Lecco

This week was extremely busy. It was Labor day in the states, but not here.  We just labored.  We had 28 new missionaries show up on Wednesday.  We had to pick up Pizzas for the lunch and Bread for the dinner then drive to Cimiano (about 30 minutes into central Milano) to meet the new missionaries.  We got there and realized we had forgot the fruit that Peggy had purchased for lunch all washed and cleaned and ready to go.  We raced back to Opera, picked up the Fruit and raced back to Cimiano and got there just before the Missionaries arrived, 9 of them had lost luggage. We ate lunch and then I provided 4 - 45 minute sessions of financial training while other groups got training from the assistants and traveled to the Duomo to place Books of Mormon and were interviewed by the President.  Meantime Peggy went back to Opera to finish preparing dinner for 39 in our apartment.  The dinner turned out great.  We had 6 tables set up on our large patio, decorated with plants.  We served bread with balsamic vinegar and olive oil, a great salad, the remaining Pizza, Lasagna, Aqua Minerale, and for dessert, 3 scoops of Gelato with several fancy cookies.  Everything was wonderful except for the mosquitos were a little bothersome.

Thursday, I drove Peggy to Cimano for the meet your trainer session.  The traffic on the Autostrada was like a parking lot, so after 15 minutes of that I punched into TomTom to calculate a different route.  We followed the directions into central and through Milano and got to the meeting house in plenty of time.  Peggy had to provide training to the new missionaries on how to receive their Permessi.  Friday was a day to catch up.

Saturday we decided to go to Lecco for our weekly excursion.  Lecco is the town at the end of the eastern arm of Lake Como. It is located right where the Alps end and the plains begin.  It was jaw dropping gorgeous!

We found a parking lot near the Duomo and stopped by there.  Here are the door handles to the church.

It was a very nice church, very ornate.

 

As we stepped out the church door here was the view of the mountains.

We then began to wander through the town  to see the sights.  Here is a shop that specialized in mushrooms.  Those are all mushrooms!

Inside was their meat market.  Yes, those are little piglets and goats? hanging.

We wandered down the streets and looked at the shops.  Lots of families out just walking and talking to their friends they meet while shopping.

Then we came around the corner from the main piazza to a square where they were holding a beach volleyball tournament.  These guys were very good!  They had set up a regulation size court with about a foot of sand.

After wandering through the town we crossed the street and came to the Lake.  All I could say was WOW!

Every direction were stunning views.

It is amazing to see the homes built up the side of the mountain.

It was molto Bellissimo

Very clean and nice

Here is a look between some buildings up at the mountains behind the town.  They were very high and in the clouds.

A very interesting playground down by the lake.

We then walked back along the lake towards the church.

We saw a post card that looked just like this.

I am in my P day clothes

There were two swans eating the bread kids would throw to them.  They are much larger than geese.

A famous guy, the bell tower and the mountains.

 

We walked back by some of the shops and bought some fabulous focaccia.  Mine was gorgonzola and Peggy's was salami and cheese.  This was by far the best focaccia I have ever tasted!  We also got some Lemon soda. The plan was to walk back to the car and find a place up the lake a ways to sit, admire the lake and eat.

 

On the way back to the car, there was a wedding at the church that was just getting out.  There were Zingari (gypsies) begging  in the crowd.

Here is the car all fixed up for the bride and groom to go off to their honeymoon.

 



We began to drive along the lake shore and suddenly got swept onto the main highway that went trough the tunnels.  We could not find an exit out of the tunnels for over 20 Kilometers.  We were over half way to the other end of lake Como and over a 1000 ft above the lake when we got off the Autostrada.  This road remained as a tunnel for over 90% of its length.  When we were able to get off, we began driving down this narrow switchback after switchback road through a town until finally we were down on the tiny lake shore road.

We found an emergency pull out, stopped and ate our lunch.  It was still delicious.

Here is Peggy in the car at the pull out.  The lake and scenery was awesome.  All I could say was WOW!

 

This town across the lake is Bellagio.  Yes, the town the Las Vegas Casino was named after.

We wandered back to Lecco on the lake road. and then decided to drive a little on the other side of the lake.  This road was even more narrow and scary when we came upon opposing cars.  Here a guy decided to turn around on this 12 ft wide road.

It was TIGHT!

We drove all the way to Bellagio because I did not want to turn around.  When we got there, there was not a single parking place anywhere in town. So we drove back along the other arm of the lake towards Como.  Here is a tower along the road way.

And another tower between the road and the lake. Every little town had a church with a bell tower.

Lake side homes had parking on their roof.  You can see the houses across the lake.  WOW!

Lots of up and down if you lived along this lake.

You can see the stairs at the end of this road.  These little stairs were everywhere.  No driveway, just walk up to home or down to the market.

Did I say the road was narrow!  WOW! what an experience.  When we come to Como on an discovery trip, the plan is to take the ferry boat to Bellagio.

 

 

We hope everyone is doing well.   Love Marv & Peg.