 |
| Boats, swans, ducks, and kids in Lecco |
 |
| The waterfront in Lecco |
Our original plan for this vacation was to take the train to Sondrio in the
foothills of the Alps and to take a bus from there to the mountain town of
Chiareggio. But Gauss didn’t have the energy for a big Alpine excursion. Instead, Gauss and I decided to substitute a day trip to Lecco and
Lake Como. Eduardo dropped us at the train station
for the 30 minute ride from Monza. When we arrived in Lecco, the streets were
quiet—it was Sunday morning so nearly everything was closed. We walked
downhill, and once we got to the lake we strolled along the waterfront,
enjoying the ducks, swans, sailboats, and scenery.
There wasn’t much happening except for a guy dressed like an
American Indian—whether he actually was or not, we are not sure—who had set up
a little kiosk accessorized with a cattle skull, a blue feather headdress
(hmmm) and a sound system. Periodically the notes from his wood flute, mingled
with the rhythm of a drum machine, filled the square.
We picked a little bar with outdoor seating for lunch, where
we shared a plate of pasta with walnut sauce and two plates of caprese salad:
buffalo milk mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil. The sky was cloudy, but we stayed
dry.
 |
| Houses and flowered balconies in the town |
After lunch, we walked up the hill through the town of
Lecco—it is smaller than its reputation—and a bit later boarded a boat for a
short trip to Mandello del Lario, another little town up the lakeshore. Almost
immediately, the wind picked up and the sky darkened, although we caught
glimpses of the snow-capped Alps beneath the storm clouds. We shared the boat
with jolly group of people on field trip, and as the rain approached, they
repeatedly sang, “Il tempo minaccia, e
noi minacciamo!” (translation: “The weather threatens, and we threaten
back!”)
 |
| Wild Weather on Lake Como |
 |
| Our gelato refuge in Mandello |
But their chants could not keep the rain away, and just
before we landed at Mandello, it began to pour. Gauss and I went into a
dockside café, where we each enjoyed a cup of gelato.
 |
| Medieval streets in the old part of Mandello |
The rain seemed to abate,
so we ventured outside, through the narrow streets of the original medieval
village that formed the center of town. However, as soon as we walked out into
the open, it began to pour again, so we took refuge in entryway to the village
church.
 |
| The mosaic floor, in Latin, reads, "This is the house of God and the entrance to heaven." |
 |
| I liked the design of a "mosaic" just outside the entrance—in stone, not tile. |
 |
| Originally built in 800, the church is undergoing some renovation |
The rain finally let up, and we wandered up the hill through the newer part of the town. Even that had some very narrow alleyways that clearly dated from before the era of the car.
 |
| Ferns and moss growing in the chinks of an ancient stone wall |
 |
| River running through the middle of Mandello |
 |
| Mountains behind the town |
All around we found flowers, moss
and fern covered stone walls, and beautiful views of the lake and the
surrounding mountains.
 |
| Charming, human-scaled roads and buildings in the old part of town |
 |
| Handsome Hubby Gauss at Via Silvio Pellico in this town. |
 |
| Flower-laden balcony in the old part of town |
 |
| The piazza at the boat dock—in the sun |
Eventually the sun won out, and we spent our last hour
exploring the narrow roads and flower-decked balconies of the old village before
catching the boat back to Lecco. The connection to the train was quick, and
within half an hour we were back in Monza for dinner with Eduardo and Anna.
Comments