No sign of George at Lake Como

Our trip from Lyon had started with a couple of laps of Lyon and then onto the open road and a variety of cd’s we’d bought on a binge. The trip south east wound us through the low alps and in and out of more tunnels than I care to remember. Soon we were within Italy and on our way towards Milan before the big left hand turn towards to the Lake. We missed the left hand turn but thankfully hadn’t gone too far so somehow negotiated the most ridiculous off ramp and on ramp and headed back in the right direction. There is a little part of the journey as you come around a hill and spot the Lake for the first time that takes your breath away. In NZ we have some spectacular lakes though there was something about the colours of the villages around that make you melt in moments. We dumped the car in Como town and headed off in search of lunch. There were times when we pinched ourselves initially to make sure we were there and then after the most revolting  Italian meal (our first in Italy) as punishment for making the wrong restaurant call. A quick walk around and we were on our way up the left hand side of the lake to Tremezzo. An hour winding through little villages and not hitting pedestrians later our hotel popped out of nowhere sitting on the side of the road pretty and proud right on the lake. 

La Darsena has been a find on tripadvisor and we couldn’t have got better. Our room was up in the attic space but was the most spacial room we had had on the trip so far. With Prozy’ell’hole still quite ripe in our heads La Darsena was total paradise. A little courtyard to the right was the perfect setting for a couple of Campari’s and a good few chapters of Michael Caine’s new autobiography. It’s been lovely on this trip so far, Michael Caine and Barry White, my mission now was to find George. 

We chose to eat in the restaurant in the hotel on the first evening and the loveliest hotelier ever reserved us a table on the water. Showers and a potter around the town later and we sat down for one of the best meals I have had. My starter was smoked guinea fowl with goats cheese and roast veg. So delicately light but full of flavour. The bald man had green pea risotto which burst with freshness, I was being looked at for diving across the table at his plate every other mouthful. 

I chose some “caramelle” pasta for main course to obliterate the microwave crap we’d had for lunch. The pasta was sweet shaped and full of fabulous ragu. Light, tasty and the best pasta i’d ever had. The lake fish the Bald man had was also exquisite. Our meal finished off with a shared white chocolate and strawberry parfait, cognac, grappa and espresso. 

A brilliant sleep later and we woke up to a gorgeous breakfast back out on the water the next morning. Our plan for the day was very simple, walk, boat, lunch, boat, big house, wine, dinner, bed. And we did all of it. The boat trip to Bellagio was stunning and while my eyes were clued to the shore line in search of George, The bald man was absolutely stunned at the beauty of the lake, the surrounding countryside and the incredible architecture of the buildings that decorate the lakes edges. 

Our lunch was in a little trattoria full of locals. I had a veal ragu with polenta which was a little heavier than I needed but thoroughly delicious. The bald man tucked into a bowl of pasta which lasted very little time in his presence. Coffee and onwards back to the cobbled streets of the stunning town. Our afternoon was spent in a house called Villa Carlotta which was built for a woman a million years ago who promptly went and died. Complete waste I thought, but we enjoyed getting out of the heat and looking around what she could have had. I had read about a cantina in Tremezzo called Cantina Folli which we discovered tucked away off the beaten track. The owner was so lovely, chose a bottle of wine for us and provided us with a very large lump of parmesan and some honey and pear to enjoy with it. Nothing was too much trouble. As the two of us laughed our way through plot lines and potential story lines I could have stayed in the vine covered courtyard forever. It was a little piece of paradise. 

Our supper that evening was in a restaurant called red and white which I should have known better and not gone, but the bald man enjoyed his meal and I shoved too much pizza in my direction, while we listened to a couple of english bus drivers talk rubbish at each other for an hour. The general patronage of the restaurant was only there for pizza’s and spag bog so I was quite surprised at some of the tripadvisor reviews of it. 

As we drove away the next day towards Venice I vowed to come back and spend longer with my bald man in a very very beautiful area. 

p.s on another note, George wasn’t available at the time of writing.