Italy break

[roamer]

Hi

Taking a break from Thailand, flew back to UK to sort a few things out/catch up with friends, then off to Italy for a lazy 1 month holiday.

Flew Easy Jet from Gatwick, 45 minutes late taking off but somehow managed to make up most of that, pilot must have put his toe down.

Arrived at Milan Malpensa, then onwards to near Como,been there a few times and always like that area.
Lakes and mountains.

Took a ride over the Italy/Swiss border, a few pics of a village/small town Mendrisio, maybe 10 minutes drive from the border :













































































This at Swiss Chiaso, quite a pleasant small town,even nearer to the border



































Church in the centre of town











Town centre building


















Back to Italy, the square in the very small town of San Fermo, 10 minutes from Como

[roamer]

More San Fermo, only about 10 shops in the town plus 4 bars, think that`s about the right proportion, there`s one the side of the fountains area, nothing special but OK to sit outside with a beer or wine taking it easy.






The town is kept fairly clean



























Outside bar area, plus a co op type store opposite as well as a little general store

[kingwilly]

Brilliant little trip. Cheersfor posting.

[blue]

looks nice and peaceful there !

[armstrong]

where's the people?!

[terry57]

Nice pics. The county side looks very much like Australia.

Hows things price wise. ?

[Loy Toy]

One of my favourite places in the world is North of Brescia on the lake Del Garda.

Thank you for a lovely thread to enjoy.

[Davis Knowlton]

Nice pictures - thanks!

[xanax]

looks a damn sight better than Issan!

[roamer]

Hi

Thanks for the comments.

I hadn`t really thought about it but yes going by the pics so far, looks like the land that time forgot.

San Fermo is a sleepy little town, someone I know lives there but works mostly in Como or in Switzerland.

I think I took the pics mid day week day, very quiet then.

That little co op store opens up in the morning then closes for lunch at 12.30 PM, to re open at 4.00 PM.
They like their long lunch breaks/siestas !

A few sample prices :

That little bar opposite the co op did 630/660 ml bottles of beer for 3 Euros, about 120 baht.
Wine approx 3 Euro a glass

Beer in the supermarket you can buy for about 1 Euro ( 40 baht ) a large bottle.

A nice very large pizza in a mid range restaurant was 7 Euro ( 280 baht ), most pasta dishes about the same price,up to about 10 Euros.

Como which is busier and more touristy, a little bit higher than those prices, you would pay 4-5 Euro for a large bottle of beer.

I`ll add some more sample prices as I go and will post up some Como Lake pics soon.

[pseudolus]

Lovely - absolutely lovely. Thanks for sharing, and please share more when you can.

[roamer]

Some Como pics, I really like lake/hill/mountain views so have taken a fair few of them :












This from Como looking towards Brunate, accessible by a furnicular railway just visible in the photo, as well as bus
















A park very near the Lake, pleasant for a stroll around













Lake and hill view




























Another one of the park















A few small boats moored up

[beerlaodrinker]

Nice one roamer sounds like things aren't as as expensive as I had assumed, I've been thinking about a trip to Europe but these days I haven't got the patience for all the transit fucking around, plus i hate flying for longer than 5 or 6 hours , I would need to breakup the trip once or twice I reckon. Thanks for the top info mate. I'm currently in Seoul but flying back to Laos tomorrow, yesterday i left the hotel in Osaka at 8 .oo in the morning and reached the hotel in Seoul at 4.30 in the afternoon. It's only a 1.5 hour flight for fuks sake the rest of the day got sucked up in the Transit. That's time lost but just how it goes I suppose.

[terry57]

^

Yep, long Haul. Do not know how they do it.

5 hours for me as well.

[Loombucket]

The town is kept fairly clean

Apart from a few stay leaves, the place looks spotless! Thanks for sharing those pictures. I love places that have green hills in the background.

[Albert Shagnastier]

Nice.

If you get a chance pass through here

Ticino - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Gravesend Dave]

Good stuff roamer

Italy has never been on my radar apart from Venice which I definitely want to visit at some point.

[nigelandjan]

Nice one Roamer thanks f retaking the trouble to post the pics .

Never been to Italy looks nice , infact were off for 2 weeks soon , a nice villa with a pool for the missus to splash about in whilst I do some painting.

Been looking at the Italian train service looks cracking way to get round , cheap and efficient compared to the overpriced shit in the UK where you have to stand all the way .

Will try to stick some of my paintings up of the central / southern regions a bit later on when we get back

Cheers

[roamer]

Hi

Thanks again for the comments, appreciated.

re. Ticinio, I`ve visited a couple of the districts,Lugano and Mendrisio, agree worth the visit, particularly the former.

Brescia/Lake Garda looks worth a visit, about 2 hours by train from Como, am now in south Italy but will be back to Como in about a week.

If I can fit it in, will if not it will have to be next time.

2 train stations in Como and yes, a decent way to travel, did Como to Milan on a previous visit, forgotten the price but it was not expensive and just asked a friend who had taken a long train journey what it was like, no complaints, distance was 750 kms, cost ( booked in advance ) was 50 Euro ( 2K baht), each way. Seems decent value to me. He commented you could pay double if booking at short notice though

I rarely use taxis but they can be/are expensive, buses OK.

I`ve never been to Venice, should pay it a visit sometime, won`t be this trip though.

A couple of my friends did a boat trip from Como to Bellagio, 2 hours each way cost was about 21 Euro return ( 820 baht ) again quite reasonable really.

Bellagio very nice, touristy but pretty, have been there a couple of times and may well take another visit, time permitting.

We did go to a prime Como Lakeside bar and were paying either 4 or 5 Euro for 330 ml beers but it was worth it.

A few more random pics from Como, :











One of the train stations is just showing on the right
















































So beautiful






More another day.

[roamer]

Hi

A few more pics, first of a house at Brunate, very near to Como, 10 mins or so










A view of part of Como from Brunate








This a house at Tourno, similar area, about 20 mins form Como













Tourno still, up we go

































A lot of steps but a nice view




























Shutters and blinds, make the most of the climate naturally















Back to Como. I really like this town, pic from the central square, stones throw from the Lake























































It`s been a wet rainy day today, in Como currently and had to take refuge in a bar for a quick beer whilst waiting for it to ease.

Still has beauty though, even on a rainy day, coming to the end of visit, back to UK next week, than back to Thailand the week after.

Mixed feelings, I like Thailand but there are other places in the world that have appeal also.

[Gravesend Dave]

Bravo Roamer!

I like many aspects of Thailand although would never of attempted or contemplated settling there had I not had a Thai wife.
Got the most from that country as a care free tourist.

[roamer]

Hi Dave

Thanks for the comment, I have similar feelings,loved my previous visits to Thailand as a tourist, retired very early in 2009 and decided to move here.

I thought I`d enjoy the fairly care free single life, somehow got attached, although not married to a Thai lady, been together over 4 yrs to the same one.

If it were not for that, guess I`d be spending less time in Thailand, maybe 6 - 8 months of the year rather than 10 months or so

I`m not keen on long haul travel but do like different destinations, always find something positive wherever I go and meet some very interesting people along the way.

Still a lot of places I want to visit/ stay at.

All the Best

[roamer]

Some more pics, this one of the furnicular train parked up at Brunate









This at the train stop at Brunate, it`s a lovely small town and if based in or near Como, worth a visit for 2 or 3 hours, wouldn`t want to be based there as a little too small but there`s a few hotels available if you want to.

They have some well signed walking trails, giving the distance and estimated time to complete, great for those that enjoy that.












Photo poor but nice view










Old church there











Hotel there, about 75 Euro a night









Next door to that hotel
















Couple more of the church















Some history to this house but I`ve forgotten what, just think it looks nice

[Brunswick]

........

[Brunswick]

Lovely pictures roamer.
I Always assumed Como to be a classy place and I can see that it is.