May 15-17, 2007
Varenna

We took the train from Milan to Varenna, on Lake Como in Lombardy, and stayed three nights
We arrived in Varenna.
Our train goes on to the next stop.
View of Lake Como from our hotel room.
View of Lake Como from our hotel room.
Lot's of steep steps in Varenna
Lake Como shore
Insalata Mista (mixed salad) at a Varenna restaurant
Ducks at that restaurant
Gardens on Lake Como near Varenna - we visited them later
Hillside on Lake Como near Varenna
Somebody's garage in Varenna - carved right out of the bedrock
Ubiquitous public fountain
Hotel's cat Sushi on the ledge during our late dinner
Lake Como from the hotel's deck during the evening
Dessert
Dinner at Albergo Milano, in Varenna
The hotel's other cat, Sashimi
View near hotel from the deck.
More view from hotel
View of Lake Como from hotel.
More Lake Como.
More view from hotel
We went on a quest to find the Fiumelatte river (Italy's shortest river), but failed
The castle at Vezio, above Varenna.
Some pretty flowers in Monastero Gardens in Varenna.
Fountain in the garden
Lake Como from the garden
A magnolia tree provided welcome shade in the garden
A kumquat tree in the citrus section of the garden
The citrus section of the garden.
The lake was alive with fish - we ate some later that day.
The next day we trekked up to Vezio, directly above Varenna, to see a castle and the castle's falconer.
The clock tower in the village next to the castle
The view from Vezio
More view from Vezio
Lavender in Vezio
A raptor at the castle in Vezio
The castle falconer gets ready for a talk.
Another raptor
A cool olive tree at the castle
William climbs the steps to the castle tower.
The castle tower drawbridge.
Climbing in the tower
View from the castle tower at Vezio
More view from the castle tower at Vezio
More view from the castle tower at Vezio
View of a lesser tower from the castle tower at Vezio
A mace on display in the castle tower.
Elaine leaves the castle tower
View of the castle tower from the ground
A subterranean vault near the castle - was used as a bunker in the defense of Varenna against the Germans during World War I.
A lizard at the castle in Vezio
The castle falconer prepares to "fly" one of his birds
There he goes
The bird flies away
And comes back.
More bird.
More bird.
Later we took the ferry to Belagio. This picture shows Varenna as we pulled out.
More Varenna from the ferry.
More Varenna from the ferry - including our hotel, Albergo Milano.
Castle at Vezio from the ferry.
Fancy house at Bellagio.
Bellagio from the ferry.
Dessert after dinner in Bellagio.
The passagiato in Varenna - path to the ferry dock from the town
We went to the railroad station in Varenna and prepared to go back to Milan.