Trips We Remember: Lake Como 2008

Rosemary's Travel Diary

Wed - We got up early to ride the metro to the train station where we picked up our rental car for our drive from Milan to Como. Along with it we got a GPS navigation device. When I enter our destination into the device, it displays a small map and provides audible instructions. The voice is a female with a British accent, identified by the menu as "Jane". It didn't take us long to start calling the device Jane and referring to it with feminine pronouns. [Note: For years afterwards, we referred to all GPS devices as Jane.]

The dark, rainy weather was not favorable for our drive to Lake Como. It was cold in the town of Como, where we had lunch and walked around a bit in the intermittent rain. Naturally, we visited the cathedral, which is known for its marble exterior.

The Funicolare is a popular cable car that takes passengers up a very steep hill to the village of Brunate. We could see it from a distance, slowly creeping up the track. Given the weather, we didn't think the view would be worth the trip and decided that our time would be better spent taking a boat ride. There is a hop-on, hop-off tourist boat that makes many stops along the full length of the lake. The lake was very smooth, so there was no worry about seasickness. The weather remained gloomy and wet, even colder on the lake, where I was glad I had brought a very warm scarf. We didn't make the entire circuit, but stopped at Cernobbio, where we walked around and had some gelato. These little resort towns are picturesque and seem peaceful, with hotels and luxury villas, cute little shops, and small cafes where people can sit and enjoy the view. On a clear day, the Alps are visible, but unfortunately this was not a clear day. Even so, we could appreciate what a lovely area this is, surrounded by steep, green mountains studded with pretty houses. We spotted huge construction cranes in the process of adding even more houses.

We drove back to Milan. Steve wanted to get back before dark, given how confusing the streets are, even with a map and a GPS device. As it was, we had problems using the device, which can't know which streets are currently under construction. It kept trying to get us to drive through a chain link fence and into a big hole in the ground. I finally figured out how to reprogram it, and eventually we found our way to the big parking garage just down the street from our hotel.

Exhausted, we had dinner at a mediocre place along the main tourist walkway. We know better, but we were just too tired to go further. Tomorrow we will leave town and head to Genoa.

Thu - When Steve got the car out of the garage this morning, he realized that it had suffered some damage while we were parked at Como. A big, ugly scrape on the left rear fender. Now we are glad we got the full-coverage insurance! It is very difficult to maneuver inside these parking garages, even with a small car, and the spaces are almost impossibly tiny. I have seen billboards here advertising SUVs, but they can't be practical for anyone who drives in an Italian city with so many narrow, winding streets and such limited parking.

It was cool and misty on the lake.

The cathedral at Como is known for its beautifully decorated marble exterior.

The funicular is a cable car that takes tourists to the top of the hill for a
better view. The day we were there, it was too misty to make the trip worthwhile.