Lake Como- Laglio and the western shore

Today was amazing. First we got up and walked the dogs, stopping in at that Pizza/Pane place to get a brioche(in my case pastry filled with nutella like substance which was delicious) then we went and stood at the bar in the cafe and downed our cafe americano's (which come in an espresso cup here) like the Italians do and it tasted amazing!!! Breakfast and coffee came to FOUR EUROS! AND...I found out that the pizza/pane place is actually also a store and they sell fresh milk....BONUS. Then we took Reese to see the roosters since she'd been asking about them and then we loaded up into the car and drove to where I want to take my riding lessons. It was GORGEOUS!!! There we met Mikaela who works with Richard and is bilingual. I knew that she'd spent time in Horsforth growing up but I didn't expect the Yorkshire accent when she spoke English!!!!! She was REALLY nice, and helpful, and Reese took a shine to her and stuck with her like glue the entire time we were there. She took Reese to see the "horseys' and let her pet them and picked me a fresh fig to eat....YUMMM!!!!! By the end of it Reese was telling Mikaela, "WANT HORSE" We also met Sarah who is one of the instructors and was also very nice, she'll be there the day I go to start my lessons with all the kiddies in the 5pm class so at least there will be a familiar face around! So anyways I'm signed up for my trial lesson and then two others afterwards, now I just have to go buy some boots, a crop and a helmet since I already own jods. Should be fun(read slightly terrifying) learning to ride English style in a foreign language!!!! The school is run by a brother and sister combo who come from a long line of equestrian greatness :) My lesssons will be with the sister and Richard was quite relieved about that because we met the brother and he looks like a young,tanned, Italian speaking version of FREAKING SEAN CONNERY!!!!!

I'd probably fall off my horse if he taught my lesson!

Next up we went to Lake Como which is only about an hour from Milan. It was gorgeous! Picture the Shushwaps in Canada only populated with amazing villas and tropical plants and old stone buildings and churches!!! Here are some of the pictures below
The first one is of the tunnel on the drive down the lakeshore
.

More tunnels and then it just spit us out at Laglio

Cool little villages at the side of the road, where you took tiny roads like the one in the picture straight up or straight down!

LAGLIO-----home of George Clooney!!!! And absolutely beautiful, they filmed a few of the Ocean's movies around here and a few of the scenes from Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace. Bellagio, is further up the lake and its the namesake for the famous Las Vegas hotel. We didn't it make it there this weekend but maybe next time!

The hamlet of Laglio, it was really charming, tiny, great food! But NO....we did NOT see George Clooney!! Although I can see why he chooses to live there.

View from Laglio

The villages across the lake

looking up the lake towards the mountains

Would have loved to have eaten in this restaurant but it was Closed

Crazy hillside villages

Looking back toward the town of Como

The ferry

and again :) With the mountains behind it

Reese and I and Lake Como, she could see fish in the water and was yelling NEMO NEMO!

Looking at the "Nemos"

Counting them with Daddy

What a beautiful place!!!!

Random windows on this really old house which captured my interest

This windy little street right near where we parked the car

This was a private bridge to someone's driveway!!! And the bridge went over where we assume the spring run off comes down

looking back toward the lake

These were on the side of this little cottage that was COMPLETELY vine covered. It was awesome

Window of the same cottage

The street we parked on was beautiful too!!!! Back to the narrow barely enough room roads :)

The local road from Laglio to Cernobbio

The view from the pier in Cernobbio. There must have been someone fairly important in town because there were Cabineri, and their national counterparts EVERYWHERE. Just sitting at the sides of the road watching near one of the bigger hotels in the town.

there are these amazing little villages on top of the mountains, you can take cable cars up to them. Also on the list for next time!

The church in Cernobbio

The decorations on the houses are just SO intricate!

Sure wouldn't want to sit on that trying to break in!!!

Ahhh I just love my alley pictures I know, I'm obsessed!!! I love this one because of the colors and the way its arranged. This was in Cernobbio

Church again, really interesting finish on it, not sure what it was. It almost looked like Terracotta pots!

Boat launch

In color, so you can see all the graffitti on the walls!

Richard and Reese waiting for me :)

Hanging outside the church

SO PRETTY!

crazy alley that had really bright graffitti at the end of it. Indulge me, I'm trying to be artistic :)

Another alley shot!

Another boat launch

Richard and Reese, this is actually a street :)

Looking back down the street

Reese looking at the little boy climbing UP the slide and going NO NO NO NO, NO UP SLIDE, CAREFUL!!!!

The bell tower through the trees

Daddy and Reese playing on the park in Cernobbio

Watching the little boy in front of her

She was so funny listening to all the Italian kids, they would chatter away to her in Italian and she would just stare at them!!!

Going down the slide

DIAPER CHANGE EUROPEAN STYLE!!!

So we took a wrong turn and ended up driving up switchbacks and hairpin turns all the way up the mountain about 20 minutes in the wrong direction but it was BEAUTIFUL!!!! Tiny little stone villages and brightly colored villas and then THE VIEW!