Buon giorno from Italia
Hi all.
Once again, a big thanks to you all for your responses to our last update. Hope this finds everyone enjoying life where ever this may find you.
Our next travels have taken us across the Swiss border into northern Italy. After Lugano we headed off across the border for another round of adventures. Lugano and the Italian part of Switzerland is a bit like Italy with trainer wheels. It sort of gets you ready for the real thing. Left behind is the regimented German Swiss experience where they do most of the thinking for you. Ahead is - well - Italy. You don't compare the two as they are so different. Just go with and you will enjoy it immensely - after the initial adjustment when entering into another country and culture, it's all go. The same where ever you go. How long it takes to adjust is up to you!
The bus trip along Lake Lugano, then across the border into Italy was just stunning. The route is dotted with gorgeous small villages all uniquely Italian with terra cotta roof tiles and even more tiny churches than in Switzerland perched high up on steep rugged peaks all back dropped by Italian Alps as opposed to the Swiss Alps making for the most amazing scenery. Then coming down into our stop at the small village of Menaggio on the shores of Lake Como made for even more breathtaking scenery. This place is absolutely gorgeous.
Getting used to the Italian way of things confused us a bit initially. Like getting a bus ticket at a nearby bar to get to our lodgings about 3 kms up into the steep hills above the Lake at a small community / village called Croce. You can't buy a ticket on the bus, but where do you find this out? After being rejected by 2 buses we thought it prudent to ask. Phil's limited Italian helped there and we finally worked it out. I mean - who buys a bus ticket in a pub. THAT would be deadly in Australia. How many buses would get missed? Good excuse though.
But this is Italy, not Australia, so just go with it. The sooner you get into it, the sooner your find the real Italy and start enjoying what it has to offer including the expressive, loud, animated hand waving and wonderfully friendly people. It comes with the territory and in most cases, we found from the heart. Over the years we have met too many travellers who compare things to "back home" - mostly negatively. Can't understand that! Travelling is all about approaching new experiences with an open mind and heart which has worked pretty well for us so far.
Our bus driver was an aspiring Formula 1 driver which made for an exciting trip up up the very narrow and winding road into the hills. The higher we got the more beautiful the scenery became as we were given sweeping views of the lake and the snow capped peaks surrounding it. The next two days were spent checking out this paradise, wandering about the lake shore, climbing the steep hills to get stunning, sweeping views of Lake Como and the Alps, looking at the historical sites and eating the most divine Italian food courtesy of the owner who was the chef, taught by his Grandmother and Mother. Wonderful home cooked, provincial, non pretentious Italian food!
We decided this place was so good that we asked to leave our bags for a side trip down to Venice for a couple of days then return. Packing light we headed to Venice and getting off the train was an incredible "in your face" experience as we were immersed into thousands of people milling about. We were rather unprepared for this. Right outside the station is the Grand Canal. Two steps too many while ooooh aaaahing and you were in it if not careful. Then there was the absolute maze of the streets, alleys and canals to try to figure out and navigate to our hotel. Now THAT was a real challenge for urban navigational skills. But we finally got there and settled in.
Venice is just one of those places that is so hard to describe. The afore mentioned streets, alley and canals led us to intriguing and wonderful places, but the impact of walking around a corner into San Marco Square with its cathedral was truly amazing. Just blows you away with the size of it. Later in the warm balmy evening after dinner and strolling along the canals, we danced in the square with dozens of others to live music courtesy of 4 string and wind instrument bands dotted around the square. Not in my wildest imaginations could I ever have seen myself dancing in Venice.
Next day was more of the same, but by now we were over the shock of it all, had got our bearings (a bit) and enjoyed a wonderful day exploring more of the charms of Venice including a sunset Gondola ride along the canals with a bottle of Italian bubbles and a happy, chirpy Gondolier giving us the historical tour. I.e. - "This is where Napoleon Bonaparte lived", "This section of the city is where Marco Polo used to live", "Venice has 120 Churches - one for each Island" etc etc and also sharing the details of his family with us. All very fascinating and wonderful stuff! The slow paced tour was over all too soon as we were so entranced by the whole experience. Including having to honour the tradition of having to kiss under each canal bridge. There were dozens of them. Wish we had bought along some lip balm though! They were getting a bit sore by the end of it.
And so - Venice is ticked off. WOW! Walking down the now slightly more familiar streets, then boarding the train again the following day all seemed as if we had been part of some incredible dream that we didn't want to wake up from. This is the sort of stuff that makes being an itinerant traveller just the best deal!
But - for the Ying, there is the Yang. It all went VERY pear shaped within 20 minutes of leaving. Phil had her bags stolen from under the train seat. Passports, credit cards, money, phone and personal bits and pieces. The person who did the deed got a very good deal for a short days work.
We informed the train staff who were great and got some divine intervention from Father Dominico, a Catholic Priest who was in disguise as a normal train traveller and who offered us the use of his phone and computer to block Phil's credit cards and contact our respective Consulates in Milan. Got off in Milano, reported it to the Police and had to sit tight till the UK & Australia Consulates opened in the morning to sort things out. Phil was devastated.
Well - for a short time any how. Once she comprehended we were in Milano - home of some of the most prestigious fashion house in the world she cheered up a bit. By next day she was positively beaming walking down the streets to the Consulates. Milano - beautiful bodies, bad botox jobs and bling, bling, bling. She was even more so consoled once she found out we were "stranded" for another day while the Australian Consulate sorted out Volker's new passport. I began to wonder if this was all preplanned!! Thankfully the guy who snatched her bag had her credit cards. We would still be stranded if he hadn't!
Here is a bit of information for you. Volker goes into the Oz Consulate to sort out the passport. 3 hours later dealing with rather disinterested staff and a mountain of paperwork, then got told the Consulate General was down in Rome having a grand time, so come back tomorrow - there's the door. Bye!
Phil on the other hand goes to the UK Consulate where within 30 minutes she had completed the necessities and kindly asked if she could come back in an hour to pick the passport up. This was all accompanied by offers to use telephones, internet, maps of the city, recommended hotels and things to entertain stranded travellers. Geez - has the Oz Consulate got a bit to learn about dealing with distressed tax payers.
So while "stranded" in Milano, in a far better hotel than the previous night thanks to the recommendation by the UK Consulate, we wandered about taking in the sights. The most impressive being the Duomo di Milano or the Cathedral of Milan which is a towering edifice of Gothic architecture that has to be seen to be believed. And that's just the outside. This place was huge and the intricate, ornate stone work is just amazing. One is dwarfed by the size and the power of this place. The inside is staggeringly cavernous in size and in beauty with frescos, stained glass and Catholic accessories the like of which takes your breath away. This is truly stunning! Being in Milano, the priests were very smartly dressed of course and probably had Armani dog collars. My simple words do it no justice. The place just has to be seen to be believed. From a distance, if you don't want to get a stiff neck looking up at it from close range. It's just a bugga I didn't get any photos of it as we didn't take a camera for a Consulate visit. Check it out on the net!
That night after ticking off boxes with insurances and etc we hit the streets again and found this divine little restorante. The owner was a wonderful bloke who was going all out to impress as he had only opened 5 months ago. It had Hemingway travelling quotes on the walls and the owners friendly demeanour added to the great feel to the place. Weary traveller - stay awhile and rest - with a glass of red! And so we did. It had been a long day. Chatting away to this charming, cheeky man while sipping the wine was a great way to finish up the day. But the piece d' resistance was his Papa - the chef! A great character and an even cheekier boy who came up with the goods that tasted wonderful despite it being his knock off time.
The one desperado who created the distress and angst, did not dampen our impression of Italy and it's people. It still is one of a very beautiful country with warm, friendly people who have left an indelible impact on us that will remain for a very long time.
This opinion was further enhanced when we returned back "home" to beautiful Croce to our hotel where, despite being two days late, the owners treated us so warmly after walking in on a family function. "Sit down, here's a glass of wine, this is our daughter who has just got her Master's so we are celebrating, what would you like for dinner". Wonderful! They could have said piss off, but no - it was open arms by warm, friendly people enjoying life. Gotta love it!
On the bus, (after getting tickets from the small pub across the road) then later on the train the next day, Italy receded and we headed to France via Switzerland - again. We both agreed that all in all we had been very fortunate to have seen and done some wonderful things. Despite the hiccup that will no doubt provide for some entertaining dinner party / travel stories, we were treated to a magical Italian experience that was all too brief.
Arrivederci Italia!
Now we have to loose some weight after all that divine food.
OK - a big HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all you Mum's. Hope you have a great day and get spoilt rotten. You deserve it!
Best wishes and lots of love to you all.
Philomena & Volker
PS - Phil has still not got a new phone as yet, so if you need to contact her, use face book or email. We will let you know when she is back on the phone.
