Car-less in Como (Part 2) - 30 marzo, 2014

Life without a car becomes more complicated when my desired destinations are further than I can walk or bike. Luckily I live in a location that is a hub for public transportation. Como has several train stations all of which are within walking distance of our apartment. Stazione San Giovanni is where the national and higher speed trains stop. We can take a train from there to Milan and connect with the Eurostar and FrecciaRossa lines which travel at high speeds between major European cities. The fares are higher (about 85 euros roundtrip to Venice) but the cars are clean and quiet with large, comfortable seats. FrecciaRossa even has wi-fi and coffee/wine service. 

Como Nord Borghi stazione is only about a 7 minute walk for us and that is where we can take the regional train to various stations in Milan or to Malpensa, the international airport. There is frequent service to Milan through the day for about 10 euro round trip. The trains are generally fairly full and our fellow passengers polite; but it can take a while to figure out the nuances of buying and validating tickets. It is a little confusing because reservations made online don't need to be validated before boarding but tickets bought at the window do. On one trip, I had to try and talk my way out of a "multa" which is a fine for not validating one's ticket prior to the train departing. A kind Italian man came to my assistance and I was allowed to just buy a ticket on board to avoid the 50 euro fine. We are also learning to be more relaxed about delays; it just allows time for another cup of coffee!

Italian high speed train

San Giovanni station

Como Nord Borghi station

Milano to Venezia  (photo by Laura Lentz)

Towns along the shore of Lake Como are connected by a narrow, busy road along the shoreline. There is bus service between towns but the road becomes very congested, especially during the tourist season. Luckily, most of the towns are also stops along the ferry route. There has been public boat service on Lake Como since 1826 and it continues to be the best way to efficiently get from Como to the villages and harbors on up the lake.  Many people in the region use the boats to commute to jobs in Como and they are popular ways for tourists to explore the area. The fare for the slower boat to nearby towns is between 3 and 6 euro while the fare for the high speed hydrofoil to Bellagio (45 minutes) is about 15 euro.

I frequently use the boat to meet up with friends for hiking or walks in the towns northeast of Como. Some mornings this past winter, I was the only person boarding the boat to go north after the morning commuters disembarked.  I felt so lucky to be able to enjoy the morning solitude and the spectacular views. It is such a new experience for me to not feel like I have to be in a hurry to get somewhere.

Early morning departure

Rain or shine, generally on schedule.

Million dollar view

I said at the beginning of this post on living car-less that I am coping MOST days without a car. I have to admit that there have been some situations in which I have truly missed the independence of having my own vehicle. As I have developed more of a life here with activities and invitations to explore the area, I have wondered if I should consider leasing or buying a small used car. Just as I began to seriously think about the potential cost and details of that, I came upon the perfect alternative. Como has just begun offering a service of eco-friendly car sharing. There are small electric cars available to use within a 100 km radius for the fee of 5 euro an hour. I registered for the service and this morning Dave and I went through the high-tech process of using my smart phone to reserve and "unlock" one of the cars. We went on a two hour test ride and it actually seems a little too good to be true. The car was fun to drive and had plenty of zip. At least for now, it gives me a great option so I can continue with my car-free Como life style.

Como car sharing service   (photo by David Hoopes)

Car-less in Como (Part 1) - 30 marzo, 2014

Years ago when our Swedish cousins visited us in Rocky River, they commented on how much business we all conducted in our cars, from visiting the drive-thru windows for fast food, to getting cash from the drive-through ATM and even picking up books and videos at the library window. I laughed because it seemed normal to me at the time but it did make me start thinking about how dependent I had become on my car while living in suburbia. 

Fast forward twenty years and now, I am experiencing life without a car. Part of our decision to live in the city of Como was based on the fact that it is a pedestrian community and well served by public transportation. David has a car provided by his company but since he commutes to work about 12 miles away, I do not have access to his car. And since our parking space (called a "box" here) is in an underground garage a 10 minute walk away, we rarely use it on weekends. For the most part, I am happily surviving without a car.

Here are some some things I have learned in the past 8 months:

 1. When you walk everywhere, especially in an area with a lot of stairs, you can eat just about anything you want, including lots of pasta without gaining weight.

 2. Errands become much more intentional and involve pre-planning to avoid unnecessary return trips.

 3. I buy less things, especially large or heavy items. 

 4. I am much more aware of when it is raining and usually carry an umbrella with me. (Everyone here, including the youngest school children always seem to have an umbrella with them when it starts to rain.)

5. I notice so many more details of daily life around me when I am walking or riding my bike. 

Not all of my walking however has to be purposeful or destination driven. There is a wonderful tradition in Italy called the "passeggiata" which is a gentle stroll, usually in the evening or on Sunday. People come to the "centro storico" (historical center of town) and walk slowly together and sit and enjoy the end of the day. One of the best parts of living right in the "centro" is that we can often share in this experience.

Early morning traffic

My trusty bike that I brought from Ohio.

A sea of umbrellas is a common sight.

Laura with one of the Como community share bikes.

Our aerobic "step" class!

              The funicular railway costs 3 euro and will give you a quicker (7 minute) way of getting up or down the mountain.

Weekend in Venezia - 23 marzo, 2014

The Grand Canal

Venice was in the news this week as an online poll showed support for the region to seek independence from the rest of Italy. Apparently there are many Venetians who want to return to the days of the  Republic of Venuto, as it was known from the 7th century until it fell to Napoleon in 1797. A referendum vote is planned and while it will not be legally binding, it may cause some turbulent times ahead. We had the opportunity to spend last weekend in Venice and enjoyed the calm before the storm as no cruise ships were in port and the canals were peaceful and uncrowded.

Looking across at San Giorgio Maggiore

The Campanile Tower

Deserted early morning Piazzo San Marco 

A peek at the Bridge of Sighs

Doge's Palace

The mountains are calling....I must go - 10 marzo, 2014

Until moving here, I had never lived in sight of mountains. A trip to hike or ski in the mountains always  required  vacation time, an airplane ride and lodging arrangements. Now that I am literally in walking distance of the hills that lead to the Alps, I have been able to enjoy many excursions to beautiful places that I had only previously dreamed about.

Our first ski trip after moving here was to Alpe di Suisi (Seiser Alm in German) which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site several hours drive to our west. It is the highest Alpine meadow in Europe, so it has wide open spaces for winter sports. This part of Italy is called the South Tyrol and is primarily German-speaking as it was part of Austria prior to World War 2. The mountains in this area are the Dolomites which are a lighter color and have a more jagged profile than their neighboring Alps.

I love seeing the variety of sports and activities that share the mountain spaces. Besides downhill skiing and snowboarding, there is mountain hiking (sometimes with snowshoes), cross-country skiing (sci di fondo), horse drawn carriage rides, sledding (called sledging) and some people who are just out for a winter picnic. The area seems open to everyone of all ages; the only thing that one pays for is the ticket for the gondolas and chairlifts. 

We stayed in a small family-run hotel that was on the local bus route to the gondola. Breakfast and dinner were provided and we were assigned to a table for our stay which allowed us to sit near the same families for each meal. Our hosts spoke German (and Italian) but made us feel very much like we were staying in their home. We met Germans, Austrians, and Italians but did not encounter any other Americans while we were in the Dolomites.

Alpe di Siusi

Andermatt in Switzerland

(Photo by David Hoopes)

Andermatt is an old-school ski resort in Switzerland just north of the 17km Gotthard tunnel. We drove the 140 km (87 miles) distance from Como but it is also possible to take a train that stops within 50 meters of the chairlift.  Most of the skiing there is above the tree line so it was windy and it was a little challenging to see where the trails were. Since I am a more cautious skier, I always am a little worried that I am going to be blown off into some abyss. To warm up, we got on the mountain train, the cost of which was included in the lift pass and rode to another area of the resort for a late lunch. On the way, we went over the Aberalpass, which is the highest point of the Glacier Express train route between St. Moritz and Zermatt. I love the Swiss train system.

San Bernadino, Switzerland

Once a week, I go hiking with a group of women from the Como International Club.  It was recently suggested that instead of hiking, that we try snowshoeing, or ciaspole as it is called in Italian. After several postponements due to rain (heavy snow in the mountains), we ended up with a spectacular day in San Bernardino which is about an hour and 20 minute drive from Como.  They have more snow this year than anyone can remember so we were surrounded by a winter wonderland. Small houses were covered almost to the roof and the plowed roads and sidewalks were tall, narrow canyons in which we could see the layers of 3 and 4 meters of snow.

Since we mostly stayed on the groomed trails, we really did not need the snowshoes but it was fun to get acquainted with them and I will be ready to try snowshoeing in the wilderness someday. As we hiked, we hoped to find a baita, or coffee shop and sure enough, just like a mirage in a desert when we rounded a curve, there was a stone hut basking in sunshine. We sat on the chaise lounges, surrounded by the incredible beauty, and sipped on our cappuccinos.

I could not enjoy such a beautiful spot without feeling some guilt that Dave was working hard back at his job. So on Saturday, two days later, Dave and I returned to San Bernadino to share the experience. Even though I am sure there were hundreds of other people in the area that day, it seemed like we had the mountains to ourselves.  Peaceful and quiet, pristinely clean and white.....the mountains were calling.

My friendly guides - Lucia and Kim

Never too young to get started

 

Like a mirage... caffe!