Our Recent Travels- Part 1

Seeing that I am (or was, not sure how this traveling thing will work out now that we are in the States) a Traveling Bandita, I thought I should talk about our travels over the past few months.  We knew that our time in Europe was coming to an end, so we left London whenever possible.  Anyone who has followed my blog knows that Kenny and I don't need much of an excuse to travel; once we were pretty certain of our move back date, we had a real incentive to fly away on a (near) weekly basis. 

In early June we spent a long weekend in Milan and Lake Como.  We had heard terrible things about Milan from just about everyone but thought it would still be worth seeing.  Plus, Lake Como is an easy drive from the city.  We only spent two nights in Milan, and that was honestly enough time.  The main thing I wanted to do was see the Last Supper.  Unfortunately, it is nearly impossible for people who don't plan their trips months in advance to view the Last Supper.   Tickets are inexpensive but book up very quickly.   The easy alternative is to take a group tour of Milan that includes the Last Supper.  Sorry, but I don't like being trucked around like a bunch of cattle.  Instead, I arranged a few hours with a tour guide in advance, and we were able to have a private tour of the Last Supper. 

Our guide was a very chic Milanese woman who loved my dress.  She incorrectly assumed that I had purchased it in Milan-- a compliment I was happy to receive!

From Milan we drove to Tremezzo, in Lake Como, for the weekend.  Milan was wonderfully warm and sunny; Lake Como was significantly cooler.  It was still beautiful, but I would have welcomed a slightly warmer experience.

We had a wonderful lunch at Vill@ D'este on our first day... we enjoyed our visit so much that we had lunch there on our way back to the airport as well.  The property is amazing-- click on the link to see how perfectly manicured the grounds are!

The obligatory photo after lunch:)

 

Multiple towns sit on the lake, connected by a fantastic ferry service.  We spent a cold, rainy day hopping from town to town.  The owners of our hotel suggested a little restaurant for lunch.  It consisted of four tables, a little glass-enclosed kitchen with the chef and one waitress.  The establishment was so small that the wine was kept at a neighboring property!  In true Italian form, we started our meal with pasta and then moved onto a fish course.  I loved my pasta but could sadly (or happily?) only eat a little.  Thank you Band.  The chef cleared our plates and incorrectly assumed that I didn't enjoy the dish.  I have refined the art of complimenting the dish/meal immediately rather than explaining, defensively, that I really enjoyed the meal but just don't have much of an appetite. 

 



The view from our hotel

We had such a great time and were thrilled that we missed the madness surrounding the Queen's Jubilee.  We ate well and drank like fish.  Still, I came home weighing the same amount as when I left!