Leysin to Menaggio - 26th May

Leysin to Menaggio - 26th May

 

Rise early to avoid the abolutions queue - no need to worry - the anxious parents have already arisen and cleared the sparse abolusions area before we even stagger from our door - down to breakfast - we greet the slightly rotund but clearly aged "maitre'd" who is barefoot and still dressed in her pyjamas - she fusses around the breakfast supplies as we join the parents in the dining space.

 

Off down the mountain - the sun is shining - the high meadows are covered in a carpet of green and gold - the near peaks direct our eyes to their snow splashed neighbours behind - a delightful drive down the mountain to the freeways that will lead us to Italy -

 

We have been told of the terrifying driving antics of the Italians so we practice patience, persistence and "unflapability" as the Swiss mountaineers tear past us on the impossible bends tooting their horns to make us aware that cautious downhill driving is not the done thing.

We decide that crossing the Grand St. Bernard pass from Switzerland to Italy is something we should do and accordingly make a last minute decision to leave the freeway at Martigny and head into the alps proper .

 

A great drive - the scenery gets better and better as we climb - we stop frequently - at some stops we are blessed by the sight and exhaust crackle of a Ferrari making its way home up the twisting climb and across the mountains leaving in its wake a stream of appreciative fellow travellers.

 

We emerge from the tunnel that decends from Col Grand St. Bernard into the valleys of the Italian Alps - we leave the main road briefly to explore some of the narrow paved roads that wend their way past houses that command almost unbelievable views along the valley and back into Alps.

 

Onwards - Tommy's access to the satellites is blocked by steep mountains - he regularly becomes confused - we understand his difficulties - after all we are still practising our patience for the expected antics of our Italian motoring collegues.

 

Onwards - we find the Italian drivers fast but predictable - observing their behaviour allows us to establish the rules - firstly speed signs are to be interpreted as minimum rather them maximum speeds except in tunnels and secondly road works require special attention since you are clearly required to exceed the indicated speed by a considerable margin - once the rules are understood the drive along the toll roads is safe and predictable but punctuated by relatively frequent stops at toll booths to insert our credit card into the automatic gate controllers.

 

We approach Como and leave the toll road - the signs to Menaggio start to appear - the roads narrow as we join the shores of Lake Como - postcard after postcard - magnificent - careful Michael - the road is getting very narrow - the road is getting even narrower - will the two cars pass?- is that on coming driver bluffing? - how wide is this Astra? - how close am I to the kerb? - this is stressful! - it is not the Italians fault that they know exactly where their car will fit.

 

We make it the Grand Hotel Victoria right on the Lake - we are stressed but are quickly put at our ease by friendly staff - secure the car behind the hotel and settle into room 502 on the fifth floor-

 

 

Take a picture out our bedroom window across the lake to Bellagio -

 

 

 

 

 

Take a picture of taking the picture - apart from the window the room is ok and the staff really nice


 

 

 

 

We rest and stroll around the waterfront to the ferry terminal past the cafes and ice creameries - dine almost alone on the balcony of a local Hotel - a delightful meal - stroll back to the Grand Victoria through the café strip populated by both the local population and the advance scouts of the tourist hordes that will descend on the lake in the coming month.