or in the grounds. And today it is privately owned by a local family.
Initially we were booked at Villa D'este but based on a friends recommendation- for more activity- we booked the Serbelloni up at the tip of the Lake- and you thought we booked it because of the "Serb" root! We checked in and on the way to our room Boca noticed a ballroom being set up for a wedding. Boca couldn't resist popping in for a look. Apparently Boca's reputation as a wedding crasher preceded her making the florist and wedding planner very nervous....very very nervous. What a gorgeous room and set up. Wow!
Bubs, you have to come check it out- I'm getting some ideas for Alex's upcoming nuptials.
Now that is a stunning centerpiece!
How about the bridal party table- gorge!
Boca, I don't need to see it. I know perfectly well what a $1000 centerpiece looks like. Ha Ha- he wishes it was only a $1000 centerpiece.
Alrighty then, time for some lunch and a little village shopping
Baba Yaga? Does a Serb own this restaurant? Baba Yaga is a character from a Serbian (Russian too) fairy tale.
Where's the darn Gellateria?
Cars squeeze down these tiny streets, as the pedestrians have to hop out of the way.
Princess Grace? What's that all about? Did she sleep here?
You know Boca NEEDS another manger....which one do you prefer?
Still looking for some Gelato Bubs?
Pleep thought that he and Boca might consider capitalizing on our love of the vine....and start painting our bottles. He was sure there would be a market for them in Naples.
And speaking of being thirsty. I am done with your shopping and Sherpa duty.
Time for a cold one.
Back to the Serbelloni, here comes the bride- an American. Yup, lots of American gals have destination weddings in the Lake Como region.
Too late Boca, you are already booked at St. Katherines and Quail West. And no you are not going to their after party!
Pass the bread please.
And yes the cuisine of Italy has been quite the culinary journey. Although not typically a bread eater, Boca has so loved the bread and in particular the "grisini"- the bread sticks. Why are they so tasty when the ones we get back home pretty much taste like paper? The grisini are as essential as knives and forks and featured on every table. How did they come up with this idea? 150 years ago Prince Umberto son of King Vittoro was a weak child unable to digest normal bread until one of the court bakers created a much lighter dough and baked it in the shape of sticks for the pleasure of the young prince. Thus the grisini was born. Gratzie! Boca and Pleep so enjoys not only playing with the sticks but also eating them. Don't even ask about the butte- a lot more fat in it than our's back home and obviously equally more delicious. Bravisimo!
