My most scenic cappuccino yet - this time at beautiful Lake Como.
The day after the emotional high and physical demands of our first game, we headed to Lake Como, an "idyllic" alpine lake slicing through the foothills of the Alps about 50 km north of Milan to seek some 'serenity.' Home to George Clooney and the 'real' Bellagio, we knew Lago di Como (as the locals call it) was going to be something special. However what we found exceeded all of our expecations -- bright blue water, green mountains, and pastel towns with red tile roofs.
Christie and her mom lakeside.
Scenic Varenna.
After grabbing breakfast (scrambled eggs for the first time in months!), we took the 9:15am train out of Milan Centrale Station, arriving at the sleepy, quaint seaside town of Varenna just after 10am. The best way to describe Varenna is to close your eyes and imagine any watercolor painting of a cute Italian lakeside village... cobblestone streets, promenade patios, and old sailboats. We strolled through the town and had a cup of cappuccino by the water. What I quickly found out is that you measure the quality of your day on the lake by "number of patios frequented." (By 2:15 in the afternoon we were already at 3!)
Beautiful Lake Como.We then caught the ferry across the lake to the town of Bellagio -- the inspiration for the famous Las Vegas Casino of the same name. If Varenna is lakeside living at its most relaxed, than Bellagio is living at its most refined. Upscale shops line perfect streets, beautiful couples casually stroll with Louis Vuitton bags, and flowers bloom 365 days per year. We did our best to fit in, however, I just didn't bring my leather pants on this trip.
The shore of Bellagio, the inspiration for my favorite Casino.
Our third and final patio of the day.
This sign says it all...
After a beautiful afternoon, it was time to depart and we sadly got on the ferry to leave. We did, however, take with us a little of the relaxed spirit that time in Lake Como will provide. Now it's off to Barcelona!
Signing off from Lake Como... Arrividerci!
~ J. Twice
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