Day 6 : Wednesday 14/7 Joie de Vivre

We left the grotty Fiamma hotel at around 8:45 after a Rubbish breakfast. We thought we'd paid the bill as we checked in, but apparently not; caused a stir as we were both on our bikes when they rushed out! Took the dull and boring Autostrada heading for Turin and Milan (then Como). What made a dull ride simply awful was the multiple peage areas. On a bike it's quite trickly to juggle the ticket along with the credit card / cash payment.

Exiting a long tunnel revealed the spendour of Lake Como set in it's majestic mountainous location; quite stunning. We were headed for Menaggio because Dave's book suggested that it was a great place and not too touristy. We arrived in Menaggio and parked up in two m'cycle bays that could have had our bikes' names in them. The small simple hotel behind offered us 2 rooms at €40-50 per night. That's fantastic; especially since this is Lake Como!

In the afternoon We had a refreshing dip in the lake. It is simply gorgeous here. Only wish JoJo were here to enjoy it with me. Dave says that he will bring Janet back here !!

Honestly, this eveining's meal at our simple hotel, was draedful. Dave had remarked that, on the menu was a pasta dish which he said was very good. The lady manager / owner/ divorcee (can't quite work it out) said that this diosh was the house speciality; and that she'd reserve us a table. Well the meal (and that dish), was tasteless and nothing to comment it at all. To capit all, the housewine was dreadful also.