On the Road Again

I had an easy train ride from Berlin to Amsterdam (unlike Luca’s various trips — overall I’ve had amazingly ontime and efficient public transportation EVERYWHERE. Luckily.) I found a window seat facing forward — it’s easier I guess when you’re a single traveler.

The tram to Luca from AMS central station was also pretty easy and he met me (somewhat reluctantly) at his tram stop. So I didn’t have to navigate one more time or carry my bag any longer. Thank you my dear. Turns out his reluctance was because he was out drinking with work folks. And had to time the bike back to meet me. 

All went well. I had a day to do laundry and repack bags to change out all the winter/base layer/waterproof clothing for shorts (could have used them in Berlin — 86 and humid one day!) and nicer clothes/shoes/jewelry/make up for the wedding festivities. And did a walk through Amsterdam’s Central Park equivalent, Vondelpark, which is close to Luca’s apartment.

Must be nice to live in those houses! Though damp?
Peak blooming is past but my mom would’ve loved the rose garden
It’s really green!! But there’s a ton of paved bike paths too
It was full of people and dogs — sort of amazing given how crowded AMS can be. Thankfully fewer tourists but lots of locals

Plus we did a few dinners (Turkish and Georgian… former USSR not southern state). Both good, walkable, relatively (by AMS standards) inexpensive and one with Evi. (Or maybe I’m still influenced by Nordic food prices.) And maybe I just need to stay out of the touristy areas of AMS!

Saturday morning we went for our rental car and to start our road trip. It was actually Luca’s idea. His Dutch colleagues (of course) pointed out that it would be cheaper to fly. With the cost of the rental car (I’ve gotten crazy cheap rates in Crete, southern Spain, Croatia, and even Scotland, but not Amsterdam — especially for things they control like an additional driver or driving outside the country), exorbitant tolls and the even more exorbitant gas prices, it’s a lot. Plus lodging and meals along the way. 

But we kinda like roadtrips. And we’d made a plan. 

1. Drive. Lunch in Belgium (Liège) and since we think Belgium beer is the best in the world on average, went to a pub and split a beer (we were driving after all — actually I think we split two beers). Then stopped at a local store to stock up on Belgian beers for the week.

2. Drive. Stop overnight in Metz, France. My gf Francoise is from there and while Luca had been thinking Strasbourg, I called Francoise for advice and she insisted that Metz is better. It was indeed lovely and the perfect size for basically one evening and a tiny bit of morning. She also provided us with a perfect walking tour so no need to go to the TI for once!

Haven’t seen the more popular (w cruise ships) Strasbourg but Metz was indeed lovely
My baby! Btw I believe I was standing on the curb for height advantage. Not much advantage!?
After Notre Dame, the cathedral in Metz is the next largest in France. It’s famous for its stained glass windows
It was bombed in the wars but people like Marc Chagall helped create a bunch— I think I mostly took his!? They looked Chagall-y

We had a very nice dinner (best thing was the foie gras — sorry to geese but it’s so delish). Luca managed to pick up a few white shirts for the wedding requirement so we were set. 

We also ate outside but in a slightly less crowded area — it was Saturday night and all the French were out shopping and eating/drinking. Lovely (oh funny my phone kept instead typing lively. It was that too)
Oldest church? Francoise can correct me. I’m forgetting everything. There was a large Trans fair (?) going on nearby which was refreshing to see
More like the street where we ate. Btw however I did have the most expensive terrible coffee the next morning. It was Sunday and no one was open. Next time I’m getting coffee recommendations
Love good water reflections! Is it just France? No wonder Monet was so obsessed

Hm. I didn’t take photos of the botanic garden but it was a great stopover and thank you Francoise! We did everything in your list!

3. Drive. Lunch in Basel, Switzerland. Parking was an adventure but thankfully Luca is very good at parallel parking; it was so tight I got out and helped direct. Fortunately when we left the car in front had vacated (along with a ton of other cars. Apparently we arrived at just before the time everyone decided to leave). Since we did not feel like having raclette or fondue (even with lactase it does not seem like a great choice in summer though great when skiing), we found a sandwich/salad place. I missed greens!

4. Drive. Start of two nights in Como. I was so busy researching the Baltics and Nordics I didn’t research Italy!? Booked Como quickly before I left but didn’t realize how huge the lake is and that it splits … I’d been to Lake Garda ages ago which is the biggest and thought I remembered it easy to drive around. This didn’t seem to be. The first night we walked to Como (we were a little out of town which was better with the car — we totally lucked out with parking in Como because it’s not plentiful even where we were).

Como — where we did not go! It’s more a town with cathedral and museums and we went to the picturesque towns instead
Long walkout facing I don’t know which town across the lake
It was a nice promenade around the bottom edge of the lake. Happy swans
Ah. No curb
After dinner (which we ate, of all things, at an Italian pub. I had pasta anyway)

We then researched which towns to visit. Turns out the cutest three are all at the center but hard to drive between — yet easy to ferry between. Lake Como is an inverted Y shape and the towns are essentially around the crotch (my words not theirs) of the lake. 

It was cloudy but still beautiful

So on our one full day we drove to Bellagio (like an hour drive — because it’s all very windy), found another very tight spot (thank God Luca’s a very good driver and parker) — I had to pop out again not to help direct but because it was so tight I wouldn’t be able to open my door to get out otherwise. It was the last in a lot that was already getting a ways from town. But we walked down, around, had a lovely lunch, and looked across to the alps and other towns across the lake.

Bellagio
Selfie but thankfully I offered to take a couple’s photo and they did likewise with us
I have heels on!? That kid is tall

We ferried to Menaggio where we walked and had aperitivi (and free sausage/cheeseboard). It’s all hilly there btw — you walk from the water edge up…

Menaggio port
My current favorite photo of Luca
Yum. We had been eating awhile but it was a very nice outdoor seat at an enoteca
View from Menaggio
It was definitely threatening to rain. Good thing I had my raincoat

We then ferried to Varenna for walking and dinner and I also think digestivi as we had a longer wait for the return ferry than we’d thought. We had bought unlimited ferry day passes which I think cost a tiny bit more than 3 tix but you don’t have to worry about buying tickets for a specific time or whether the ferry terminal is still open. (You can’t buy tickets on the ferry.) Each ride is only about 15 min. and definitely worth it.

Varenna port
Varenna
Yes, lots of stairs. I don’t know what people with walking issues or wheelchairs would do (actually I saw people with canes just taking it very slowly — at least there’s a rail)
The last ferry back to Bellagio was at 11ish though I think we caught a slightly earlier one

So we ate and drank (and ferried) our way across Lake Como. We did not go to Clooney’s area (already forgotten where it is — I think more in the mountains than at water’s edge) but it was relatively crowded near the water. Not mobbed but crowded and I heard plenty of English.

Interestingly when we stopped to eat in Bellagio and started chatting w obviously American people at nearby tables, two different tables were like “wow English! Haven’t heard any!” Meantime I heard plenty and most of the waiters spoke some English though we spoke Italian to them. I guess it’s all relative but I found that odd. In Metz btw it seemed much more French only. Thankfully Luca can get by in a French restaurant; but they had QR codes on the menu so you could get translated versions and then just point!

5. After more miraculous parking luck, we got in and out of Como and headed to the cinque terre (5 lands). We could choose between driving through Genova or Parma. Both famous in different ways for their food, both (according to GPS) about equal time, distance and tolls. We opted for Genova since they’re known for seafood while Parma is more known for prosciutto and cheese — and I wanted seafood. We apparently opted wrong. 

Not much seafood though we split a plate of “tentacles” and it was good. I also bought focaccia there as it’s supposedly invented in that area (along with pesto and yea, bluejeans — named after Genova)

The food once we got there was good but we made several wrong turns in Genova and it’s a big city with city traffic and a huge, bustling port and aquarium which was where we were headed. So it was a pain but we paid for (aquarium area) parking, gassed up, hid our luggage, and walked out. I don’t think I need to go back there! But the food was tasty, plentiful, and inexpensive. It’s apparently a known spot and had quite a line as we were leaving.

The really tricky part came after Genova— but I see this post is already crazy long so I’ll save the cinque terre to the next post!!

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