Worth walking up a mountain - 19 ottobre, 2013

Last Wednesday, I was invited to go hiking with two women I met in the International Club. They are originally from the U.S. but both are married to Italian men so they are well acquainted with many of the hidden gems around here.  They took me on a most incredible hike starting from the lakeside town of Torno.  A stone path winds up the mountain, often at a very steep angle, passing through forest, cow pastures, vineyards and along a very steep ravine. At the top, there is a rustic "crotto"which is an old restaurant located over a natural cave that was used to store cheese and meats. I was so taken by the experience that I wanted to bring Dave back before the cold weather arrives and the Crotto Piazzaga closes for the season. I called to make a reservation since I had been told by my friends that it was quite popular on the weekends. I was intrigued that a place you can't drive to is so popular.

Remnants of the ancient town wall of Torno

So this morning, we drove the 7 kilometers to Torno to begin our hike. The ferry from Como also stops here. To begin, you climb up steps through the steep, narrow pedestrian streets of the town. Then a stone path leads the rest of the way up the mountain, passing through both private and public land. At several points we had spectacular lake views, although today it was a bit "grigio" as one local put it. (gray with light fog) After hiking about 90 minutes, we got to the tiny town of Piazzaga which has approximately 15 cottages and buildings clustered together. We were the first customers to enter the small restaurant so Dave was laughing about the fact we had made reservations. But Veronica, who I had met earlier in the week showed us to an assigned spot at one of the two long tables. And within 15 minutes, the place was filled up with families and other hikers.

Crotto Pizzaga

The ceramic stove heated the room

Our hosts

Judith and Martin from Hamberg

A couple about our age came and sat next to us. They introduced themselves and although they were German, they were able to easily converse in English. They were very excited because they had just signed a lease for a small house in the area. They are planning on using it for a vacation home. We discovered we had many similar interests in hiking and exploring the area so we exchanged information so we can stay in touch. As we commented about the restaurant owners' skills and friendly attitude, our new acquaintances agreed because they had gotten to know them since they had already visited a few times. In fact, they said, they "knew we were coming" because Veronica had asked if she could seat them next to us so we would have someone to talk to. Needless to say, we were impressed by the kindness of both our hosts and our new friends.

We ate both a primi course of pasta and a secondi course of meat, all homemade and delicious!

The three young owners are also starting a catering service and cooking school to keep them busy in the off season. We are learning to be Italian so we enjoyed lingering most of the afternoon at the table before saying goodbye and walking back down, this time joining up with a narrow little stone road that leads from another village. It was a great day in every way.

Found a possible fixer-upper!

The steep path down

My Neighborhood - 16 ottobre, 2013

It was a beautiful day in the neighborhood and I couldn't get Mr. Rogers out of my head while I was taking photos of my favorite places. I have had the opportunity to slow down the pace of my life since I moved here and have enjoyed wandering the streets of the old part of Como. We live in the Città Murata which means the part of the city that is inside the wall.  Parts of three sides of the ancient stone wall which was built between 1159 and 1175 remain intact and there are three medieval towers still standing.  The Porta Torre (the largest tower) is about a block from our apartment and stands over the archway that leads to our pedestrian zone neighborhood. I still am in awe of the history of this place every time I walk or ride my bicycle through the gateway.

External view of the wall

Porta Torre (at the end of the street)

 There are larger stores and shopping areas outside of town but within Como, the streets are lined with small shops, many with a singular focus such as a "polleria" that focuses on selling chicken or  another that only has clothing for the "bambini" (children). There is a large community indoor food market that is open three days a week and a huge street market that magically appears Tuesday, Thursdays and Saturday just outside the old walls. I have found that you can buy just about anything you want or need within walking distance of our apartment. My shopping habits have changed drastically as I buy food in smaller quantities almost every day and I use cash for everything. (What's a debit card?) The window displays in the retail shops change frequently and are very attractive so I find myself window shopping and discovering items I never knew I needed.

the cafe right below our apartment

tabacchi (stamps, tickets, tobacco)

I have been pleasantly surprised how much I enjoy not having a car. I enjoy the process of planning out my route for errands and love how easy it is to burn calories just doing my everyday routine. Everyday as I am walking, I notice new details which help me figure out the puzzle of life here.

pasticceria (pastry shop)

salumeria (deli)

libreria (bookstore)

newstand

street market

posta (post office)

macelleria (butcher)

 San Fedele (neighborhood church and piazza)

Istanbul: Fascinating and beautiful - 6 ottobre, 2013

Hagia Sophia 

My only cousin Janet lives in California so we don't get to see each other very often. When she told me that she and her husband would be completing a Mediterranean cruise in Istanbul, it gave us the perfect reason to plan a weekend there. We spent two long days walking all over the city together and taking it all in. We found Istanbul to be a fascinating and beautiful place with very friendly people. The sensory stimulation is incredible from the brilliant colors in the markets to the tastes and smells of the street food to the call to prayer coming over speakers throughout the city five times a day. It is a very photogenic place to which I hope to return for a longer visit.

Panoramic from Galata Tower - Looking across the Bosphorus Strait toward the Asian side of Istanbul

The Blue Mosque

close-up of the tile inside

Basilica Cistern

Apartment Life - 09 ottobre, 2013

This is our apartment on Via Giovio in Como centro (city center). It is an old building with six apartments separated by thick solid walls. We have both front and back balconies but were dismayed to find that no one uses their balconies other than to step outside to check the weather! Our back balcony overlooks a courtyard to which we have no access.

The entrance hallway is narrow and dark and filled with everyone's bicycles but our actual apartment has very tall ceilings and is filled with light when the sun is out.

view from the street

 

 stairwell - we are on piano 1 (2nd story)

il soggiorno (living room)

We have two bathrooms, both with bidets. One also serves as our laundry room with its tiny washer. Italians don't use dryers and we aren't allowed to hang clothes on the balconies, so I now have a large portable drying rack and am learning to plan ahead on when we will need clean clothes!

The kitchen is my favorite room with a gas cooktop and an electric oven. It has a great view of the street and plenty of work space. The dishwasher has not worked since we moved in so I spend a lot of time at the sink. It seems like a great place for me to focus on becoming a more accomplished cook. (One more reason to learn Italian so I can read the recipes!)

So besides adjusting to life in a foreign country, we are also getting used to life in an apartment in the middle of the city. I am enjoying living in four rooms; it is all we need and it feels very comfortable.

Home sweet home.....casa dolce casa. 

la cucina (kitchen)

le camera de letto (bedroom)

la stanza degli ospiti (Guest room / study)

Medieval Games - settembre, 2013

After a month without television, one is more open to new diversions. We discovered this when we found ourselves outside in our neighborhood watching men in tights racing on stilts and having wild wheelbarrow races.  The "Palio del Baradello" is a two week celebration of historical parades and traditional games that trace back to the early middle ages. There are five neighborhoods in Como that are represented by teams who compete in games and a final tug-of war.

Several of the events took place in the streets around the corner from us. There were elaborate costumes for the royalty and honor court who sat regally by the newsstand on the corner. The parade passed under the tower (Porta Torre) that was built in 1192.

When we were kids, we sometimes played Cowboys and Indians; here it seems the kids play in castles and are knights in training. The men of all ages seemed very comfortable walking around in tunics and tights. It is definitely a different kind of Autumn Sunday afternoon without NFL football.

The playground (above) in our neighborhood shares a wall with an 11th century church and has medieval walls on the other three sides.

Porta Torre