Experience 7: Cable Car to the top. Stressa. 6th June.
So we met some of our tour companions in the lobby of our hotel. As it turned out, everyone on the tour was from OzStraya, which we didn't realize was going to be the case. We jumped on the bus and farewelled Milano, heading for Stressa. Our tour guide talked most of the way, the do's and don'ts of touring....but more about him later.
Once settled into this amazing hotel on the picturesque Lago Maggiore, we headed for the cable car run up to Mottarone, which was a modest peak overlooking the lake. John attempted some chit chat with the cable car driver, which was not going well at all, when a nice older lady from our tour rescued him, as she had a "little" Italian....actually she had a lot...certainly by my standards given I (JL) was quite lost after Buon Journo. Anyway, on arrival at the lookout, the view was OK but limited owing to an afternoon mist and low cloud....a foretaste of things to come. The cable car ride was fun, it actually included three separate stages, built in 1970 and still going strong.
Experience 8: Name dropping in Lake Como. 7th June.
Another lake in the Italian Lakes district, Lago Como was on the agenda today. Lago Como is popular with the rich and famous and many majestic villas are found on it's shores. We visited a modest villa for the area, Villa Carlotta and its extensive beautifully manicured gardens. Unfortunately, George Clooney is selling his villa on Lake Como, due to being tired of being bothered by the paparazzi, so there was no chance of spotting him on our cruise around the lake. Our tour director, Aldo, then proceded to advise us that if we had a spare 20 million euro, there was a villa for sale on the lake. Some notable properties we did cruise past were Richard Branson's villa, a villa used in one of the James Bond movies (will have to find out which one) and another villa in Italy where Napoleon once slept. We then cruised into the quaint village of Bellagio for lunch and a wander through the cobblestoned streets. It was here that we also enjoyed our first Italian Gelati. Peach for Chez and Pistachio for John. Pistachio won the taste test this time.
Experience 9: First proper Italian lesson. 7th June.
Like most people, it seems the Italians don't mind so much that we aussie's can't speak the lingo, but they do like us to have a bit of a try. Aldo, our guide, has been giving us lessons on the bus as we drive between destinations. Most of the words and phrases we went over were not new, it was the way he was teaching us to say them that was the big difference. Emphasis on the vowels and roll your R's. There we all were like a school class...repeat after me....sort of thing. It was fun and funny.
I (JL) have "used my words" with growing confidence since, even to the point where one of the other tour members who heard me ordering some beverages reported back to the group that I was conversing with the hotel staff in the local language. That description was a stretch of the highest order...but I am definitely on the improve.
Worth a mention
Aperol Spritz is a popular drink in the Lombardy Province of Northern Italy. We had seen someone drinking this in Milan and wondered what it was. After being enlightened by Aldo, a pre dinner drink of this vibrant orange colored drink was a must for Chez. Ingredients: Aperol ( a bit like Campari but not as bitter), soda, a slice of orange and lots of ice. Not bad at all.
