Bellagio (Lake Como), Italy: This morning, after breakfast at our hotel, we four bought the "mid-lake all-day ferry pass" and ventured out to a few other towns (villages, really) on Lake Como.
Shirley & Martin on the ferry to Varenna
My favorite photo of the day
We arrived twenty minutes later to pretty VarennaVarenna is very small, compared to Bellagio, and fits the description of a "sleepy village". There is a church with a public square, a few small hotels and a few restaurants. Everything is ridiculously charming, of course, since Varenna is on Lake Como and everything is ridiculously charming on Lake Como. Here are a few photos of our walking tour of Varenna:
Water spouts are common throughout Italy. The water is (usually) safe to drink and people use the water to water plants, water their dogs or fill water jugs for their homes. The water spouts in public markets are used to wash vegetables.After we spent an hour in Varenna, we hopped on the next ferry to Menaggio. Menaggio is a fairly large village and has the advantage of at least two acres of flat land.
Arriving in Menaggio
The main square, where we found a cafe for lunch
It was fun to see people swimming in the lake and boats arriving from other townsand private villas for lunch in the town square.
A 1953 cycle - handed-down from Grandfather to Grandson - in pretty MenaggioWe also found a table in a cafe on the main square and enjoyed salads and a pizza.
After walking through town after lunch, we caught the ferry back to Beautiful Bellagio (obviously the prettiest village on the lake).
Lake Como ferry
Goodby to MenaggioAfter arriving to our hotel in Bellagio, we spent an hour in the launderette. We left home on August 1st and this is the first time we have done any washing (outside the sink in our hotel bathroom). Congrats to us. We met a lovely American couple, a beautiful Italian hospitality student and a fun Belgian family.
Dinner tonight was so much fun. We met Shirley and Martin for a cocktail at sunset and then had delicious dinner on the lake shore. The restaurant we selected tonight had Caprese Salad with avocado - the first avocado we have seen on a menu since arriving in Italy.Still, no tacos.
We video-chatted with the C.B.E. and called it night.
Leo clearly misses us.Pedometer: Sadly, only 10,223 steps (4.36 miles). Barely met my goal. Too much time spent on boats today instead of hilly land, though my Fitbit clocked me climbing 39 flights of stairs.
Until my next update, I remain, your ferry-hopping correspondent.