Not all the tourists left by boat.  Quite a few stayed behind to carouse the night away in the many bars and restaurants.  A lake view comes with the downside of being above the town square and colonades full of outside tables, very popular for enjoying the balmy evenings.  The double glazing didn’t help deaden it much so it was about two in the morning before things were quiet enough for me to fall asleep.

We woke up to mist on the lake and the first boats starting their many crossings of the day.

Breakfast was eaten surrounded by the sound of English being spoken, English speakers from around the world judging by the accents.  There was not a lot of choice of tea, English breakfast being in the ascendancy.  With ITV and BBC channels on the in-house TV it was becoming clear who is the focus clientele.

Out to sort stamps for some postcards and for Lou to buy a lovely necklace and matching earrings made of Murano glass i had been lusting over the night before. 🙂 Then to buy tickets for the ferry to Menaggio.  It was damp but warm so we hoped the day would be ok for some strolling.

It was fun to be back on one of the boats.  We had enjoyed a trip up the lake on a beautiful paddle steamer in 2002, the year of our 35th anniversary.  We camped at Menaggio that time so had some happy memories of that visit.  The ferry goes via Varenna on the opposite side of the lake to Menaggio so we got views up and down each arm of the lake as we crisscrossed it.

The rain was a bit more noticeable now so brollies up when we disembarked.  Along with several passengers we walked along to the tiny harbour looking for coffee.  Luckily there was a bar/hotel with a large awning where we could sit in the dry.

Lou spotted a tiny tourist office and it had some maps of the village in a box outside.  We thought we had identified the campsite we had stayed on but when we came to the place we remembered during our amble it had clearly moved a little farther on.  I hope it has better loos than before. 🙂

We walked along a pretty promenade along the lakeside checking out lunch menus, popping up and down our brollies.  There was an interesting monument to something but I couldn’t get any clues as to what from its plaque.

About to abandon the search we came to an alley (the motif of this trip) and found an unprepossessing pizza place.  However, on its menu on the wall it offered ‘misti di Lago’, fried fish from the lake.  I love fritti misti so I was sold.  Inside it was very homely and busy, always a good sign.

The walls were lined with wine  bottles and photos of the area. The service was cheerful and efficient, two girls whizzing about and going downstairs for orders when an unseen bell rang.

Two plates of fish, a salad to share, beer, wine and coffees to finish….spot on.  Off to find a ferry home and this time it was a car ferry.  I took a photo of Lou as we boarded, a replica of one I took on honeymoon.  Not just the cars that have changed shape! 🙂

A lazy afternoon, well, why not?  The rain got heavier and heavier and we were pleased we had booked the hotel restaurant for our evening meal.

To make some space I toiled up a steep alleyway to buy some teabags.  No redbush but Lipton’s yellow label is preferable to English breakfast, a tea I can’t stomach.  A happy time ‘windowlicking’ as the French say and back down the now treacherously damp cobbled alleys.

A lovely meal at a first floor window table watching the lights and the last of the boats and then coffee down under the colonades.  We may be old but we can party too….