This Can't be Real, I Must be Dreaming ...

We have certainly been to some outstanding spots on our trip, but nothing beats this ...

    We are back in Italy, with a stopover on our way from Malta to Poland ...

    

    I don't know that I have ever been to anywhere as nice as Lake Como, in the Italian Alps.  This place is outstanding, to the point where you wonder - Is this for real?  Am I dreaming?  The Painting above is representative of what this place is like.

    First off, you have to take a train into the Alps to get there, with lots of tunnels.  Then you need a Ferry Boat to get around everywhere else on the lake, it's really fun, with constant views in all directions. 

    When we arrived at our location ... we were a little speechless.

    In fact ... we are staying in Bellagio, Italy, the real Bellagio - not the one in Las Vegas.  It's on the shores of beautiful Lake Como.  

    Our room is at the genuine Bellagio Hotel, and it is truly one of a kind.

    Fiona went out of her way to find a nice place, and she hit a total home run.  We overlook the lake, with the top floor corner room, and the views are priceless.

     And the view out the window is remarkable! 

We took a boat ride and went to several places.

    We visited a park (actually an historical garden) and it was amazing!

    The park was a 200 year old botanical garden right on the lake.

There were views upon views of the lakeside.

And classic Italian houses and dwellings.

    Everywhere you look are fascinating views and grand vistas. 

    Almost too many pictures to post ...

    The Alps run right down to the lake, and frame all the views with dramatic cliffs and snowy mountain tops. 

    Of course, some of the ferry boats are real classic Italian style designs, and they run on time (somewhat unusual for Italy) so you can go wherever you want and it's super mellow on the lake and very relaxing. 

    And what day is complete without a sunset picture?

No, we didn't see George Clooney ...

    Unbeknownst to me, apparently George Clooney spends a bunch of time around here.   I guess he got married here?

    I have always wanted to come to see this Lake, and I had no idea that George was hanging around here on a regular basis.  We didn't run into him on our travels. 

    So, two weeks in a row, we missed the Pope, and now George Clooney (draw your own conclusions), but we travel on and hope to find someone else famous.