I started this post late evening Thursday and finished when I woke early Friday morning.
This evening we are on Lake Como at a place called Menaggio at the
Hotel du Lac. In the mid 1980s I read Anita Brookner's book of the same name. I can't recall the detail other than that it was about the people staying at the hotel. but I still have the book. I shall try and re-read it when I get home to Lewis.
I cannot tell a lie by saying that I was not disappointed when I woke to see clouds and rain this morning. I had hoped for a dream drive through Switzerland seeing the Alps in all their glory. As it was what we saw was rain-shrouded mountains of awesome proportions with a few glimpses of something better. I also drove through the St Gotthard Tunnel (the tunnel is just under 16.4 kilometres (10.2 mi) in length and is the third-longest road tunnel in the world after Norway's
Lærdal Tunnel (24.5 km), and China's
Zhongnanshan Tunnel (18 km).
We then drove down to Lugano on the Lake of the same name, stopped and had a coffee in a lakeside cafe and then drove over to Menaggio on Lake Como.
After booking in at the hotel we found a very friendly and typically Italian trattoria for our dinner.
Then we came back to the hotel and sat on the roof terrace overlooking the lake after nightfall with all the noises and voices in the square and harbour mingling. It was as lovely way to spend an evening with friends as I can imagine.
So tonight I am exceptional;ly thankful for the fact that I have such wonderful friends and for the opportunity to share this experience with two of them.
I managed 350 photos today despite the rain and so on so here are a few. Hopefully at some time I'll share some more. The first stop was at
Beckenried on Lake Lucerne. It appears to be a popular walking centre and has the longest cable car in central Switzerland.
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| The A2 autobahn which was our route South through Switzerland. An amazing feat of engineering. |
Through the St Gotthard Tunnel at the rest stop in the pouring rain. Note the magnificent mountains that you can't actually see for the mist and rain.
Then a stop for coffee at Lugano:
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| The cafe on the lake where we had coffee |
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| Quite a lot of Lugano precariously perches on mountain sides |
And finally Menaggio on Lake Como:
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| View from the hotel bar |
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| The hotel showing the terrace on top of the hotel. My bedroom is in the 'attic'. The most luxurious attic bedroom I'm ever likely to sleep in. |
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| A nightcap on the terrace overlooking the lake and the town square. Bliss. |
Oh dear... those cloud-hung mountains remind me of our stay in Riva on Lake Garda back in June, where we left before our booked time ended because of the weather.
ReplyDeleteWhile the landscape certainly holds its very own fascination in all kinds of weather, it is just so much nicer to see it in the sunshine.
Yes Meike I was telling my travelling companions about your exploits (and weather!) because I was wondering how near we were to you. This is my first time in this part of Italy so I wasn't too sure of my geography until I looked it up last night and realised you were quite a distance away from here. The hotel manager said yesterday was the first bad day for two months. Typical! It's not a nice day this morning either. Hey ho.
DeleteWell the rain is a bit of a blow. You may have more luck on the way back.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure which way we'll be coming back Adrian but I really would like to see that beauty in the sun. In fact I really would like to see that beauty!
DeleteDespite the weather, you still managed to drive and capture 350 shots in one day...that's an incredible feat in my book.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful beautiful scenery....absolutely beautiful.
Of course what caught my attention was the palm tree(just like the one in my garden) growing so lush in that part of the world...amazing.
Safe travels.
Thanks Virginia. It can get very very hot in this part of Europe although it can be pretty chilly in winter.
DeleteLove the panorama and the last shot.
ReplyDeleteGlad your journey is proving so enjoyable. Say safe and happy.
Love
Little Bruv
Thanks Little Bruv! I will do my best.
DeleteGlad you're having a good time, despite the weather. I loved the novel Hotel du Lac, but it was the only one of her novels I did like. Must have another look at it...one day...
ReplyDeleteI've never read any of her others Frances. When we were sitting in a café on Lake Garda several of the people sitting at the next table were speaking English: a Californian who lived in Italy and a Norwegian who stays there for the summer. I was reminded of the book at that moment.
DeleteSome very good photos here in spite of the weather. Or even because of, as the clouds are impressive in their own right. I've never been in Switzerland or Italy but I've been to Austria and some of your pictures here remind me of it.
ReplyDeleteThanks Monica. I suppose the clouds can add to the reality that is the mountains but I would have loved to have been at least able to see some more of them.
DeleteYes, that I understand. When I was in Austria (back in 1990) we were lucky and had a sunny day when we were going up (by bus) on the "top". Maybe you'll have better luck on the way back? (or perhaps you'll be going home by a different route?)
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