Lake Como - Italia Part I

It all makes a bit more sense now. I thought Lake Como would be a bit of a let-down. I mean, we've all heard about this place for years linked to the rich & famous, but I just don't have a lot of faith in hype. However, hype it deserves. We stayed in Tremezzo, a small village on the left finger, situated a bit south & across the lake from Bellagio. This was a great move. Although the hotel was located up some seriously curvy, one lane (for you & oncoming traffic) roads, and we were all a bit tense after experiencing a crazy, typical Italian traffic jam (almost everyone got OUT OF THEIR CARS, on the highway & stood in a circle, convening about God knows what), it was spectacular, precisely because it was up a one lane road, in the middle of a quiet, residential area. The first night, we opted to stay very close to the hotel for dinner since the drive into town was a bit stressful. We ended up in a restaurant a few blocks down the hill, which, according to the hotel staff; 'is a local place.' Local it was. Our waiter spoke to us primarily in Italian, he told us 'tiramisu, me, my brother is the gnocchi,' (meaning who made what), we ate vinegar soaked fish (All of us), and drank wine out of coffee mugs, all while looking out over a splendid lakeview. Mom & Joe embarrassed themselves by ordering another plate of gnocchi (after trying Nick's -- they decided they could share an additional entree). While I ordered cheese for dessert & got 4 different kinds, all of which were at least one serving (for 3E!) --- We ate most of it later as a nosh. It was a seriously perfect first night of what ended up to be a perfect little holiday.

We awoke the next day, late (I blame it entirely on the wine in a coffee mug, who can even tell who much you are drinking?--and, yes, I did feel like a wino drinking out of a mug), to rain. By the time we got out & arrived to Villa Carlotta, the rain had slowed & almost stopped. We entered the enormous gardens & walked through all the gorgeous lushness. It was incredible. Someone owned all this. People own houses & land like THIS. It's pretty unfathomable. As we walked, the clouds rolled out & we got some fantastic views. We enjoyed a late lunch, then decided to head over on the ferry to Bellagio (it began raining again just in time for this decision). We weren't nearly as impressed with Bellagio. It was too touristy. There were too many people speaking the one language I understand, and unfortunately, most I'd prefer not to have understood. It's an odd phenomenon -- after so much time of being totally ignorant of what is happening around me, when I can understand, it just annoys me. Mainly, we were in Bellagio for a dinner reservation I'd made though. And, boy was it worth the annoying people & the wait for the cab to take us the secluded spot & the monies it cost to eat there. Everything was beautifully done. There were so many different twists, often I couldn't even figure out what it was I was tasting. We asked about a sauce, the chef said tomatoes, cooked over very low heat, for a very long time. Tomatoes. Really? That's it? Seemed more reminiscient of tomatoes on steroids, drunk. And then there was the dessert, which Mom & I decided to share. We were like vultures. I've never torn into a dessert like that before. It was exceptional. I honestly couldn't say which meal I enjoyed more (for different reasons, of course), but these two were the best on the trip, so I promise to refrain from the full disertation on food in Cinque Terre as well. So far, this trip has been right up ViggianoAlley.