italy, days 9 - 11

day 9 = 5 hour drive to lake como
sheri drove
i knitted
jim slept in the backseat (jet lag - he had just returned from the states)

after surviving the drive on the narrow and winding lakeside roads through the villages surrounding lago di como (lake como), we made it to bellagio, where we stayed in a charming bed & breakfast equipped with a pizzeria & ristorante. during the next 2 1/2 days we did lots of walking, site seeing, and picture taking, as we rode the ferry from port to port.
i took so many photos - it was hard to even narrow it down to these. . .


alla torretta - the bed & breakfast where we stayed in bellagio, italy


this was the never-ending rocky path / "shortcut" to the lake


we saw this villa on our way to the lake

close-up of villa


olive trees


(i liked this collection of signs)


the view from our table at dinner our 1st night


our view from the hill near our bed & breakfast
(i love all the terra cotta roofs)




we saw these 2 door smart cars all over italy
(this villa was stunning in person)


view from the ferry


(i didn't know palm trees thrived in italy)


looking up as i walked along the lake
(i love this photo. . .how the branches twist & turn)


gelato break - view from our seats on the stairs of the alley (in the shade!)
(i think i was starting to get heat stroke, & needed a break)


switzerland
day 11 - on the way home we stopped in switzerland, where we had planned to eat lunch, but it was sunday, and almost everything was closed. but, the casino was open. . .
so we headed back for italy and ate at the autogrill (kind of like the rest areas we have here with gas and fast food...only italy's fast food isn't fast food)
* t