I’ve been reflecting on the idea of being “untethered” lately. What does it mean to “let go” and “explore?” We’ve had many conversations lately circling this idea and how we have permitted ourselves to change how we see ourselves and our possibilities. For example, we each had the same style of glasses for so long that even trying on a different look felt wrong, even jarring. Certainly, nobody was telling us how to style ourselves or how to spend our time each weekend, and yet we indeed had fallen into a very predictable pattern. So, with this energy, we decided on a Wednesday to go to Italy on a Saturday morning and spend the night in Como.
Why “Lake Como” and not someplace else? I don’t know that there is a reason any more profound than “because it looks like a fun place,” and we don’t need any other rationale, as the over-analysis of such a decision kind of kills the fun. We were on the tram by 8:00 am and off to the Zürich HB.
The previous week, we each purchased a Cotopaxi travel backpack, making everything much more manageable. With these, we could be hiking in the Alps, although to be clear, we are just jumping from tram to train and walking to the hotel. This connects back to my “untethered” idea, as it boosts our ability to wander, or at least the possibility of wandering. Mostly, this allowed us to stop for gelato as we trekked from one place to another.
Retirement has reset my brain in unexpected ways. I spend train trips reading (and enjoying the scenery) as the calm of the past nine months becomes a regular visitor. I have started to dream at night again, something I thought was lost these past decades. While JQ has not yet left the working world, I convince myself that I am charting a pathway for us both to explore once she joins me. A friend framed retirement for me as “flexibility,” and that makes more sense than “time.” So many have asked me what I would do with all that “time,” and I had no answer. Finding that peace and allowing myself to reemerge has been a gift, a perfect first step.
We booked a room at the hotel on the south end of the lake, facing North, in the center of this touristy city. We’ll look for something more out-of-the-way for future trips, but this was an apt stop this first time. I didn’t take enough pictures of this area but kept thinking, “Wow, this place must be bananas during the peak summer months.” The gentleman who served us as we ate lunch confirmed just that. Lunch? That was quite an experience, and we enjoyed a multi-course meal that included this tasty finish.
Most people associate Italy with fine food; our data confirmed the same. Being off-season, we were the only ones in the restaurant for lunch, and the personal service combined with the fabulous food made for a perfect opening act in Como.
We then charted an afternoon hike. The lake’s topography made us point and say, “Let’s go up there!” A funicular train runs up the hill immediately adjacent to the city of Como, with a path that switches alongside it. The hike was more than we imagined, especially since I had a second glass of wine with lunch.
The payoff at the top made the effort worthwhile.
We imagined taking the train back down the mountain, but it appeared inoperable that day (or maybe we couldn’t interpret the schedule?).
We continued to hike along the ridge, enjoying the views and the perfect hiking weather.
We planned to walk into Blevio and take a break before returning to the hotel by boat. However, by late afternoon, it wasn’t as obvious or easy as we had thought, so we pivoted to Plan B. It is worth taking a moment to describe the roads and the corresponding traffic in this area. Geography dictates that the streets are narrow, and culture dictates that the cars, bikes, and cyclists are fast, very fast. As we navigated near the small town of Girola, our “walking” plan had turned into a “bus” plan. That plan required us not to be killed by a vehicle as we searched for a solution. I approached two men standing by the side of the road and pantomimed what we wanted, and one of them kindly pulled us 50 m to a sign where the bus would stop. The bus did stop in the middle of the road, causing traffic backup, and we boarded a crowded bus back to the city center. The hotel referred us to an excellent restaurant for dinner, and once again, we had a sumptuous meal.
Is it possible to have a bad meal in Italy? I’m sure it is, but that was not true for us. Is it possible to have a server who doesn’t make conversation? Maybe, but the contrast from the subdued restaurants in Zürich was welcome.
After a perfect Sunday morning breakfast, we set out again to walk the lake and explore. Neither of us was interested in a vertical hike, so we walked along the West side of the lake for a few miles, enjoying the sights of villas and people along the way.
We finished our walk and returned to the hotel, needing to complete one last task on our trip: gelato! Why didn’t I take a picture of this? The answer is unclear, likely due to my focus on the pistachio delight I was finishing. I did manage some photos of the “old town” of Como as we walked.
We have been to Italy before, although not in this region, and something that always strikes me is the idea of “timelessness.” The Italians have been organizing cities and communities for thousands of years. Therefore, the concept of “old” is very different from that of the U.S. They are the original “been there done that” culture and the architectural residue of time reflects that.
We could have spent more time in Como but had to return home. It’s remarkable to think about the meaning of “home” now. Just two months ago, we walked off a plane, uncertain how to make a new life in Europe. As we walked through our apartment door, we felt “at home” again. And that’s always a nice feeling.