Last Day in Italy
It seems as if we just arrived. We left Lake Como this afternoon, and drove to the airport outside of Milan. We're staying at an airport hotel this evening. The car has been returned to the rental agency.

We visited some wonderful places over the past three weeks that a few million other people were also visiting at the same time. I was surprised…no stunned at the sheer numbers of tour groups that are being herded through Florence and Venice on a daily basis. I understand the attraction to people throughout the world. The visual presence of a history of civilization expressed in the beautiful forms of painting, sculpture and architecture can only be truly experienced in person. Books and photos can not convey the emotion of standing before the real thing. The sheer scale of many of the buildings and sculptures leaves one in awe of the artisans and architects who created them.

What an amazing experience this has been. I must come back soon, and maybe stay. Italy is an extraordinary country.

I am leaving this adventure with a few photos that I did not previously post. So sad to go.

A street car in Milan

An Italian pay phone

Hotel garden in Florence

Drinks at our hotel in Florence

Neighborhood market in Florence

Music while we painted in San Gimignano

Piazza San Marco, Venice

Piazza San Marco, Venice

Shops along the Piazza San Marco

Gondolas

One of the villages along the banks of Lake Como

Farewell Italy. We love you.

Lake Como

It rained all night last night. We left our balcony door open, and the air was divine. I awoke about 2 a.m. I just sat by a window and listened to the breeze through the pines and rain hitting the lake.  I looked across the lake at the lights from one of the many villages that populate the shores cast a golden reflection on the rippling water. 

Venice to Lake Como
We reluctantly said good by to Venice as we stepped off our water taxi and walked to the parking garage. What a wonderful and interesting place it is. As it is Saturday, the traffic was heavy. People were coming into the Venice area for the weekend. We cautiously edged our way out of the busy area where all of the parking garages are located. You need to make a reservation for a parking spot, or you may have sit and wait for who knows how long. Cars were lined up outside of the garages in queue.

It took three plus hours to arrive in the Lake Como area. We drove through 26 miles of tunnels separated by short bridges. The highway literally goes under all of the little towns along the shoreline. Two of the tunnels are almost a mile long.

Our boutique hotel sits on the shore of the lake, or a finger of the lake. The little villages on the other side look like pictures in a children's book. A bottle of cold champagne was waiting in the room, compliments of the hotel. We sat on our balcony over looking the lake and sighed as the evening crept in.

Each place we visit seems to be better than the last. This a quiet meditative location. We're just going to chill here for a couple of days.