From Sicily With Love

The people here (Taormina, Sicily) were so stupendous and friendly, and it was difficult to say goodbye. Rosemary was working and I was alone to have breakfast and lunches.  I became known as "il Calabrese" (the Calabrese), a term of endearment, believe me because the staff became like family. Toto (Salvatore), how is your appetite this morning Signor Calabrese?  My broken Italian, or more precisely, my broken Calabrese dialect was learned not from books or school but through necessity to be able to communicate with my beloved Grandmother, Bless her Soul. Ciao, Bella Sicilia, Beloved Country, I hope to return one day.

Catania Airport (Sicily) to Verona and then pick up a rental car and drive to Lago di Como. There is no adequate way to describe the chaos at the rental place within Verona Airport. Un macello. Thank God and the inventor of the Garmin GPS. Without it a leisurely 2 hour drive would have been surely an all day macello. (disaster)

Again words escape me, to describe to you the beauty of Northern Italy and the Lago di Como area. Hopefully the few pics I post will speak for me.

view from our room

ferry transport

Bellagio

Rosemary is so happy

our rental

The Hotel is excellent , but not like Sicily, here they are very proper and friendly and in Sicily they will give you a great big hug and kiss on both cheeks. The room had a great view of the Lake. The weather however was not with us, cloudy rain and misty.  Arrived and leisurely look around immediate area and local town nearby and light dinner. Un po umido, the locals would say to one another. Rosemary and I had short sleeve attire on and the locals had sweaters under their coats.

Plan of action: take in what we can in just couple days and make best of it. Drive the shoreline and visit the many small towns, ancient towns, and then a day trip and ferry ride to Bellagio, one of the most beautiful to visit when in this region. Beautiful names of towns reminiscent of the Romeo and Juliet era.
Names such as Cernobbio, Moltrasio (where we are) Tremezzo and Bellagio to mention a few. The small winding roads barely fit one car with some homes built over the roads. These places represented a classic part of history and rich in culture and customs.

What to do when it rains and you are on holiday?  ....anyone? ....anyone?   Shop would be the correct answer, actually there is no other.  I thought the quaint boutiques in the small towns were very nice and would have sufficed. How wrong I was. Rosemary inquired at desk, where would you go to shop? Smiling, the young girl says, Switzerland of course.  "Foxtown Factory Outlet Mall", about 20 minutes from border. I was then aware how close we were to the border. "250 shops, a lovely place" Rosemary's eyes were the widest I have seen them. I think she might have wet her pants. The border crossing is easy, passports in hand the young man looks inside and says, "Purpose of visit?"  Rosemary replies instantly "Shopping"  Smiles, "Pass and Buona Journatta" The valuable Garmin agains comes through for us guiding me through many turning circles and delivers me to the main entrance. Hmmm, hours are 11-7, we are an hour early. Impatiently Rosemary waits and each time she checks her watch, taps it to make time go faster.

So this is Foxtown Factory Outlet?  Let me list a few outlets, Gucci, Fendi, Ferrari, Ralph Loren, Valentino, Prada, Ferragamo, Versace, Yves Saint Laurant. Get the overall picture? There was a small crowd gathering and waiting to begin their shopping experience. I felt out of place. A Reebok t-shirt all wrinkles, Costco Jeans, baggy, and Sketcher sneakers. While waiting, Rosemary maps out on the brochure the most efficient way to shop the three floors in fantasy land. My term of endearment for this place. The people working here, mostly young, were great, and quite friendly and spoke several languages. I wonder if a sale of a $1000 Euro purse from Gucci or a $750 Euro for a pair of sandals from Prada made them giggle.

Let me take a minute and tell you, many and I mean this, many already had a few bags they were carrying. Rosemary's single purchase made her quite happy. A top, very attractive sporty type from a reasonable outlet.  The sales girl was from Taormina, and was as friendly and warm as the ones we had just left from there. I suggested another purchase, a beige top. Nooooooo says she,  "Colore non e buono per la signora"  Rosemary agrees and I am silent and put in my place.

Rosemary is just content at looking and perhaps handling a purse or few pairs of shoes. She is smiling and that is all I care for. I will buy you this purse if you like? She smiles and shows me price. I swallowed my tongue. She thanks me for bringing her here and spending this time with her in fantasy land. I say, not a problem, how many get to come to Switzerland to shop?

Mid afternoon and we head back. Crossing the border again a bit of traffic but it is moving. Three lanes merging into one. Side note:  everywhere you go in Italy, the paint indicating the lane separation is invisible and just a decoration. The beauty of this is, no one gets angry, not a one. You must not stop or hesitate, for if you do, you will be left behind. You merge, inch your way almost to a collision but the fellow will let you in, as you will let the next in. Amazing isn't it?. If it was the Don Valley Parkway you would be on the 6:00 news as victim to a beating. Here in Europe there is a comradery of sort amongst drivers, at least the ones not driving a big Mercedes or BMW or Land Rover.

The long winding roads in Lago di Como are similar to the ones in the Almafi Coast. Instead of cliffs there are ancient homes with doorways and arches that jump out at you at every turn, and there are many. Every one a challenge, every one a surprise. Be attentive, do not leave your arm hanging out the window, nor the passenger. Yes it is that close. It is not unusual to feel the brush of a car mirror as it passes, if you are on foot.  Many, many parked cars have damaged mirrors, and best to fold them in when parked.