The Swiss Adventure...: Lago di Como

What better way to spend your fifth anniversary (yes…five great years already!) than to cruise around Lake Como, Italy, have some good wine, amazing views and a fine dinner with George Clooney. Ok, so the George thing didn’t exactly happen, but he does own a home on the lake and despite celebrating 5 years of married bliss, I have to admit, I was kinda, sorta, well looking for Georgie (ladies, you know what I mean).

So, the 5+ hour train ride, was smooth and easy and despite receiving tickets for the wrong day (the poor couple whose window seats we took for the entire ride) at least the ticket inspectors didn’t notice. While rolling through Italy, we immediately looked at one another and said if we didn’t know where in the world we were, we would have guessed California. The terrain and landscape was remarkably close to home.

One of the joys of traveling to new places is the “awww” factor. We still haven’t grown accustom to the beauty and the newness of Europe. Italy was no exception. With our hotel perched high on a hill (historically is served as a monastery) we had commanding views of the lake, the mountains and the alps. The second day in Varenna, we took the ferry boat to Bellagio, Cadenabbia and Menaggio. Word of advice, read the boat schedule thoroughly before being dropped off in a town you know nothing about. Cadenabbia was a small town, with possibly two hotels, one restaurant and not much else. So we did what any couple would do, we hiked back, lake side, meandering through rocky shores, collecting rocks like the old folk and walking as close to the shoulder of the road as possible (as not to end up like Frogger in Atari) through a tunnel full of crazy (and yes, it is fine to call it like it is…you haven’t seen anything until you have witnessed Italian drivers, their cars are living proof of their poor driving skills....so for any of you reading this right now who are highly offended (Dom, Lou and Frank…no worries…I too, am Italian…it may not look like it but my grandmother was 100% Italian and made some amazing gnocchi.) We arrived safely in Menaggio and enjoyed the rest of the day eating gelato (Robert’s new favorite dessert).