Silversea Water Cooler: Welcome! Part Five

[Daveywavey70]

3 hours ago, jpalbny said:

Milan, yesterday.

 

We slept well until about 6 then dozed until 7:30 or so. We had to get moving because I'd bought tickets to the Duomo roof climb for 9:00.

 

Found a Café next door to the hotel for coffee and a pastry then took the Metro to the Duomo. We were early and had time to admire the facade in the morning sunshine. 

 

We were in quickly when the gate opened and not much wait for the lift. Yes we were lazy and took the lift. Still tired from the flight! 

 

Beautiful views from the roof.

 

 

 

Cool architecture. So ornate! 

 

 

From there we went to the galleria next door which wasn't as crowded as it had been yesterday. Was able to get a picture of the dome.

 

 

Then look who wandered by? Look at the guy with the big blue camera. We may be on Google maps soon!

 

 

We headed home to plan the rest of the morning. Here is the Central Station, a block from our hotel.

 

 

And how else can you plan than with coffee? My double espresso on the right is obvious. Chris opted for an "espressino" which was like a tiny cappuccino. 

 

 

We headed to a nearby park to walk some more. Palazzo Dugnani, in the Montanelli Garden. Nice place for a stroll.

 

 

A statue of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. And the "white horse of peace" with them.

 

 

We stopped for lunch and enjoyed some risotto and stuffed veal, then it was time for more walking. So we headed to the far end of Corso di Porta Romano, and walked the street while admiring the ornate buildings.

 

 

Back to Porta Venezia for another look. Nicely lit in the afternoon sunshine. 

 

 

By now we were pretty much worn out for the day so we headed for dinner. We found an Osteria along Naviglio Grande and settled in with a Pinot Nero from Sudtirol.

 

 

It was so warm out that we needed to chill the red wine! But dinner was delicious. We started with fried zucchini flowers, stuffed with ricotta and Parmesan. So tasty.

 

 

I had osso bucco over risotto, and Chris had a veal chop milanese. Dessert was panna cotta.

 

 

We strolled along Naviglio Grande after dinner for the views. There is a statue of a whale's tail near one of the bridges. 

 

 

As we got closer, we saw that there was part of the body visible as well. And it spouted every few minutes! Apologies for the photobomber lighting his cigarette at the exact moment I was taking the picture.

 

 

Finally back to the room to sleep after a very long day. Tomorrow, we get to see The Last Supper.

Loving following along JP. Italy is simply magical. Have the best time xxx

[frantic36]

1 hour ago, Daveywavey70 said:

I think these things are often down to fate. For some reason they couldn’t find a home for our Berty and the moment I saw his picture I just knew.

 

Same with us and our Finn. We weren't planning to get another dog after losing our last one in September but in November bumped into another Jap Spitz owner we knew but hadn't seen for 18 months and had to break the sad news about losing our boys. Two hours later she was knocking on our door to tell us she new a breeder in Perth who was just about to put some pups on the market and he had agreed to let us look straight away. The rest is history 😊.

 

On a side note when we took our Pup for our Vet to check over he was amazed we had got any puppy as they were in very sparse supply.

[turtlemichael]

14 hours ago, jpalbny said:

Milan, yesterday.

 

We slept well until about 6 then dozed until 7:30 or so. We had to get moving because I'd bought tickets to the Duomo roof climb for 9:00.

 

 

 

 

 

Cool architecture. So ornate! 

 

 

Great pics and great views I had to giggle at your comment about having tickets. In 1978 we just wandered up - no charge and no lines! Those were the days!

[Stumblefoot]

3 hours ago, turtlemichael said:

In 1978 we just wandered up - no charge and no lines! Those were the days!

Same in 2012!

 

I think we climbed to the top of every church that year in Italy.  The things we do when traveling with a 13-year old.

[turtlemichael]

5 hours ago, Stumblefoot said:

Same in 2012!

 

I think we climbed to the top of every church that year in Italy.  The things we do when traveling with a 13-year old.

The trip I referred to in 1978 was with my parents. I recall that my father said, at one point, with a note of resignation, he had climbed more churches in Italy than he had bar stools.

[lincslady]

Tts - I think you may be cruising on the other line soon?  I hope you will report on it on their site when you return; I would be interested to read how you found it.  I am hoping to cruise again in the not too distant, but have never gone solo before so it takes a bit of courage.  However, the British line does make it easy, with the door to door travel, and always lots of solos onboard.  I have not yet been on the two new ships, but they are obviously a great leap forward  from the old ones.

 

Lola

[Tothesunset]

1 hour ago, lincslady said:

Tts - I think you may be cruising on the other line soon?  I hope you will report on it on their site when you return; I would be interested to read how you found it.  I am hoping to cruise again in the not too distant, but have never gone solo before so it takes a bit of courage.  However, the British line does make it easy, with the door to door travel, and always lots of solos onboard.  I have not yet been on the two new ships, but they are obviously a great leap forward  from the old ones.

 

Lola

8July.  Saga have eased their Covid precautions a little, the downside being that transport will now likely be shared. We should get our final timings about a week before the sail date. We are hoping that the pick up is 9am or later so we can leave the dogs at their holiday home that day rather than the previous evening. 

 

I might try to do a "live from"; failing that I shall post impressions on return. I'm expecting maybe 90% of the SS experience - it will be difficult to be totally objective after 200 SS days, but I shall try. 

 

Whatever, we are getting away and that's the main thing. 

[lincslady]

I think your pickup is likely to be around the 9 a.m. mark, with luck.  Also with luck it  you will not be with anyone else (usually convivial, but involving extra time for slight detours).  Not too far from Newark, our times have been from 8 to 9 in the past, but with others to pick up on the way.  Of course, you could be second, which has happened to us, meaning you don't get the back seat but don't have to leave  so early!

 

Lola

[jpalbny]

Hi from Malpensa airport in Milan. Heading home today. 

 

Of course the USA dropped the covid test requirement starting tomorrow, so we had to poke ourselves in the nose last night before bed. Oh well!

 

It was a fun trip and I was much too busy to post. Chrystina's friend was a lovely hostess for our time in Milan, and so many beautiful vistas near Como to share.. later!

[frantic36]

57 minutes ago, jpalbny said:

Hi from Malpensa airport in Milan. Heading home today. 

 

Of course the USA dropped the covid test requirement starting tomorrow, so we had to poke ourselves in the nose last night before bed. Oh well!

 

It was a fun trip and I was much too busy to post. Chrystina's friend was a lovely hostess for our time in Milan, and so many beautiful vistas near Como to share.. later!

Unfortunately no sad face emoji available about just missing by a day or two the cancellation of needing a test.

 

Looking forward to further updates.

[lincslady]

49 minutes ago, frantic36 said:

Unfortunately no sad face emoji available about just missing by a day or two the cancellation of needing a test.

 

Looking forward to further updates.

 

and me

 

Lola

[jpalbny]

Tuesday, June 7th. Milan.

 

Am early morning, up by 7 and at our café next door for a wake-up drink. Chris was very happy with the espressino on the left. A mini cappuccino. 

 

 

We grabbed the Metro to Santa Maria delle Grazie and picked up our tickets for the 9:30 tour of DaVinci's The Last Supper. 

 

Then we had time to kill so we walked a few minutes to the Basilica di Sant-Ambrogio. There was a mass going on so we just looked at the outside. 

 

 

Then back for la pièce de résistance. It was faded but quite impressive nonetheless. Some amazing details, and skillfully done.

 

 

 

The tour also included a visit to the adjoining church.

 

 

And the cloisters. 

 

 

From here we went to the Archeological Museum, where they have this fine specimen. The Trivulzia Diatreta cup, a 4th century masterpiece. 

 

 

And some towers which are remnants of the Roman circus. This is the inside, which has obviously been restored. 

 

 

We went back to the Basilica but it was now closed until 2:30. Oh well! Metro back to the hotel to regroup, then a quick lunch. I had a Milanese veal chop and Chris went with some delicious filled pasta.

 

 

We spent the afternoon at a few museums. But first we got a shot of the Duomo in the afternoon sunshine. 

 

 

First, the Leonardo museum. They display a lot of his drawings and some scale models of a number of his inventions. Really interesting to see his mind at work.

 

Then the Pinacoteca Ambrosina, for lots of art. I really liked this painting by Titian - The Adoration of the Magi. If you blow up the picture, at the bottom center, there is a dog. Doing what dogs do! I was very entertained. 

 

 

Apparently this little dog was painted over for many years by someone who thought it was "scandalous and irreverent," but uncovered during the latest restoration. A close up.

 

 

We headed home by way of this old ruin, the Cripta di San Giovanni. Of course, we found a wine shop first and bought a few bottles to take home. 

 

 

I liked the combination of new and old in Milan. It reminded me of Rome, but obviously on a smaller scale. 

 

We had been invited for a home-cooked meal at Chris's schoolmate's house tonight, so we took the Metro to a tram and arrived right on time. Josephine was a great hostess and we ate until we were about to burst. Wine and after dinner drinks were served too. A very fun night! 

 

Tomorrow we pick up a rental car and drive to Como. I will be happy once we are out of Milan, as the driving here is a little crazy.

Edited June 11, 2022 by jpalbny

[frantic36]

4 hours ago, jpalbny said:

 

Apparently this little dog was painted over for many years by someone who thought it was "scandalous and irreverent," but uncovered during the latest restoration. A close up.

 

 

 

 

 

What I like is when I enlarge the image you can see a cheeky smile on the dog's face. So glad they restored it to it's original as it gives insight into Titian's thinking.

[Fletcher]

Just now, from our room at The Idle Rocks in St Mawes we watched the Whisper sail past to Falmouth.

 

 

and on the Falmouth webcam-

https://falmouthhaven.co.uk/falmouth-quay-webcam/

Edited June 13, 2022 by Fletcher

[zqtchas]

[QueSeraSera]

[Host Jazzbeau]

[jpalbny]

Wednesday, June 8th. Leaving Milan.

 

Today we had a rental car arranged for 11AM. So of course we got up early and tried to squeeze in a little more before leaving. 

 

Breakfast first!

 

 

Then we grabbed a metro to the Basilica San Lorenzo Maggiore. We approached from the rear of the building, through a park.

 

 

The front was back-lit but we didn't have time to wait until afternoon for better pictures. And sometimes, backlighting can be used to your advantage!

 

 

In front, the columns are part of a Roman ruin. I don't remember exactly what.

 

 

Inside, you can pay €2 to visit the most famous sights. Fourth century mosaics! Beautifully preserved.

 

 

And you can go underground to see how the church was built over Roman stonework dating back to the 4th century.

 

 

The church is light and open, not overly decorated.

 

 

There was some interesting street art nearby.

 

 

Now back to the hotel to pack up, check out, and head to Como. And probably make a stop or two along the way.

Edited June 14, 2022 by jpalbny

[drron29]

I had a little chuckle with the young folk on here talking about their retirement. I retired 3 months ago having passed my 75th birthday last year.

Was originally planned for 2020 but they wanted me to stay on. I really enjoyed the last 2 years toil.

[zqtchas]

[jpalbny]

How I'm feeling this morning! I had been doing ok with the jet lag but woke up at 4AM today. Should have put an extra shot in my coffee! 

 

Anyway. Back to June 8th. On the road from Milan to Como.

 

We packed up and walked the three blocks from our hotel to the Hertz office to pick up the car. I had requested a small vehicle and they actually gave me the one I had reserved! An Abarth 595 Turismo. Cute and compact. Our rollaboard cases barely fit in the hatchback but we managed. 

 

It was a manual transmission which was fun. Haven't driven one since we traded in my old Z4 10 years ago. Happy to have a clutch to play with. Chris was happy to navigate and leave the shifting to me.

 

We meandered out of the city to the highway and set course for Bergamo. Eventually we found some metered parking outside the city walls, and got ready for a climb.

 

 

The first order of business was lunch. Polenta with fresh porcini mushrooms was more filling than it looked. But much too tasty to leave any!

 

 

Then we went to a church tower for wiews of the Città Alta. Next to the tower, the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore.

 

 

And the Cattedrale di Sant'Allesandro Martire.

 

 

But there was even more climbing to do! The Città Alta is overlooked by an even higher plateau, San Vigilio!

 

We figured out how to buy tickets for the funicular from an unattended machine, and joined the queue. Soon we had panoramic views of the Città Alta from on high!

 

 

 

And another castle. With a nice fountain. 

 

 

We walked down from San Vigilio, passing through the Porta Sant'Allesandro. 

 

 

And back down through Città Alta, where we stopped at Porta San Giacomo. Many saints to keep track of! 

 

 

Beyond the gate, more panoramic views awaited.

 

 

Now we retrieved the car and set course for Como. Not a bad drive, but of course we got on a highway without tollbooths, and a cashless tolling system. Will have to figure that out later.

 

We got to Como despite some traffic, and a brief strong downpour, and parked at our hotel. We stayed at the Hilton, outside of town. Our room was loft-style and very nice.

 

We asked the concierge for dinner recommendations and headed into town for dinner at Gesumin. Small, intimate place with a limited but delicious menu. The walk in wasn't so pleasant though as the sidewalk was narrow in places, and there was lots of traffic. I was expecting it to be more picturesque. 

 

I had gnocchi with gorgonzola cream, and Chris had an asparagus flan to start. We both had veal cooked in prosecco for a main. Tender and flavorful. And the potatoes were cooked nicely too!

 

 

No dessert. We took the long way back as it was a beautiful evening, and discovered a much more pleasant lakeside promenade. The twilight seemed endless.

 

 

A beautiful view. Much nicer than the walk in.

 

 

 

The diagonal line cutting up the mountain is the funicular to Brunate. Another place we have to go for the views. Or for dinner. Or both?

 

 

We enjoyed the walk back and may have burned off one piece of potato each. Oh well. We need some new clothes anyway! 

 

Back in the room, we decided on a drive to Varenna for tomorrow. And once there, we'll hike to another castle. For the views. What else would you expect? 

[Dolcevita Diva]

Fabulous photos and recap JP!   

Have you and Chris ever considered trying out for The Amazing Race?  Pretty sure that you two could win it.

[zqtchas]

[jpalbny]

Thursday, June 9th. Around Lake Como. 

 

Nice breakfast at our hotel, included because of our Hilton status. The coffee wasn't as fantastic as it was at our café in Milan but we didn't have to make it, so it was still good. 

 

After breakfast we checked on the boat ride we'd requested for tomorrow...only to find that they had never arranged for it. So much for trying to get that done ahead of time. They will see what they can do but I doubt they can find something at this late hour.

 

We headed out in our little car. Plenty of traffic but we got to our garage outside of Varenna in about 1h15. We were parked right across from Villa Monastero, and right where the easier path to the castle began.

 

Onward and upward! Varenna sits on the eastern shore of Lake Como, just north of where the two bottom forks of the lake come together. So we had a nice view of Bellagio, which sits on the peninsula between the two forks.

 

 

Nice view of the other bank too.

 

 

Once at the castle (Castello di Vezio), there was a small admission fee but the grounds are pretty, and you can climb the tower for even better views of the lake. Bellagio again. Como sits at the bottom of the right fork, in this view.

 

 

And looking north, past Varenna. 

 

 

The castle itself is in disrepair but looks authentic enough. Hopefully the tower we're standing on is structurally sound!

 

 

There are some underground passageways to explore. Some lead to small openings which look out over the lake, and were used for defensive purposes. That reminded me somewhat of the tunnels in Gibraltar, though on a much smaller scale.

 

We had taken the longer, easier way up so we decided to go down the short, steep path, directly to Varenna. It was indeed steep! Glad we didn't climb it.

 

Once in town, we enjoyed a short but picturesque seaside promenade. But every restaurant was mobbed with a line of people waiting for a table. Guess we're going hungry? So we headed back to the car, and decided to tour Villa Monastero before leaving. 

 

Nice lakeside views from their gardens. 

 

 

 

And they have a café! So we got a sandwich and a glass of wine each. More views.

 

 

The Villa had a nice sunken tub, we thought. Maybe during our next remodel?

 

 

This was known as the temple. It was a nice place to sit and relax for a minute, after climbing up.

 

 

We headed back home to plan dinner. Of course, the hotel confirmed that they could not organize the boat ride for us. Oh well. On the plus side, that will save a fair amount of money, so not all bad. Maybe we'll just hop the ferry instead. 

 

We asked about dinner reservations for tomorrow, and the concierge said they could "request" them. Odd that they didn't just call and ask... Since the restaurant is in the hotel.

 

So we decided to ask about dinner in Brunate tonight - that's the little village on the hill, overlooking Como. They were able to procure a reservation for us, so we set out. One out of three isn't bad I guess.

 

It's about 30 minutes walking (casual pace) from our side of the lake, through town, to the opposite side where the funicular was located. We made it up the mountain with a little time to spare. So we visited the closer of the two viewpoints. This overlooks Como.

 

 

Dinner at the Bellavista Hotel was really nice. I started with duck ragu which was very well made (much better than the LT version served on SS). This ragu was slow cooked until the pieces of meat fell apart. SS uses ground meat. No comparison. 

 

 

Chris had a Caprese salad, then duck breast for her main. I went with the lamb chops. Yummy!

 

 

Lovely view from our table as the sun slowly settled down behind the mountains. 

 

 

After dinner we had 25 minutes until the next funicular down. The second viewpoint was 11 minutes away according to Google. Of course we went for it.

 

What a beautiful sunset!

 

 

Back to the funicular with 2 minutes to spare! Down the mountain and then the long walk back to the hotel. 

 

No word yet on our dinner reservation for tomorrow. We are starting to wonder about the concierge staff here, and whether we'll need to make our own plans.

Edited June 15, 2022 by jpalbny

[lincslady]

Some of the most beautiful pictures we have ever had on the Cooler,  jp. 

 

I believe sometimes Italian hotel staff can be a bit unhelpful (maybe only to foreigners?)  I have experienced it years ago. It may have something to do with not speaking the language, in my case anyway.  Doesn't happen to me in France, so that is my reasoning.

 

Lola