La Dolce Vita

One of the things I always look forward to when reading Vanity Fair is the Proust Questionnaire.   The people interviewed always have interesting answers. My favorite question is “If you were to die and come back as a person or thing, what would it be?”  Harrison Ford in December said that he would like to come back as a blade of grass. Mario Batali in January wants to come back as an eagle.   I’m not sure I would choose to be a lawyer again, but lately I’ve been thinking that it wouldn’t be too bad to be Italian.

Maybe I’m still under the wonderful influence of our last trip there or maybe it’s the effect of not having seen the sun in what seems like weeks.  But I find myself frequently dreaming of Italy and wondering when we can visit again. We had such a great time last summer at Lago di Como.

Lago di Como, in the North of Italy shares a border with Switzerland but in terms of temperament, the two couldn’t be further apart.   It’s true what they say that Italians live “la dolce vita”.   There’s  a certain douceur, a sweetness if you will,  in the way they live.  Even their language with its singing rhythm makes one think of taking it easy, eating well and soaking up the sun.   I’m sure as with everybody else, they’ve got their own issues (they do after all have Silvio Berlusconi) but from the outside they seem to be living pretty well. 

Anyway, going back to Lago di Como, it is one of Europe’s deepest lakes and the third biggest in Italy, after Lago di Maggiore and Lago di Garda. It is glacial in origin, so even in the height of summer, the waters are not quite warm.  This area has always been renowned  for its beautiful villas. We were not the first visitors to be seduced by its beauty. Records indicate that it has been the haunt of aristocrats since the Roman times and I’ve lost count of the number of beautiful villas that dot the lakeshore. Nowadays, one of its most famous residents is George Clooney. Unfortunately, we failed to see George despite our best efforts!

Here is a view of the town of Menaggio

Certainly, the gem of Como is the town of Bellagio, often referred to as the Pearl of the Lake. Situated in the middle of the headland that divides the Lake into two, it is ideal for viewing both shores of the Lake.  We fell completely under its charm as soon as we stepped off the ferry.  There are flower filled balconies everywhere and the town is colored as brightly as any Mediterranean town. Ah, la dolce vita….. 

Now, I'll let the pictures do the talking...

Here is Bellagio, as seen from the ferry

The flower filled streets...