Day 6 Peschiera del Garda 5 Dec 2023

 

View from the Room at C Rooms Lake House 

This is the Highlight of our tour, as far as small towns go. Situated roughly at the halfway mark between Como and Verona is this gem of a small town called Pescheira del Garda at the very bottom tip of Lake Garda. 

The Lake is the unappreciated cousin of the more famous Lake Como and PSG is frequently bypassed as a whistle stop by many foreign tourists in favour of Venice, Verona and Como of course. We spent 4 gorgeous days there, simple, unassuming, inexpensive and oh so pretty sights of this small town of roughly 10,000 residents.

We took the morning train from Como to P d G. In my diary I wrote down one word to encompass that train trip "painless".

Peschiera del Garda at Lake Garda South East Corner

We arrived at the station at 1.15pm. The lift from the platform to the exit was broken down, so I had to lug the easily 20 kg (2 pieces). The service apartment I had booked for this portion of the trip was another gem. We took a taxi to the service apartment which was in the centre of town just beside the lake inside the town fortifications. The equivalent of this type of accomodation in Singapore is the Fullerton Hotel right along Battery Road. This is Prime Prime hotel location. Minimum Price for 1 night at the Fullerton ? Easily EUR 500 and above.

The price ? EUR 110 per night as I recall. Amazing. 

C House Rooms Lake 

5 Piazza Perdinando di Savoia

Peschiera del Garda City Centre

37019 P d G, Italy 

  

Ooh Laa Laa. These were my comments in my diary. From the room on the 3rd floor, we could overlook the small waterway or marina housing some small boats which I assume were to transport tourists out to Lake Garda during the high season. 

The scenery was beautiful. It gave me the impression of a small Italian town relatively unspoilt by the teeming masses of tourists who come at all times of the year and mess up the quiet character of the town.

Selfie at the small Marina outside the C Rooms Lake House 

We met at 2.30 pm Ms. Antonella, our expert tour guide, who gave us an exhaustive commentary of the town. 

PsG was originally managed by some prominent Italian family, like all other major towns and cities which makes up modern day Italy. The Romans, Venetiens, Austrians and Napolean Bonaparte with his French army conquered this town on route to Venice (He did not reach Venice) between the years of 1840 and 1850. Italy formally became a republic in 1861. So it was 15 years maximum of French occupation.

Barracks of the town, now an Administration cum Tourist  Centre 

There is a fascinating barracks first built by the Austrians as well as the moat which runs all around the town as added defence fortifications.  

Moat surrounding P d G town 

After 2.5 hours of the walking tour, we bade goodbye with Antonella who was surely very pleased to give these young elderly tourists value for money history tour of her town.

In the evening, we decided on this wonderful lakeside restaurant called Raffilu which in my diary entry was rated 5 star dining at 2 star prices. Compared to the many 'tourist traps' in bigger cities such as Milan, Florence, Rome and Venice, the price for this wonderful meal with the superb ambience is something to be truly appreciative of.

The video of Raffilu is posted below : 

Raffilu Dining 5th Dec 2023 

Raffilu

Piazza Ferdinando di Savoia 5

379019 Peschiera del Garda

Verona VR 

Italy. 

In fact, on this night, 5 Dec 2023, we were the only 2 diners, having a wonderful meal, with a wonderful ambience with a lovely lake view and background jazz music. A truly once in a lifetime, magnificent experience ! 

The plates we shared which were well above average :

>  Seafood Platter

> Al Dente Bigoli

> Octopus with Cream

Seafood Platter 

Al Dente Bigoli 

Octopus with Cream 

As I write this, I am starting to feel hungry !

Town Centre Lights 

Day 5 Tour of Bellagio and Lugano by Boat 4th Dec 2023

Como 4th Dec 2023 

Weather : Overcast with slight drizzle (2 - 5 C morning and 3 - 5 C afternoon). 

Beautiful Villas by Lake Como 

Today, we booked a tour by VendItalia and we were anticipating a nice day out, After having a quick breakfast at the nearby McDonald's we hastened to the pickup point outside the Excelsior Hotel at 9 am.

We waited and waited for 15 minutes, no tour bus or groups of people arrived. It was strange.

It turned out to be a no show ! I called up the agent and she was rude and non apologetic and told me to write in for a refund. Apparently the tour was cancelled today due to poor sign up rate and they apparently sent me an email stating the fact. To this day (2nd June 2024) I have NOT received the email.

Remember the tour company, folks, Venditalia - totally unprofessional, unapologetic and downright rude. Stay away if possible. 

Fortunately, I managed to think quickly and there was a Tourist Information at Hotel Excelsior which was open. The kind lady managed in short notice to book for us another exactly the same tour, which started from Milan. We managed to catch up with the walking group in 15 minutes, and that was a life saver.

Self Travel Tips 101 

For 'do it yourself' trips or tours, dear readers. Do bear in mind. Stuff and screw ups happen.

So nothing is a done deal until you have completed it. We managed to take some lovely pictures and videos of Lake Como houses and below is one such house. The George Clooney house. Legend has it that he loves to ride his Harley around Lake Como, he once had some bike trouble and was stranded just outside this house. While waiting for the mechanic to arrive, he noticed that the house was exceptionally beautiful and had 11 (yes) chimneys. In the days of old, before central and electric heaters, the only way to heat the rooms were to have fireplaces, hence the house had 11 rooms.

George Clooney Owns this Villa 

We reached Bellagio just before noon, and its a quiet pretty place set along the rather steep small hill. We had a rather unimpressive lunch at Bellagio and then took the bus into the town of Lugano which is in Switzerland.

 

By the time we reached Lugano, the place was raining and dreary. We ventured into a coffee shop for a Capuccino and a double Espresso and walked into the Laderach chocolate shop to buy some (what else) chocolates.

We then took the train back to Como, I must say that the Swiss trains are a class apart. Modern, clean and above all, easy to board and with clear signs for all cabins. 

Mussels Pasta La Vita e Bella Ristorante 

We ended the evening at La Vita e Bella Ristorante and the dishes are as shown above and below.

Roast Pork Dish at La Vita e Bella Ristorante 

If you have 3 - 4 days in Como, Lombardy region, do visit this restaurant. Its a must visit !  

La Vita e Bella Ristorante 

Piazza Domenico Croggi 4,

22100 Como,

Italy.

 

Day 4 Como 3rd Dec 2023

Beautiful Lake Como in Winter 

Como Italy 3rd Dec 2023 - Day 4

Weather : Sunny (9 - 15 C) 

After a good night's rest, we awake refreshed. We take a stroll and have breakfast nearby. The Carrefour supermarket which was hidden from sight on the first day was finally found, just 50 meters from the Como City Home which will be our base for the next 2 days and nights.

For the record, the apartment for our Como visit is highly recommended. You can easily find it on any Booking.com or Trip.com portal. Our rates during the offpeak season was like EUR 160 or so. Amazingly good value for money ! 

Como City Home

Piazza Pietro Peretta 6

22100, Como

We walked to the lakeside, it was a BEAUTIFUL day. The weather was perfect. Oftentimes, our psychological mood is affected primarily by the relationships we have with our family, friends and work colleagues. In addition, the living and play environment does play a big part in our happy state of mind. I did record in my diary that so far, this was the happiest day of the trip. A day full of sunshine and outdoor activities is always a great day. 

By the small Marina in Como in perfect weather 

We walked to Villa Olmio, a 30 minutes stroll by the lake. We encounter families, joggers and tourists. The tourists are mainly from North East Asia (not China but Korean and Japanese) plus a few Singaporean families. 

We walk inside the Villa and take in the Olmo Art about Piny the Elder. There are some rather weird exhibits about volcanoes and some earthy stuff.

Back at Como town, we dine at this superb restaurant ; my short from rating of the restaurant below is easily 4.5 out of a maximum 5.

La Vita e Bella Ristorante

Piazza Domerico Croggi 4,

22100, Como. 

We shared a prawn dish and seafood paella, which was superb. Thanks to a recommendation by my wife's colleague who was in Como recently, the dining so far has been exceptional. 

Georgeous Villas by Lake Como 

3.30 pm we went  back to the apartment, which is 1000 ft in size. A steal for EUR 160 per night with taxes. Thanks to the variable rates, and some lucky timing, we are 100% satisfied with the holiday accomodation thus far.

Here below is the prawn dish which we found most enticing and palette pleasing.

Prawn Bisque 

If you are ever in the Lombardy region, DO make Como a stopover for 3 days to a week. You will NOT regret it !!

For dinner, I dined alone at the nearby Sports Bar on a Chicken breast Panini sandwich with a nice Sauvignon Blanc to wash it all down.

Como Centre Christmas Market 3 Dec 2023 

Day 3 Como Saturday 2nd Dec 2023

Como Day 3 2nd Dec 2023 (Morning Overcast 4 - 8 C, afternoon Sunny 8 - 10 C).

The 3rd day started slowly for us, and we departed north from Milan to Como. Now Como is the must go place for the jet set. George Clooney and a lot of Hollywood stars have huge houses there, by the huge lake. We mere mortals are just gawkers to an elite lifestyle only reserved to the rich and famous.

About 90 minutes by train from Milan, lies the lakeside town of Como. I had booked off peak rates for 3 nights, something like EUR 150 per night for the service residence called Como City Home. It is located at Piazza Petro Peretta 6, 22100 Como. 

To be very honest, it is in the heart of town and the Christmas market is in the square just outside the apartments. Just 30 minutes away is the Carrefour supermarket so everything is  nearby and accessible. 

We checked in and met with Matteo who resembled an Italian version of the British actor Russell Brand . He gave us some recommendations to try out for lunch and we did, and the result is the photo below :

Osteria dal Pain

Lake Fish 

I had the risotto with pork which was rather salty and with a strong vinegar taste. To wash down the food, I had a glass of Chianti. We noticed that there were very few Asian tourists when we were there, but there were many Italian local tourists.

After lunch we walked to the funicular railway which brought us to the top of Brunate Hill. The price of EUR 3 was really inexpensive, and the view up there that afternoon was spectacular ! 

The Funicular Train up Brunate Hill to the top overseeing Lake Como 

2nd Dec 2023 

The view of the whole lake Como from Brunate was amazing, and we could see all of Lombardy all the way to the Alps.

After taking multiple photos and some videos, we returned back and decided to walk along the Como waterfront. The weather turmed for the worse, and we retreated back to the apartment by 5pm. 

View from the top of Brunate Hill. Picture Postcard Perfect. 

Some illuminated .walls of the town centre. 

Day 2 Seta Marina Mandarin Milan Post 2 of 2

 

Risotto with Tartufo Flakes (Truffle) 

The chef, Antonio Guida has been at the helm of Seta for close to 10 years, and I am happy to say that he has retained his support from the 2 of us ! His 'piece de la resistance' (showpiece) was none other than the off menu Tartufo Risotto with cream. The fragrance was amazing and the entire truffle (easily costing EUR 1000) was brought to our table to have the flakes shaved off it.

I have never seen a truffle in my life before this day ! It looked the size of a large human brain and diners to the left and right of us, were making up their minds to order this off menu dish.

This is akin to the 'omakase' of the Japanese chefs who will do a special if the dish is in season at their diner. Price of the Risotto with Tartufo Flakes ?  EUR 98. 

Experience : Priceless. 

19 to a dozen of the best pastry and chocolates I have eaten. 

There were plenty pastries for us to try, so much so that we resisted the urge to 'dar bao' or takeaway these delectable eats as we were full after our main courses on the whole, and we entered into the bingeing phase of our holiday. 

Some entree with radish and jelly

 

There was another dish, which I unfortunately did not get to snap a picture of, and that was the Turbot with tofu, potatoes and mushrooms. The dish is called Rombo (not Rambo but close enough !) She said good things about that dish too, so both her dishes were winning ones.  

Rather odd soup, crown of chicken. 

There was a rather odd looking free add on dish, called the cock's crown. It was a clear soup with the combs of the crown adding to the flavour. It tasted rather 'heaty' and there was a strong poultry taste.  

 

The happy couple having a wonderful meal on a cold, dreary winter's evening. 

To cap off a thoroughly enjoyable evening, I had a glass of chardonnay to celebrate my journey to 60 odd years of age, with my health seemingly OK.  I must be thankful to my other half, for keeping me disciplined especially when it comes to eating. I have reined in on my eating of snacks and bar foods, and I have made a resolution to  cut back as much as 50% of my snacks on a daily basis.

After an excellent and delightful 2 hours, we headed back to our hotel / apartments. I would highly recommend that chain of hotels too as they are highly professional, very centrally located (some 4 minutes walk to the Duomo) with excellent sound proofing and cosy hard beds. You can get good deals from almost all the various booking platforms.

Duomo Hotel and Apartments.

Via S Paolo 13

20121

Milano

Italy.

www.duomo-apartments.com

 

Day 2 Dinner Seta Marina Mandarin

 

Maialino

Suckling Pig with chickpeas,cream, Savoy Cabbage, Scallop and Gentian sauce 

Day 2 evening Friday 1st Dec 2023.7.30 pm

==================================

I booked the 2 Michelin starred restaurant once again to celebrate my belated birthday 4 days earlier. Seta at Marina Mandarin Milan is a culinary connoisseur's delight the world over. Truth be told, I am not a foodie. I just tag along for the ride, with my wife's good taste as the barometer of what translates a meal ranging from very poor, average, good, very good and exceptional.

Would we be delighted once again (as in 2017 when we first came here, 6 years ago) or would this be a major and expensive let down ?  Read on to find out !!!  This fine dining restaurant is located on the ground floor of the 6 star Milan Mandarin Oriental and the address is as below : 

Via Monte di Pieta 18

20121,

Milano

website : marinamandarin.com/en

Tel : +39 02 8731 8897 

Seta Menu

======== 

The Menu is subdivided into 3 distinct parts. La via del Seta (Seta's Way), Qui e ozo (Here and Now) and Cacciagione (game). You can choose the 8 course degustation menu for EUR 230 to 240 with an additional EUR 200 for the appropriate wine pairing. Or you could also do the a la Carte at EUR 160 (2 course) and EUR 210 (3 course) instead. We chose one of the 2 course and one of the 3 course menu respectively. 

Astice Blu

Roasted Blue Lobster with "Lazzalo" sabagliane leek and Matcha tea  

With the exception of the meal we had at Dempsey in June 2023, (Tinto restaurant), I would dare say that this meal at Seta is the best meal (culinary presentation, flavour sensation,  service, ambience and charm) of the whole of 2023 for me. 

The lobster was superb and the mashed potato below it served as a nice filler for my hungry tummy. Serving portions were small, but that is the way it is with fine dining, they want the diners to try the ' degustation' or tasting menu whereby as many as 6 small dishes (before dessert) so that the first timers or casual dining folk can experience as many different taste sensations, flavours and food textures to write home about (like me).

Service was very attentive, the waiters and waitress ratio to diners were practically 1 : 1. Tables were not that close together and the ambience, while it exuded one of quiet elegance, with the clink of champagne glasses and the hum of small talk and sophisticated laughter (fake or not ?) in the background.

I looked a bit like the poor country cousins with my tourist rugby shirt and jeans, but it didn't matter.

The suckling pig 1(see first photo) came disguised looking like a vegetarian dish. The savoy cabbage obscured the brown pig meat below, but the way the fusion dish turned out, I was pleasantly surprised at its presentation. Frankly, I prefer the pork done  the Chinese / Spanish way (roasted till dark brown) and the crispy and crunchy thin skin part of the baby pig is so tasty just eating it without attenuation. 

The dining area ; 

there is a large bar area out at the front where you can have your aperitifs and hors' deuvres before the main course. 

Fusilloro 

Pasta with horse mackerel, herring roe,king crab and juniper.

My third dish was the Al Dente Pasta as shown above, Italians love their pasta done the Al Dente style.That means chewy and with full flavour. If I had to rank my dishes, I would say this 

1. Lobster

2. Suckling Pig

3. Pasta

The next post will present the dishes which my better half ordered. They were much better than mine 

Carpe Diem. 

Trip to Italy 29 Nov - 14 Dec 2023 (Day 1 and 2)

This is a short online diary of our year end trip to Italy last December from 29th Nov till 14th December. It was lengthened by 1 day owing to the theft of my backpack on the 12th December in the train heading back from Venice to Milan.

That shocking incident notwithstanding, the trip was a very memorable and happy one for us. Here are some short posts of the days from the start to the finish. This is personal to me and I hope to read it when I am old and grey (hopefully) in the distant future and look back at the sweet memories which were created by us in December 2023. 

  

Pointed Steeples of Il Duomo 

AY 132 Finnair ; Singapore Changi to Helsinki. Its a 13 hour flight with a 2 hour layover in Helsinki. Uneventful, and I even had a nap of 6 hours. Upon arrival in dreary Helsinki, its -5C and snowing. We board the connecting flight AY 1751 to Milan Malpensa airport.

Funnily enough, I always prepare mentally myself whenever I travel with May to be on my guard. Its been ingrained in me for close to 40 years of travelling b9e it for work or leisure,that  while there are fun times, we MUST always be guarded against 'unknown unknowns' and the Western Europe we have been visiting (for me anyway) on a regular basis since 1990 (over 34 years) has changed tremendously in form, diversity and safety in major cities and even cuisine. When I first travelled to Germany by myself in 1989, I drove from town to town by car and was viewed as an oddity or even perhaps a novelty.

In the '80s Asians made up only a small minority of visitors and were even lesser inhabitants in many Western European cities. 

Now in the early 21st century, Asians are in every nook and corner of Western Europe. They are working at all levels, as cooks, waiters, bellhops, middle management, to the high ranking professionals such as doctors, venture capitalists and even senior management in European firms. They are part of the new Europe.  Although small in percentage, their presence is significant

As far as tourists go, Asians form the largest bulk of guided tours during June, October, September and December period. Purchasing power wise, well, lets say some of these folks spend A LOT  on branded goods so much so all the major boutiques in Paris, Milan and London have Asian or Chinese sales personnel serving these customers. 

Gargoyles on the side of the Church 

Day 1 Milan (3 - 4 C Overcast) 30 Nov 2023 

==========

Arrive at Malpensa airport. Took the bus to the main train and bus station in town. There was a train strike that day (30th Nov). Had lunch at the station restaurant. Took the taxi to Duomo Hotel and Apartments (4 minutes walk to the Duomo Cathedral). 

4.15 pm Took taxi to Piaza Santa Maria die Grazie. The church there houses the magnificent fresco of the Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci. (See below)

Leonardo Da Vinci's Last Supper 

From L to R 

Bartholomew, James son of Alpheus, Andrew, Peter, Judas Iscariot, John, Jesus, Thomas, James the Greater, Philip, Matthew, Jude Thaddeus and Simon. 

The fresco is magnificent and awe inspiring. It is housed in the main hall of the Santa Maria die Grazie Church. The legend has it that the Allied Bombers knew roughly where this painting was during the second world war and spared the worst of the bombing around this section of the city. Nonetheless the building was damaged and the fresco was left to the elements for several months till the Allied Victory. 

It took several decades to restore the fresco to its former glory and I am utterly privileged to have viewed this 2. times in the last 7 years. 

After the viewing, I walked back to the hotel in slightly drizzly weather. 

We had Panini sandwiches  at the shop just beside our hotel which were AWESOME. I had the sandwich with Parma Ham Brie Cheese and Rocket salad made by the sandwich artist.  

                                        At the Panini Shop ordering sandwiches 

Day 2 Milan ( 6 - 8 C Slightly Sunny) 1 Dec 2023

==========

Weather is rather overcast this morning, we have a brunch at the Panini shop beside the hotel. I had the same sandwich as the night before. As dessert, we tried the tiramisu which was decent although a little soft.

I recce'd the meet point for the afternoon tour of the Duomo. Its outside a coffee shop along Piazza Duomo and there is a Christmas market set up along 3 sides of the Duomo. 

The street scene of Milan 

Christmas Market 

Tour of Duomo with rooftop access. 

In short, for the next 3 hours, we were treated to a history lesson and were paired with a threesome family from USA. First lesson of the day. The Duomo is Gothic inspired and the second largest only after the Notre Dame in Paris. 4 distinct aspects of Gothic architecture.

a) Flying Buttresses

b) Gargoyles

c) Stained Glass Panels

d) Pointed Church Arches

The most famous Gothic church in Europe is Notre Dame but the Duomo in Milan is the earliest design.Gargoyles are designed into the church's facade to ward off evil spirits coming into the church !

 Marble Complete Panel 

The floor of the church is made painstakingly from marble sent from Lugano, Como and Verona. There used to be a system of canals 600 years ago for the barges to ship them inland from the factories up north.

Stained Glass at Side of Church 

We took the elevator to the top and what a sight it was ! We were very fortunate that today 1st December was a rather cold and overcast day that there were much less tourists. So we more or less had the roof ourselves There were only 20 - 30 people today, whereas on any summer's day, there would literally be hundreds. After taking the obligatory photographs, we walked down the 197 steps. 

At the top of the Duomo with Flying Buttresses behind 

Anyway, the Gothic design of the church was a reaction to the Enlightenment era's emphasis on rationality and classicism. The Gothic design came after the Romantic Movement, which emphasized emotion, imagination, and individualism. So it was Gothic, Romantic and then Gothic again in that order during the Enlightenment era from 1400s - 1700s.    

At the rootfop of Il Duomo Milan. 

In the transit hall at Helsinki early 30th Nov2 2023