Arrivederci

So long! We head to the airport- along with our luggage we are bringing home good memories and new friendships 

Graduation

After we all receive our certificates, David presents Ines with a small token of apreciation.  Then  Mangia! 

Lago Orta

We spent the rest of the afternoon in the village of Orta ( same as the lake)

Celebrating Independence Day at a lakeside cafe. 

Isola San Giulio

Mariana guided us through Isola San Giulio - home to a convent of 70 nuns who have taken a vow of  silence. What can you say about that?

Rough translation -  protect this house from   lawyers and doctors - some things are universal 

Oh ladies!! Men, too!

Only 135 euros! This is for real!!http://www.dashmere.com/5-preview-cleo-top.html

One more thing

The famed  St.  Carlo Borromeo is enshrined in the City cathedral

Milano

Today we traveled by bus to Milano 

The Cenacolo aka The Last Supper  is in the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan 

Our guide, Girardo, helped us understand the masterpiece.(which among other more important things,  is a picture of men eating a meal in a room where men ate meals ) no pic allowed natch

Then on to La Scala famed opera house

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Then through the Galleria- a mighty fancy mall where Prada vies with Versace and Gucci for the euros of the Milanese 

   

To the city cathedral dedicated to the birth of Mary 

Girardo at work 

We split up and later met to return home at this statue of Leonardo (he needs no surname in these parts)

 

Buona sera

Moon over the Borromean Islands 

Dinner on Isola Pescatore

The Wests and David Monk at the sky bar reception

Ahoy captain! 

Our restaurant

Buona compagnia

Borromania!!

Villa Francesca for the morning lecture!

Patricia and Ines fill us in

• The Borromeas were and are a big deal family of the region 
• They own islands called the Borromean Islands
• Palaces and gardens are open to the public
• Local fishermen still pay the Borromeas a tax to fish in the lake - good going prince! 
• Their motto was and is Humilitas 
• This Motto means "Humble only before God , the rest of you jamokes, fugeddaboutit" admittedly a loose translationIsola Pescatore cross street
  

Our guide Mariana talking us through the exotic plants of Isola Madre 

Lunch on Isola Pescatore

the Borromea's Humilitas in action 

The end of our visit on Isola Bella 

Sunrise in Stresa

Time out for an Appreciation

All hail Ines, unflappable, gracious and insanely good at her job!

Distretto del Laghi (continued)

Our guide Roberta - aka- Robbie

Remember "too much perfection is a mistake"

See the waterfall behind that ancient footbridge? No?

Robbie does!

Ciao! 

Distretto del Laghi

Driving down the Maloja Pass. 

Marcello - our hero driver - bravo!

Boat touring Lake ComoA street in Bellagio

Villas of the rich and famous

Auf Wiedersehen

So long, St. Moritz

On to Northern Italy  

Adventures in public transit

Look closely to find John and Nancy van Ogthorp on the funicular to Muottas Muragl-they and a few others  managed to get there after learning the following things

• Buses have end destinations listed to tell you which way they are going
• Bus drivers are very accommodating and sympathetic to people who don't know which way they are going
• Eventually you can get where you are going even if you aren't quite sure how you got therewhere we were going

Dinner at Steffanis

Fondue and friends!

Smile!!!