The Crawshaws’ Overseas Trip - Varenna Day 6

Saturday 25 May - we arose at 5.20am, showered, dressed and headed down to the ferry terminal by 6.05am. Eve and Max beat us to it, not wanting to line up for tickets. There was no fear of that happening as the ticket office was shut. At around 6.20, a woman turned up and unlocked the office but then proceeded to put the barriers in place, then popped the life buoys into their slots and opened the waiting room. Finally she entered the office and Eve was able to purchase our fares, four on the one ticket, 64 euro in total. Our plan was to buy the return ticket as well but no, that was not possible, one way tickets only. So it would be Michael’s turn on the way back.

It was cloudy but no rain, although bitterly cold at this early hour. A few other people turned up.  One young man, probably mid thirties, jumped out of a car and headed straight into the waiting room. The driver of the car, an elderly woman, followed him out of the car, calling to him. He came to the door of the waiting room where she tried to hug and kiss him but he resisted her efforts, verbally and physically. She gave up and drove off. I felt sad for her. He was obviously embarrassed by her affection but perhaps did not realise that he was diminished in the eyes of  onlookers by the lack of compassion for this woman, more than likely his mother or grandmother. I felt like giving him a good slap.

The hydrofoil arrived at 6.40am, and within 2 minutes, we were away. There were 6 stops in all, including Como, our destination. Como was the end of the line on the lake, the journey taking about an hour in total, a lot quicker than the normal ferry ride to Como which was about 2 hours. There was some drizzle on the way, hopefully short lived.

We disembarked at Como at about 7.45am, still very early . Our plan was to buy the return ticket before we left the terminal but the ticket office was shut until 8.30am. We headed off and found a café not far away. The café was warm and cosy and we ordered cappuccinos and croissants filled with custard for breakfast. Delicious!

Then back to the terminal for our return tickets. Michael asked for tickets to Varenna on the hydrofoil. The impatient attendant told him that the hydrofoil did not go to Varenna and we would have to get off at Bellagio and catch the normal ferry to Varenna. Michael added that we wanted to leave at 2.30pm. Oh well, that was a different story and yes we could take the hydrofoil to Varenna after all.

Tickets sorted, we headed off in search of the all day markets. Como was a large city compared to Varenna and we enjoyed looking at the sculptured buildings and peering into designer shop windows as we made our way to the markets. Once found, we meandered through the colourful rows of stalls which seemed to stretch forever. The wares were many and varied, from clothing, shoes, bags and makeup to household appliances, quirky knick knacks, books and toys. Eve and I bought tiny cars for our little grandsons while I also bought socks for all of my Albany grandies plus a plaited wrist band for the older two. I also bought myself a pink puffer jacket which seemed to be all the rage in Italy. I was after a spray jacket but this one was warm as well as waterproof so it was just the ticket.  I convinced a reluctant Michael to buy a long sleeved collared sweatshirt in charcoal grey. It looked good and was the right size. Max liked the look of it and bought one as well!

Eventually we were marketed out and headed back towards the lake. Eve and I got sidetracked by the shops along the way so the boys left us to it. Eventually we reconnected for a panini lunch before parting company yet again for antother stint at the shops before meeting up once more near the ferry terminal.

The hydrofoil returning up the lake was infinitely more populated than when we ventured down. Once we were under way, the rain fell in earnest. At each stop, more people poured on, all scanning the boat for seats. One young woman, who was walking down the staircase to the lower deck, slipped and  fell down the remaining steps. We weren’t sure what happened to her but it would have been a painful descent!

Eventually we docked at Varenna, alighted from the boat and headed back to our respective abodes.
We met up for dinner at our by now regular restaurant, Alberto’s and another good night was had by all.

The Crawshaws’ Overseas Trip - Varenna Day 5

Friday 24 May - another day of rest and relaxation. Breakfast in the apartment consisting of fried eggs, tomato and toast. Morning coffee at one café in the piazza, lunch at another. Meals were interspersed with strolling around town, writing my blog, reading, watching Miss Marple and Father Brown on the English channel and afternoon beers at the Bistro for Michael and Max. Michael also took another load of washing to the dry cleaners.

Michael also got into the habit of taking his book to a bench directly down from our steep flight of steps, on the edge of Lake Como. He read, watched the boats come and go, ate gelato, conversed with other bench sitters. Very relaxing way to spend time while on holidays.

That evening, we dined at the Albergo Ristorante on the corner of our alleyway. Norman was our waiter, who buzzed about very attentively. As a starter, he brought out a glass of Prosecco each for each of us, on the house. I asked him where he was from, with a name like Norman. He said he was born in Italy but his parents both just liked the English name. Our meals were served  fairly quickly, enough to cause conjecture that the meals might be par cooked, in particular the pasta. In any event the food was tasty enough. I had grilled sea bass, with vegetables. Michael had calzone pizza, Max and Eve had pasta dishes. We had profiteroles for dessert, followed by the obligatory Limoncello. We retired at a reasonable hour, having made plans to visit Como the next day, catching the hydrofoil at 6.30am!

The Crawshaws’ Overseas Trip - Varenna Day 4

Thursday 23 May - A day of relaxation in and around the town square. Tonight was to be a belated celebration for Eve’s 70th. Eve’s actual birthday was 17 February but this was our opportunity to celebrate her milestone. Michael and I wandered around, looking for an appropriate restaurant for the occasion. We tried to book at a restaurant near our apartment but we were told very abruptly that there were no tables available on Thursday, Friday or Saturday nights. So we went further afield and found a lovely restaurant called Al Prato. When we asked the maître d’ if there was a table for that night, he was very friendly, saying “Si signore, what time?” We opted for an outside table at 7pm. The restaurant was set at the rear of a cobblestoned courtyard, surrounded by ivy covered walls, promising an agreeable ambience for the birthday dinner.

The ambience lived up to our expectations. The maître d’, Giovanni, was lively and witty, his English far superior to our Italian. It did take a while to be served, for even though there were other staff delivering food and drink to tables, Giovanni seemed to be the only person taking orders from patrons. When he finally took our drinks order, he told us he was the owner of the restaurant. He laughed and joked his way around from table to table with the specials board, constantly on the go. 

We ordered a bottle of Prosecco for our pre-dinner drinks. Max and Michael also had a local beer. The red wine was fabulous, grown and bottled within 50 kms of Varenna. Eventually Giovanni took our order for the main course and we sipped our various drinks, enjoying each others’ banter in the balmy evening air.

It was fine dining at its best. Our meals were simply superb. Eve had lamb chops with mustard sauce, Max had beef steak with truffle seasoning, Michael had duck a l’orange and I had my Italian favorite, tuna steak. Max declared it was the best steak he had ever had, my tuna was done to perfection, ditto for the others. It could have been the wine working on our inhibitions but we waxed lyrical on the food, each of us sampling the others’ choices. 

For dessert, we all chose tiramisu from the specials board. When they were brought to the table, Eve’s dessert had a lit candle beside it. We and a lot of the other diners sang Happy Birthday to her, and then they all clapped. After dinner, we were plied with complementary Limoncello. Michael made a little speech, praising his big sister for her life-long love and support of him. It was an emotional moment to end a very special evening. 

The Crawshaws’ Overseas Trip - Varenna Day 3

Wednesday 22 May - our plan today was to visit Tremezzo, where Villa Carlotta was the star attraction. It was two ferry stops from Varenna, not far, so we left mid morning. The ferry terminal was directly at the base of the Villa. The entrance fee was 10 euros, 8 euros for the aged, for which we qualified naturally. 

We entered the botanical garden of the Villa, marvelling at its beauty. Covering about 8 hectares, the garden was terraced at the front of the Villa, with pathways trellised overhead by lemon and mandarin trees. There were azaleas, camellias, and rhododendrons in vast arrays in this Eden like paradise. Pockets of foliage akin to rainforest soared above the manicured lawns. Waterfalls cascaded down the slopes, adding to the sense of exotic wilderness.

We found a café on the outer edge of the property, overlooking the lake. We had cappuccinos all round and a brief respite to enjoy the view and marvel at our surroundings.

The Villa itself was stunning. There were three levels, each one displaying incredible artwork, ornate furnishings, sculptures and artefacts dating back centuries. After looking in all the rooms, we stepped out on to the balcony to  admire the breathtaking view. Lake Como sparkled in the sunlight, its surface a dappled deep blue.

Eventually we turned back into the Villa to begin the descent to the ground floor. My legs were still in a vice like grip. Climbing up the stairs to each floor was just bearable but I knew going back down would be excruciating. As we moved towards the top of the stairs, suddenly there before us was a lift. Such relief! We shared the short ride down with another couple, with whom we managed to exchange countries of origin. They were Italian but lived in San Diego. 

We made our way back to the ferry terminal. The next ferry arrived in 40 minutes so we found a boat bar not far away and popped on board for a beer and some snacks. We sat on the deck in the warm sunshine, sipping our cold beer, all feeling content with our world.

That evening, we were again guests at our travelling companions’ apartment. This time maestro Max whet our appetites with anti pasta to start, then a mouthwatering spread of spaghetti carbonara, salad (courtesy of Eve), crusty bread with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and pesto. Bellissimo! We provided the beer, wine and limoncello plus some background music from Michael’s phone piped through the bluetooth speaker. Another tasty meal worthy of any decent restaurant and yet another entertaining night with good friends.

Longest hair at the ferry terminal in Varenna!

One of the colourful American tourists on the ferry

Villa Carlotta 

The Crawshaws’ Overseas Trip - Varenna Day 2

Tuesday 21 May - Today we took the ferry to Bellagio. In spite of a rainy and stormy forecast, the morning was warm and sunny, perfect weather for cruising Lake Como. Bellagio is just across the lake from Varenna so after a mere ten minutes, we disembarked along with hordes of other eager tourists.

One of the reasons we went to Bellagio was that Glen, a friend of Eve and Max had recommended a couple of good restaurants for lunch. Another more frivolous reason was that George and Amal Clooney have a villa in the vicinity and might be hanging out in Bellagio. In actual fact, their villa, named Oleandra, is near the town of Laglio, just over an hour’s ferry ride from Bellagio. So the Clooneys were in no danger of us crashing their lunch party. 

We found the first restaurant very quickly. With the unlikely name of Far Out,  it was far up a steep set of steps directly in line with the ferry dock. The sign said it opened at 11.30 so we went off to explore the delights of Bellagio. 

We returned at 12 noon, only to find the restaurant still closed. Eventually we ascertained from asking around in our non fluent Italian that Far Out was closed on Tuesdays. Oh dear. Lucky we had the other option that Glen had recommended. After finding Ristorante Barchetta, we were shown to a table and handed menus, bread sticks etc. When the waitress came to take our order, I asked for the wifi password. She informed us that their restaurant did not have access to the password. It belonged to the restaurant upstairs. And of course, according to the sign on the door around the corner, it was also closed on Tuesdays. So ended our quest to try and take advantage of Glen’s culinary critique of Bellagio. Our restaurant by default, apart from no wifi, was more than satisfying. Michael ordered a Calzoni pizza to share with me, which was delicious. Eve and Max spaghetti and tagliatelle respectively. The wine was good, the food delectable but we never did learn the name of this restaurant, lying in the shadow of Barchetta up above. 

We browsed the shops on the waterfront, buying a few knick-knacks to take home. Heading back to the ferry terminal, we were told by the young man that the next ferry left for Varenna in 20 minutes. So when the next ferry arrived 5 minutes later, we stood back. After waiting 25 minutes, Max asked again about the Varenna ferry. He was told that it had already left and the next one was leaving from pier 6 in a couple of minutes. We could only see pier 3 in the direction the young man pointed but a ferry was already there, being loaded with people and cars. So we raced off after Max who sped off at a lightning pace (my still suffering calf muscles screaming in agony) only to see the ferry pull out just as we arrived. Back to the terminal office, this time to be told that the next ferry was leaving in another 20 minutes. So a fairly long wait for transport back to our little town, but the sun was shining and we were in no real hurry, so we sat around like everybody else and waited.   

That evening, Eve and Max invited us around for a few drinks and an anti pasta meal instead of venturing out to a restaurant. It was very pleasant, their apartment being a vast improvement on ours. The balcony beyond the French doors offered a breathtaking view of the lake. It was a three bedroom apartment with a lounge and dining area. It also sported a washing machine, luxury indeed. After a nightcap of Limoncello, Michael and I wandered back to our compact quarters, enjoying the relative quiet of a Spring night on Lake Como. 

Bellagio

Daisy’s Bar for cappuccino

At restaurant below Barchetta

Possibly the Clooneys’ recycled pram?

Closed on Tuesdays!

The Crawshaws’ Overseas Trip - Varenna Day 1

Monday 20 May - Another grey day in Milan greeted us when we awoke. As we had a late checkout, we took our time packing, then went to the hotel restaurant for breakfast. We agreed to meet Eve and Max in the foyer at 11.15am, to give plenty of time to find the right platform at Central Station. The train to Varenna was departing at 12.30pm. 

Trundling our bags across the square in the misty rain, we found our way to the correct part of the station from where trains travelled to the far corners of the country. The departure board listed the train to Varenna but no platform. So we found the station café and had cappuccino while waiting. Eventually at 12pm, the platform was listed as number 12. Off we went, bags in tow, to find the train already waiting at platform 12. Asking a porter where was the first class carriage, he indicated one further up. We hopped on and stowed our bags in the overhead racks, then selected seats. Just as we got comfortable, another train official came along and said no, no, first class was the first carriage. Personally I thought the carriage we were in had more comfortable seats but there was more leg room in first class. As we could see our bags from where we ended up, we left them in the second carriage. It was no mean feat hoisting 4 bags weighing approximately 17 kgs each above head height, even for Michael and Max.

Finally the train got under way and we spent a pleasant hour gazing at the Italian countryside slipping by. About halfway into the journey, we caught glimpses of Lake Como, obviously an incredibly large body of water. We were looking forward to reaching our particular stretch of the lake.

After managing to retrieve our bags and alighting from the train, we made our way single file along the very narrow platform to Varenna station. Maria and Peitro, the owners of our apartment, were there to greet us. Eve and Max had a taxi waiting. While Eve and Michael were finding out from Maria where was a good place for us to meet up, Max came rushing back from the taxi, telling Eve to hurry. Apparently their taxi driver had another fare to pick up and she was getting impatient. We had been in Varenna for all of three minutes!

Maria and Pietro were very friendly, engaging in broken English small talk while driving to our abode. They parked in a narrow street and we walked down a short, steep flight of steps to the gate of the apartment. To call it an apartment was a slight exaggeration. Picture a small bed-sit, with a tiny kitchen, and a bathroom with shower, toilet and bidet.  The view of the lake was from outside the apartment, on the minuscule balcony. Maria enthused about the outdoor table, at which we could sip wine and admire the view. To put the table and chairs out, we would not be able to get into the apartment, as the only door was right on the edge of the balcony. Never mind, there were plenty of places in Varenna to sit and sip wine and admire the lake. Our bed was comfortable, there was heating, and the water was hot.

After settling in, we met Eve and Max in the town square. We plonked ourselves at the nearest café and ordered buckwheat pasta for Michael and me, while Eve and Max had pizzas, plus beers all round.  The scene was picturesque, with a church dominating the square, cafés dotted around. There were two small grocery shops, a bank complete with an atm machine and an information centre. Among the apartments lining the steep alleyways leading from the lake were quite a few restaurants, wine bars, a couple of dress shops, a laundromat and also a dry cleaners which took in washing as well. This was our preferred way to do laundry, well worth ten euro to have our clothes washed and dried for us. The online blurb about the apartment included a washing machine but this turned out not to be the case. I guess there was no room! 

An afternoon rest watching an English tv channel, followed by a 7pm rendezvous with our travelling duo. We ate dinner at a restaurant next door to our lunch time café. Eve and Max had pasta, Michael had sausages and chips while I opted for calamari and salad. And plenty of quality red wine. So far Italy had not let us down in the food and wine department and Varenna was no exception. Relaxed and content, we parted company until the morrow. 

The Crawshaws’ Overseas Trip - Milan Day 2

Sunday 19 May - The next day Eve suggested that we go to visit the Duomo cathedral in Milan. We navigated the Metro and managed to alight at the right station. Along the way, we passed many of the fashion houses of Milan, Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Prada etc. I’m not sure we would have got past their security let alone been allowed to inspect the garments on display. We made our way to Duomo, a magnificent piece of architecture and decided to queue up to look inside. After about 25 minutes of waiting in the rain (again hotel umbrellas saved us), we eventually reached the entrance, only to be told we had to buy the tickets across the road! So we left the queue, by now which had grown to an incredible length and went shopping instead. The boys were very patient, browsing the stores with us. As it was Sunday, there were crowds of shoppers looking for bargains on their day off. We bought a few things, a top here, some jeans there, and then headed back to the Metro.

Our menfolk returned to the hotel while Eve and I checked out the shops at the station. Luca, one of the desk clerks at the hotel, advised us that the shops at the station were absolutely no good. We found them to be more than adequate. I bought a pretty scarf while Eve bought some earrings.

That evening, we asked the doorman to recommend a restaurant (reasonably priced) that was close by. We think we found it but couldn’t be sure it was the one. In any case, the meals were great, the wine was enjoyed by all. When we arrived, we were given a glass of Prosecco and after the meal we received a complementary glass of Limoncello. Mille bene!

Back to the hotel for a nightcap, scotch for the boys, Baileys for me, red wine for Eve. 

Then off to bed, train trip to Varenna the next day.

The Crawshaws’ Overseas Trip - Milan Day 1

Saturday 18 May - we were showered, packed and ready to go by 6.15am. Michael collected the car from half a kilometre away. We stowed our gear, then sat in the car for at least 15 minutes trying to enter the aeroporto address. Just as we had it sorted and were about to leave, I spotted a piece of paper under the windscreen wiper. Oh yes, it was a parking ticket. There was no amount specified, obviously that will be revealed in the fullness of time. I’m sure Avis will on charge us, as is only right. However, I think Frederico the landlord should pay the fine, as he told us parking was free behind the blue lines until July. 

Off we went, back along the horrendous hillside Autostrada, through the multitude of tunnels, eventually skirting Palermo city and on to Falcone where the airport is situated. Some of the roads are three or four lanes, but no clear markings, and cars shooting into traffic from all sides. I shrieked for at least half an hour as poor Michael did his best to calm me down while avoiding collisions from every angle. At one stage we were side by side with a police car, the burly driver smoking a cigar out of the window. I begged Michael not to pass him as I imagined being pulled over, the language barrier causing all sorts of complications and delays, resulting in us missing our flight. Michael ignored me and shot past the coppers, managing to stay on track to the airport. The police car veered off to the right and was swallowed up in traffic.

Eventually we made it to the car rental return area, and handed over the Renault. Apparently the tyre rims came back with more markings than when they went out. There was a possibility that this was the case, as Michael did have a slight problem with curbs in Capo D’Orlando and Sinagra. Anyway, we had taken the additional insurance so there was no extra charge. The young man took the parking ticket and said we would get a receipt when they were aware of the amount. I think he meant we would get a bill.

After checking in, we had the obligatory coffee and then after a couple of hours wait, we were winging our way to Milan, a relatively smooth flight of about one hour and twenty minutes. This was to be our last flight until we headed home.

Our chauffeur was waiting and he delivered us to our hotel after a pleasant half hour drive through Milan. Pleasant because Michael wasn’t driving and I wasn’t navigating. The NYX Hotel was on a corner directly opposite the Central Train Station. Eve and Max were due to arrive later in the day by train from Salerno. And as we were all leaving from the station in two days time for Varenna, it was very handy being so close.

Our room was on the ninth floor, with a great view of the train station and the square in front of it. It was comfortable and very modern, if a little tight for our bags. We spread out a bit then went out to explore. The day was overcast, rain fell every now and then. We had borrowed an umbrella from the hotel so kept reasonably dry.

After returning the to hotel for a bit, we headed out in the rain again to have a look at the train station. As we were crossing the square, who should we run into but Eve and Max! It was really great to see them and we were looking forward to sharing our Italian adventure with them for the next nine days.

After arranging to meet at the hotel bar at 5pm, we found that the happy hour commenced at 6.30pm. So we headed out to find a bar with reasonable prices. We found a bar, not sure about the reasonable prices though. After being seated, we ordered drinks, only to be informed that we had to order food as well.  After two drinks each and some anti pasta to share, we returned to the hotel for happy hour, 91 euros poorer, but having enjoyed the experience all the same.

For dinner, yes, there were those among us who were still hungry, so after a drink at happy hour, we found a Vietnamese restaurant across the street where we ordered hot and spicy soup. Just the thing to soak up all that bread we had been scoffing.

The Crawshaws’ Overseas Trip - Capo D’Orlando Day 4

              

Friday 17 May - we awoke to sunshine streaming through the skylight directly above us. Off for another long walk along the Sicilian coastline. Instead of a home cooked breakfast, we went to our nearest cafe, Bar Vosse, for coffee and a shared panini. While there,Michael the maître di introduced us to his friends from Perth. The husband was born in Capo D’Orlando and he and his wife spent a few months of each year back in his home town. It was lovely to chat about familiar places, if only for a little while.

Later, we had arranged to meet up with the sister of one of Michael’s friends in Albany for a coffee. Teresa Pietropaolo asked us to meet her in the town square at 10.30am. We thought we were in the town square but no sign of Teresa. Not that we knew what she looked like. Michael phoned her again. She put back the coffee to 11am and told us to meet her at the church. We hadn’t seen any church on our travels but asked someone for directions and miraculously found it. It was not quite 11 so we looked inside, took a couple of photos and then waited on a park bench nearby. 

We watched people come and go, musing who Teresa might be among them, whether she had a husband in tow. Finally, a woman who had been walking around with a mobile to her ear, approached us and asked if we were Australian. Voilà Teresa! We thought we were pretty obvious, sitting there like stuffed tourists but apparently not. Anyway, we finally connected with each other which was great.

Teresa took us to a nearby café where we had our cup of coffee and chatted about her life in Capo D’Orlando. She grew up in Albany but after meeting and marrying her husband, made her home in Italy. Widowed when much younger, she chose to live near her grown up children. Teresa goes back to Albany from time to time but has put off a trip this year due to her son and his wife expecting their first baby. A very friendly woman, we enjoyed spending time with her and talking about familiar people and places. She showed us photos of  her house, about five minutes away up in the hills, and her artwork, which was striking, very abstract and colourful. She also told us about an old church on top of a hill not far from where we were sitting, a bit of a climb (about a thousand steps apparently) but spectacular views of the sea and surrounding countryside. She also gave us the name of a restaurant to have dinner, La Siciliana. Eventually, after thanking her for her hospitality, we parted company and we set off up the hill to find the church.

As we wound our way around the hill and up the prolific steps, the view was indeed spectacular as Teresa had promised. About halfway up, Michael decided to stop and rest at the foot of a statue of a wayfaring traveller while I stubbornly plodded onwards and upwards. I finally made it to the top, out of breath and leg weary. After a five minute rest and a few photos of the abandoned church, I set off back down the hill. The descent was relentless and my legs buckled more than once. I realised the whole venture had been a serious lack of common sense, as Michael had tried to tell me. 

Back at the apartment, I gobbled painkillers and rested on the bed. My calf muscles felt stretched out of all proportion with little chance any time soon of them retracting into shape. While I reposed, MIchael decided to move the car closer to the apartment due to our early departure in the morning. At this stage, it was about 50 metres down the road. When he left, there were two car spaces in front of the apartment. By the time he drove the car back through all the one way streets, not only had those two spaces been taken, his original spot was also gone! Eventually he found a space about 500 metres away, in a side street.

There was a food festival in town on this particular weekend, from Friday to Sunday. Before dinner, we went strolling among the street stalls, at a snail’s pace due to said painful calf muscles. We bought some balsamic vinegar, which had been maturing for 40 years, delicious to the palate.

Eventually we found our way to La Siciliana. It was a delightful little restaurant, the proprietor very friendly and welcoming. He sat us down at a table for two, gave out the menus, and then brought a bowl of delicious olives and a basket of bread to the table. After a few minutes, he pulled up a chair and sat down to take our order. He had no English but there was little problem communicating. When I asked for fish, he made me follow him to the kitchen and then opened a refrigerator containing drawer after drawer of fresh seafood. I chose the tuna steak while Michael had pasta. The house wine was served in a carafe, agreeably smooth. Once we had finished our meal and were contemplating dessert, our host appeared at the table bearing two slices of strawberry shortcake. Also in the restaurant was a group of women on a girls’ night out for a seventieth birthday celebration. The birthday girl had generously given us some of her birthday cake. It was delicious and a lovely gesture. Before we left, we went over to thank her and wish her happy birthday. A fabulous way to end our last night in Capo D’Orlando.