Easy Jet flying is an education in itself. We checked one bag and each had a carry on…. Purses count as carry on so it was a good thing I could cram the thing in to Shane’s back pack. You could also starve on one of their flights as all refreshments are junky and overpriced. Ahhh…. Now we are so much wiser.

Milan airport isn’t much to write home about. The biggest thing I remember is how Easy Jet seems to have a complete monopoly on Terminal 2. Orange and white seem to have a majority on the tarmac. From Terminal 2 you take a bus to Terminal 1 then find the trains (not hard) and get on the one that says track 2. That just left as we arrived so the nice (well armed) policeman directed us to the train on track 1.… not what the nice ticket lady said. So there we sat with only Portuguese speaking Brazilians to chat with about our connection in Saronno. The train we were on was not only on the wrong track but it’s digital display was not working nor was the audio. There we were craning our necks at every stop. Forgot to mention that the nice map on the wall was for another line all together. Each stop we went through was not on the map. You might have guessed that our good luck held and we landed in Saronno where we punched in and waited for the next train to Como. Nasty little graffiti filled train with equally nasty people inspecting us from the sidelines.



Eventually we found Como and our hotel. The Hotel Barchetta Excelsior is situated across from the main square with a view to the lake. Not too shabby at all! The hotel itself has seen better days but the location was perfect and it was clean and friendly.

Our first day in Como it was slightly overcast and quite warm. After stowing our bags we set out to wander along the waterfront and the picturesque streets (open to only foot traffic). Como is charming and we found a great little Mom and Pop operation to enjoy a late meal with, of course, chianti.

Thursday morning it was drizzling a bit. We took off to see the town in daylight and at noon boarded the boat for Bellagio. There are no slow tour boats this time of year which left only the ‘speedo’ boat. Still it was a nice trip and Bellagio is wonderful little (steep) hill town. It is very interesting to hike around the village with steep cobblestone stairs connecting a labyrinth of narrow passageways. Had a wonderful lunch (Calzoni! And Chianti) at Ristoro Gorma & Gusto. Best calzoni I’ve had in 39 years. Cooked in a wood fire oven after we watched her put it all together.

After lunch we decided to take the bus back to Como. Found the bus station and when it arrived (on time) the driver told us we had to buy a ticket…. But he didn’t tell us where to go. The Amazing Race was on. A girl sent us to a bar where they sent us to the dock where they sent us to a Tobacco shop where we bought two tickets. Half jogging and half walking back we never expected the bus would be waiting but it was! Now ten minutes late he proceeded to make up time by careening at twice the speed along narrow, wet, windy roads at least 300 feet directly above e the water. What a trip! I must attest to the fact that he did make up the time. We had a blast and got a really good view of what life is like in those hill towns. Everything from terraced farming huts to luxury villas.

Exhausted from the day we came back for a well deserved rest.

So we saw Lake Como in the cloud, in the sun and in the pouring rain. It is nothing at all like Okanagan Lake. The architecture is impossible. I can’t imagine how they know where one property ends and another begins. You can walk out the third floor of your house, across a little bridge and end up in your vegetable garden. What a place. And the colours.

Yes, we are truly in Italy.

Now …the journey begins for Sicily.