hey, george. can i use your yacht around lake como?

On Sunday, a group of us went to Lago di Como (Lake Como) which is known for two things: silk and George Clooney. It is less than an hour train ride north from Milano. Around the lake there are a variety of little towns you can go to via a ferry. Lake Como has been the set for some movies like Ocean's 12, Star Wars Episode II and Casino Royale. Unfortunately, there were no celebrity sightings.

Some random Lake Como facts: Lake Como used to be a refuge during invasions for Lombard kings. Fashion designer Gianni Versace is buried in one of the towns and the family still owns his former villa. (Thank you, Lonely Planet!)

We walked around Varenna & Bellagio. Yes, the latter inspired the famous casino in Las Vegas. It also has a resident that goes by the name of George Clooney. (Ever heard of him?) Lake Como has only recently become a popular destination for Americans for this reason. Apparently, the locals love him.

The view was amazing. We couldn't stop taking pictures and just relishing the fact that this was so much better than staying in Milano.

(Varenna, east shore of Lake Como)

(Varenna)

In Bellagio, we found this passageway/stairs that was off the beaten path and wandered our way into a small bar right on the water. We stopped for a glass of wine and just listened to the waves. It was blissful.

(View from where we stopped for drinks.)

Eventually, we made our way back down to the town of Bellagio and started looking for the restaurant we heard was yummy (courtesy of Brian's travel book). So we hiked our way up the road for a while before we found it. Unfortunately, it wasn't serving dinner yet so we went to the beach instead.

(Part of Bellagio)

The beach around Lake Como isn't like the Caribbean beaches. Sand doesn't exist there, but rocks do! Yay! A few of us got into our swimsuits to test the waters. (Therese was gracious enough to teach me the most efficient way of changing without using the bathroom or a towel. These California kids have the potential to teach me so much. I think I might post this new skill on my resume. Thoughts?) David, Therese, Liz and I were the only brave ones to jump in. It was around 70 degrees Fahrenheit but it felt really good.

(At the beach - Ignore my ugly feet and notice the rocks.)

There was a group of kids (probably ages 6-9) running around in what definitely would not be considered a swimsuit in the US. I think they were just wearing their underwear. Let's just say that I saw a few bare butts that day. (And none of them were mine!) My favorite was when a dad brought his little baby boy over to play in the water...and he was butt naked. This kid was just way too cute. However, he did hate the water quite a bit.

The whole thing was such an amazing trip. Like I said, it was a much needed break from the city. It was more of what I expected Italy to look like.

I finally got to talk to mi genitori (my parents) last night via Skype. It was so good to finally get the chance to hear their voices (and see their faces). I wish there wasn't such a big time difference because I was getting tired and they had only just got home from work! If you have Skype as well, add me (lbescho2) and lets chat! I would love to hear about your life updates because as much as I want it to be, it isn't really all about me. :)