Como with me

I departed Milan on Saturday on the 12.15pm train (4,80 euros only) to Como, a beautiful lakeside town just 30mins away. At the treno stazione, luckily I asked the information office as Como was not on the board or else I'd have missed it! I sat next to these 2 hilarious Italian ragazzo who offered me a can of beer and we bantered in broken Inglese (them) and really bad Italiano (me).

Mazio, the more talkative one, asked if I was married and why I was travelling alone and told his friend that he'd be getting off at Como with me! When the train rolled into Como San Giovanni stop, he gave me a Pooh bear phone chain and took a picture of us for keepsake. They were so sweet and not sleazy at all.

After checking into Albergo Firenze - a 3-star hotel (65 euros) and getting all the info and maps at the tourist office, I lunched on a plate of really bad microwaved bolognese pasta (6 euros) that I shared with the sparrows at Cafe Monti, overlooking the lakeside and hills. It was truly amazing here, the still waters, misty mountains dotted with villas and relaxed pace, despite the moderate tourist crowd.

My walk began with the main attractions, from Piazza Cavour to Piazza Duomo down the narrow street of Vitt. Emamuele II for some window shopping to San Fedele (the basilica looked non too striking on the outside but inside was gorgeous). Just around the corner was the Torre Medioevale and the long outdoor market which offered shitty ah lian clothes, shoes and all sorts of household stuff.

The town quarters were narrow and intimate, easily combed in an hour so the lake beckoned after a snack of grissini cheesestick and sweet custard pastry. I was joined by 2 elderly Filippino ladies, Flora and Mary, at the bench and we had a good conversation. Mary asked for my photo so she can show her nephew how much I resembled his daughter while Flora thought I was 19 and wondered why I was travelling alone for so long (to which Mary retorted and said I was rich and should have fun while young!).

The lake scenery was breathtaking and tranquil, I can see why George Clooney fell in love and bought a 8-million villa (where he played host to the Ocean's 12 cast). The neoclassical-style Tempio Voltiano (commemorating the famous scientist who invented electricity hence 'volt') was a lovely vantage point to take pictures and catch a glimpse of the Villa Olmo, one of the many grand villas decorating the lakes.

It got quite warm at 6pm when I hopped onto the funicolare cable car up a very steep slope to the high point Brunate for a truly dazzling vista of the town and lake. Wish I could share this wow moment with someone but it was just me and the breeze. In the evening, there was a lively Argentian-Brazilian mini-concert at the Piazza Volta just outside the hotel and I tucked into my creamy salmon pasta, glass of sparkling prosceco and limone-vodka sorbet (20 euros). The crowd was out in full force, all dressed in their stylish summer niceties.

The lake was even more magical at night; imagine a black canvas twinkling with a thousand lights and you couldn't tell where the sky, mountains and lake meet. So romantic as everyone cuddled and kissed, except me! Bah!