Lake Como

A forecast of rain and snow didn't stop a group of friends from church to enjoy 36 hours of an escape from real life.  A few young mom's with tired feet needing a get away--  I was happy to come along for the rehab.   I was thinking about the Asia Spa in Zurich that I enjoyed last year- and noticed that my body, mind, and spirit were more lifted by a group of beautiful women that know who they are and what matters most than a lavender scented steam room!  Which is even more surprising when I didn't get much sleep--  sharing a room with three other friends and one of them snores like I didn't know was possible! 

The plan was that they would leave in the afternoon and drive to Como, Italy and I would hop on the train after school and meet them there.  I arrived at the Como train station and got a phone call from them that it would be easier for me to meet them at the hotel and I would just take a taxi...  Oh boy, here we go I thought.  It was now 8:30, dark, raining and trying not to look like Fanny Mae goes to the big city-- I walked to the curb to grab a taxi.  The driver didn't speak any Engish and I handed him my phone with the address of the location..  I was really wishing for a buddy at that moment.  The driver just said, si si, over and over as we headed out on a rainy night.  It was so hard to close that taxi door as I hoped all would be well..  We didn't drive far but wound through narrow, cobblestone streets, with an occasional outline of someone walking with an umbrella, which added to my now big screen movie moment I was having.  I laugh at myself now as I think of watching the driver take a large square wallet looking shape out of the glove box and suddenly thinking this was the moment where it all ended!!  He stopped the car in one of those dark alleys and pointed up the street.  I said in brave English...  Is this the hotel?  He just looked at me and kept pointing.  Now, I didn't want to open the door wondering what was ahead.  I paid him and slowly got out...continuing to speak in English and him just nodding.  I felt like he was trying to get rid of a stray cat....  His si,si, was now sounding more like shoo, shoo..  I pulled out my umbrella and started up the street..  A big relief when the abandoned looking building was my hotel...   Five other rain drenched smiles were a welcome sight!

Alison and I got up early, not having slept much, and headed out for a run.  It was still raining and we ran/walked with our umbrellas.  Exciting to see a city while it's sleeping but this time not alone helping me see more.  The rest of the day was spent shopping in Como, great conversations, and having a few wow moments in this beautiful place.

Deal of the day-  a huge 5 euro umbrella, which I have named my Italian walking stick!!  Remember you heard it here first!! Wishing I could carry a ginormous Nutella jar home with me..

A sign of Italy-- a rack of cycling bikes is replaced by motor bikes!  Mid afternoon we drove to another village on the shores of Lake Como, Bellagio.  I remember this kind of road trip well.... big car, tunes, snacks, and new roads!  The skies were beginning to clear as we explored.. ate Ravioli, and laughed and joked about George Clooney (Lake Como resident) being along for the ride!  

On the drive home it started to snow...  A change to winter.  Then waking up to a new world..

 Reminding me of a passage from a favorite book-  Out of my Mind--  "Words have always swirled around me like snowflakes- each one delicate and different, each one melting untouched in my hands.  Deep within me, words pile up in huge drifts, mountains of phrases and sentences and connected ideas, clever expressions jokes, and love songs."

Happy to remember that words, thoughts, and new understanding are the real roads we all travel! Ciao!