School lets out and where do we head first?? Why, Lake Como area to see Melo and Franca, of course. We just love spending time with them at their restaurant and in their gardens.
Upon arrival, we find Melo outside the gate of the restaurant and he invites us in before they open to see all the changes he has made to the gardens. Just beautiful with lots of fresh veggies growing. After a short visit, we decided to head up to the hotel to drop our bags and then take a long, hot walk down from the hills of Tremezzo to Cadenabbia to catch the ferry boat to Bellagio for a little shopping. Too warm for a hike today. OK, I will admit it, Cadenabbia was a bit further then I remembered, BUT we certainly did work up an appetite for Melo’s pizza.
We explored the shops of Bellagio, including paying a visit to our friends that own Polenti. We love to visit with this family and purchase beautiful Murano glass bowls from them. Sharon also found some beautiful treasures too. We were off to the leather shop and wine shop before heading back to the boat.
We ended the evening with dinner at Melo’s before the kids cooled off in the pool at the hotel.
-
- Sharon and Kim eating at the "Red and White" at the lake front of Lake Como
-
- The girls all dressed in purple: Katelyn, Kim and Sharon, & waiting for our boat. For once, I was feeling like the "tall one".
-
- In Bellagio, Italy to do a little shopping.
-
- Kim's favorite place to purchase Murano glass items - Poletti in Bellagio.
Sharon, Katelyn, Kim, the owners of the shop Elisa and her husband, and Zach.
-
- Alley way in Bellagio
-
- Sharon under a bridge in an alley way in Bellagio.
-
- Ferry boat ride across Lake Como.
Kim, Zach, Katelyn and Sharon
-
- Bellagio across the lake
-
- Melo showing us how to prune tomato plants so they grow stronger and produce better fruit.
-
- Part of Melo's beautiful garden.
-
- Pizzeria Balognett in the summer. We usually come in the spring or fall. It so beautiful in the summer too.
-
- A beautiful tree near the drive of Pizzeria Balognett.
-
- Sharon relaxing in the new garden seating area.
-
- Melo and Franca purchased new lawn chairs to relax in. Franca is demonstrating her lawn chair that is known as "the boss's lady".
-
- Melo and Franca making pizza with Melo's brother, Miguel helping out in the kitchen.
-
- Melo and Sharon in front of the wood burning oven watching the pizza's bake.
-
- Pizza baked to perfection.
-
- Aaron told me I was making a weird face in the first photo, so I made a "cheesy" face in this one. (pun intended)
Sharon and Kim enjoying peperoni (sweet pepper) pizza.
-
- Katelyn and Zach cooling off in the pool at Hotel La Perla after a long day in the sun.
-
- A view of Bellagio at night from our hotel in Tremezzo.
