Buongiorno, Part II
SPRING BREAK! Yee-ha! We'd book a cheap flight last fall flying Ryan Air (dreadul but puctual; you get what you pay for) from BA to Bergamo, Italy, just outside of Milan. Our plan was to stay in Bergamo, travel to Cinque Terre and return to Bergamo for our week-long holiday. Incredibly we met Alison and Aubrey at the BA airport, two young English teachers at Jon's Lyceem, who were headed to Milan on our flight, then Florence and a few days of wherever. I told Alison about going to La Spezia which they ended up doing and had a great time. (Good thing too, because I'd never actually been there. I was just reading the book and talking the talk.)
Fulbrighter Nicole had advised us on accomodation in Bergamo and once again the dymanic duo of me and Zuzka booked an apartment at Entro le Mura (Within the Walls) in the Citta Alta, the high walled city of old Bergamo. For a nominal fee, our B&B person, Enrica, met us at the airport and in ten minutes we were up in the old town. We had a late dinner at a trattoria around the corner, with me trying one of the Bergamasco specialties casonsei, a meat-filled ravioli that was delicious. Polenta is also a specialty, eaten as a side dish or dessert - polenta e osei are little cakes filled with jam and topped with yellow icing and chocolate birds (probably the only thing I DIDN'T enjoy in Italy)
The next day we strolled through the Piazza Veccia of the old town and caught the funicular to take us up to the castle. The funicular has been around since 1887 and has an interesting history. Much more than a tourist vehicle, it was built to connect the two levels of the town of Bergamo. The engineer who came up with the plan was already managing the horse-drawn tram service down in the lower town, and for years he operated the funicular. Finally, it was turned over to the city who has made many improvements over the years; nowadays it is simply part of the transit system. That week we would use it numerous times as we went either to the lower town or the train station which was just beyond it.
Our family-run B&B served wonderful breakfasts, especially coffee! We had a small garden outside our french doors, complete with a stone wishing well. The area was enclosed by a low wall built of the same stone, making the perfect perch for Gigia, the ever-present Springer Spaniel. Inside, the ceilings of our main rooms were all vaulted, as in a cathedral. Everything was stone and the place really wasn't comfortably warm until we returned there a few days later after our stay at Cinque Terre.
The guest book was filled with names of people from UK, Norway, Scotland, Belgium and Spain: all places on the Ryan Air routes. There were quite a few from the U.S. also, but we were the sole representatives from Bratislava - two wild and crazy guys.
After a few days we left by train (4 hours) through Milan and Genoa to La Spezia, where we would connect to the five small towns of the Cinque Terre. (Say CHINK-weh TAY-reh) We were staying in Varnazza, town #2 or 4 depending on if you're going up or down the Liguorian coast. Cinque Terre is a series of towns, connected by both walking paths and trains. They have been inhabited for 100's of years, many of the same families staying put, even speaking their own dialect. It is part of UNESCO world heritage list, and recently became a national park. There is not a museum in sight and the pace varies from slower to slowest.
We had some difficulty booking accomodation beforehand as we were about 2 weeks ahead of the season's opening, Elizabeth did have a room, though and met us at the main drag. Good planning that Elizabeth was accompanied by husband Joseph, who helped us up approximately 2,000 steps with our luggage. Zuzka was wondering what "hodge-podge" meant, the description of our rooms in "Rick Steve's Italy". Well, funky, crooked, odd; all that and more! Residents make the best out of what little space they have, much of it being vertical. We asked to see a second room after she showed us the first and ended up taking the latter. Two walls of our place were made of the natural black rock of the cliffs, and mysteriously a black cat joined us on the second night. We did not spend much times in our rooms.
Even though it was late the day we arrived, I took off and did the hike to Corniglio and back, arriving in the dark to our place which was right on the well-marked path. I had passed the nude beach way down below me, but at about 60 degrees that day the place was vacated. Since the CT became a National Park eight years ago, you have to purchase a pass to hike the trails. but this allows the hiking to continue and repairs to be made. And also makes me think the nude beach will soon be history. The next day Zuzka was with me when we hiked through the vineyards and olive groves of Corniglio. She found it depressing; it thought it was serene.
We managed to visit every town but missed the hike to Manarola since it was closed for repairs. In some areas, like Via dell' Amore, the boulders above are all hair-netted to keep them from joining unexpecting hikers. We heard that rock climbers from the north (Dolomite Spiders) were brought in to help with the construction work of this section As you look up you see steel netting bolted to the cliff side, while right in front of you are cacti with lovers' initials carved into them and locks with ribbons, testifying one's true love along this romantic path. CT is filled with tunnels, both for trains and pedestrians. When you're in town, trains sound like a jet coming in to land, but you soon get used to it. In some villages like Riomaggiore and Manarola you walk through a mosaic-decorated tunnel to go from the train to the town.
In Riomaggiore I bought earrings that had campanula flowers pressed inside. The shopkeeper told me that that day was her first day to be open of the season. In Vernazza I bought a hand-painted tile where the owner told me that, like many others, she and her family live in La Spezia and come up to open during the tourist season. We were talking about teaching, and she was complaining because part of her childrens' Italian curriculum is the study of Greek and Latin and she thought it was a waste of time.
There were a limited number of restaurants open but we still ate well, sampling fresh anchovies, pasta and pesto and snacking on the world's best focaccio. After dinner if you're looking for nightlife you'll find it - in the form of people strolling up and down, talking, talking and talking. I loved it all.
We took a side trip to Pisa on one of the dreary days, about an hour's train trip away. On the way we at first thought we saw snow in the distance on the mountain side, but then realized as we passed through the town of Carerra, it was marble! Pisa was interesting and yes the tower really does lean...a lot! Food anywhere, everywhere, was terrific. I was looking forward to a special dinner that night at a restaurant owned by a friend of Christian's; Zuzka was having some back problems so we cut it short and ate back at CT. The next day day we checked out using the following procedure explained by Elizabeth's note: put the "kee" under the carpet- the money here. (on the table) Just like the Hyatt!
Returning to the B&B we felt like we were at the Ritz! The next day we went into Milan where I had booked us for Da Vinci's Last Supper. That sounds like a restaurant but here's how they handle viewing the special fresco: Because Leonardo used an experimental process in creating this piece, it was already deteriorating shortly after completion. Throughout the many hundreds of years that followed, well-meaning art historians have attempted to "fix" it, causing more damage in the attempt. Finally, it is felt that all possible restoration that can be done, has been done. In order to control the humidity and not incur anymore damage, 25 people are let in every 15 minutes for a viewing. We were fortunate to get in, and luckier still because March 8 was International Womens' Day - it was free!
We viewed Milan's famous Duomo (magnificent) and I trooped around on its rooftop, walking between the spires. At 333 feet, the view is spectacular. I also toured La Scala Opera House, which was just OK. We hadn't been able to get tickets as the opera that evening was by Donizetti of Bergamo, so all the locals bought all the tickets. Did some great people watching at the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, a four-story glass-domed arcade right on the cathedral square. There's lots of mosaic artwork there including the Torino bull installed in the floor. Occasional rowdy groups could be heard encouraging others to spin on the bull's testicles for good luck. With all that spinning, the tiles there were completely missing!
Outside on the balcony MTV mounts a camera, encouraging everyone to get stupid and get on TV. That day the square was filled with sign-toting Hillary Duff fans, but beyond that I couldn't explain any more. By the time we left Milan we were glad to get back to quiet Bergamo. Assistant manager Lucy says she hates Milan and makes a point to stay away. She highly recommended we pursue our plan to go to Lake Como the next day, and ferry to Varenna and Bellagio. We did and just enough was open to make it a relaxing but fun stay. Como is known for it silks, and I bought a scarf made there, although these days the silk is from China. A woodworker's store had a glass bottomed floor where you could look WAY down to see the ancient well below. He and his son create olive wood pieces and I bought some cheese knives before we continued walking through the village.
Taking the train out of there was a little confusing because no schedules were posted. BUT Rick Steves gets around; three groups out of four of us were carrying his book so we all put our heads together and figured out what to do next. (And hiking in Cinque Terre we had met ANOTHER American couple with his book.) Well, this blog does not do Italy justice. Did I mention the familes strolling in Bergamo on Saturday afternoon? Young, old, with children, without! Did I mention how put together the men were? How they can actually pull off wearing a pair of orange pants, or gold, or green or even PURPLE! And better not leave the house without your shades! Italy was sensual and slow, family and talk, good food and drink, simple but the best!
Fulbrighter Nicole had advised us on accomodation in Bergamo and once again the dymanic duo of me and Zuzka booked an apartment at Entro le Mura (Within the Walls) in the Citta Alta, the high walled city of old Bergamo. For a nominal fee, our B&B person, Enrica, met us at the airport and in ten minutes we were up in the old town. We had a late dinner at a trattoria around the corner, with me trying one of the Bergamasco specialties casonsei, a meat-filled ravioli that was delicious. Polenta is also a specialty, eaten as a side dish or dessert - polenta e osei are little cakes filled with jam and topped with yellow icing and chocolate birds (probably the only thing I DIDN'T enjoy in Italy)
The next day we strolled through the Piazza Veccia of the old town and caught the funicular to take us up to the castle. The funicular has been around since 1887 and has an interesting history. Much more than a tourist vehicle, it was built to connect the two levels of the town of Bergamo. The engineer who came up with the plan was already managing the horse-drawn tram service down in the lower town, and for years he operated the funicular. Finally, it was turned over to the city who has made many improvements over the years; nowadays it is simply part of the transit system. That week we would use it numerous times as we went either to the lower town or the train station which was just beyond it.
Our family-run B&B served wonderful breakfasts, especially coffee! We had a small garden outside our french doors, complete with a stone wishing well. The area was enclosed by a low wall built of the same stone, making the perfect perch for Gigia, the ever-present Springer Spaniel. Inside, the ceilings of our main rooms were all vaulted, as in a cathedral. Everything was stone and the place really wasn't comfortably warm until we returned there a few days later after our stay at Cinque Terre.
The guest book was filled with names of people from UK, Norway, Scotland, Belgium and Spain: all places on the Ryan Air routes. There were quite a few from the U.S. also, but we were the sole representatives from Bratislava - two wild and crazy guys.
After a few days we left by train (4 hours) through Milan and Genoa to La Spezia, where we would connect to the five small towns of the Cinque Terre. (Say CHINK-weh TAY-reh) We were staying in Varnazza, town #2 or 4 depending on if you're going up or down the Liguorian coast. Cinque Terre is a series of towns, connected by both walking paths and trains. They have been inhabited for 100's of years, many of the same families staying put, even speaking their own dialect. It is part of UNESCO world heritage list, and recently became a national park. There is not a museum in sight and the pace varies from slower to slowest.
We had some difficulty booking accomodation beforehand as we were about 2 weeks ahead of the season's opening, Elizabeth did have a room, though and met us at the main drag. Good planning that Elizabeth was accompanied by husband Joseph, who helped us up approximately 2,000 steps with our luggage. Zuzka was wondering what "hodge-podge" meant, the description of our rooms in "Rick Steve's Italy". Well, funky, crooked, odd; all that and more! Residents make the best out of what little space they have, much of it being vertical. We asked to see a second room after she showed us the first and ended up taking the latter. Two walls of our place were made of the natural black rock of the cliffs, and mysteriously a black cat joined us on the second night. We did not spend much times in our rooms.
Even though it was late the day we arrived, I took off and did the hike to Corniglio and back, arriving in the dark to our place which was right on the well-marked path. I had passed the nude beach way down below me, but at about 60 degrees that day the place was vacated. Since the CT became a National Park eight years ago, you have to purchase a pass to hike the trails. but this allows the hiking to continue and repairs to be made. And also makes me think the nude beach will soon be history. The next day Zuzka was with me when we hiked through the vineyards and olive groves of Corniglio. She found it depressing; it thought it was serene.
We managed to visit every town but missed the hike to Manarola since it was closed for repairs. In some areas, like Via dell' Amore, the boulders above are all hair-netted to keep them from joining unexpecting hikers. We heard that rock climbers from the north (Dolomite Spiders) were brought in to help with the construction work of this section As you look up you see steel netting bolted to the cliff side, while right in front of you are cacti with lovers' initials carved into them and locks with ribbons, testifying one's true love along this romantic path. CT is filled with tunnels, both for trains and pedestrians. When you're in town, trains sound like a jet coming in to land, but you soon get used to it. In some villages like Riomaggiore and Manarola you walk through a mosaic-decorated tunnel to go from the train to the town.
In Riomaggiore I bought earrings that had campanula flowers pressed inside. The shopkeeper told me that that day was her first day to be open of the season. In Vernazza I bought a hand-painted tile where the owner told me that, like many others, she and her family live in La Spezia and come up to open during the tourist season. We were talking about teaching, and she was complaining because part of her childrens' Italian curriculum is the study of Greek and Latin and she thought it was a waste of time.
There were a limited number of restaurants open but we still ate well, sampling fresh anchovies, pasta and pesto and snacking on the world's best focaccio. After dinner if you're looking for nightlife you'll find it - in the form of people strolling up and down, talking, talking and talking. I loved it all.
We took a side trip to Pisa on one of the dreary days, about an hour's train trip away. On the way we at first thought we saw snow in the distance on the mountain side, but then realized as we passed through the town of Carerra, it was marble! Pisa was interesting and yes the tower really does lean...a lot! Food anywhere, everywhere, was terrific. I was looking forward to a special dinner that night at a restaurant owned by a friend of Christian's; Zuzka was having some back problems so we cut it short and ate back at CT. The next day day we checked out using the following procedure explained by Elizabeth's note: put the "kee" under the carpet- the money here. (on the table) Just like the Hyatt!
Returning to the B&B we felt like we were at the Ritz! The next day we went into Milan where I had booked us for Da Vinci's Last Supper. That sounds like a restaurant but here's how they handle viewing the special fresco: Because Leonardo used an experimental process in creating this piece, it was already deteriorating shortly after completion. Throughout the many hundreds of years that followed, well-meaning art historians have attempted to "fix" it, causing more damage in the attempt. Finally, it is felt that all possible restoration that can be done, has been done. In order to control the humidity and not incur anymore damage, 25 people are let in every 15 minutes for a viewing. We were fortunate to get in, and luckier still because March 8 was International Womens' Day - it was free!
We viewed Milan's famous Duomo (magnificent) and I trooped around on its rooftop, walking between the spires. At 333 feet, the view is spectacular. I also toured La Scala Opera House, which was just OK. We hadn't been able to get tickets as the opera that evening was by Donizetti of Bergamo, so all the locals bought all the tickets. Did some great people watching at the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, a four-story glass-domed arcade right on the cathedral square. There's lots of mosaic artwork there including the Torino bull installed in the floor. Occasional rowdy groups could be heard encouraging others to spin on the bull's testicles for good luck. With all that spinning, the tiles there were completely missing!
Outside on the balcony MTV mounts a camera, encouraging everyone to get stupid and get on TV. That day the square was filled with sign-toting Hillary Duff fans, but beyond that I couldn't explain any more. By the time we left Milan we were glad to get back to quiet Bergamo. Assistant manager Lucy says she hates Milan and makes a point to stay away. She highly recommended we pursue our plan to go to Lake Como the next day, and ferry to Varenna and Bellagio. We did and just enough was open to make it a relaxing but fun stay. Como is known for it silks, and I bought a scarf made there, although these days the silk is from China. A woodworker's store had a glass bottomed floor where you could look WAY down to see the ancient well below. He and his son create olive wood pieces and I bought some cheese knives before we continued walking through the village.
Taking the train out of there was a little confusing because no schedules were posted. BUT Rick Steves gets around; three groups out of four of us were carrying his book so we all put our heads together and figured out what to do next. (And hiking in Cinque Terre we had met ANOTHER American couple with his book.) Well, this blog does not do Italy justice. Did I mention the familes strolling in Bergamo on Saturday afternoon? Young, old, with children, without! Did I mention how put together the men were? How they can actually pull off wearing a pair of orange pants, or gold, or green or even PURPLE! And better not leave the house without your shades! Italy was sensual and slow, family and talk, good food and drink, simple but the best!
posted by Joan Vande Velde @ 11:22 PM
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