1. Question: What are some of the “things” or activities that the people of Quito do for fun?

Answer:

The classic South American tradition of enjoying restaurants and cafes is evident in Quito. The Quitenos with a vibrant dining scene enjoy time around the table, exploring the art of conversation and lingering over steaming coffee.

The city at a whopping 9,350-feet above sea level, surrounded by steep-sided hills, volcanoes, and the Andes Mountains, affords the opportunity for adventurous outings such as a ride on the teleferico cable car up Pichincha Volcano, or a hike to the summit of Pancillo that dominates the city, and is crowned with the statue of Virgin Mary. Other pleasures are drives into the countryside and to the indigenous craft and produce markets. Quitenos are avid soccer or football aficionados, and support the city’s ongoing festivals.

2. Question: What’s one thing the public probably does NOT know about Quito?

Answer:

The official currency for Quito and Ecuador is the American dollar. All fees, charges, and store prices throughout the city are noted with United States currency. Quito does not acknowledge summer and winter, but goes by rainy and dry. The rainy season, roughly, December to April is a better time to visit, with warmer nights, sunny mornings, and easily avoidable afternoon rain showers. Quito has one of the largest and best preserved historic centers in Latin America, covering some 800 acres, and the first city in the world to be declared Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

3. Question: Share some aspect of what Quito has contributed to the world.

Answer:

Quito has impressive conservation agendas in place. In the northwest of the city there are several ecological reserves ideal for the observation of native and endemic birds, and is ranked among the most internationally recognized bird-watching area in the world. Quito was also honored by National Geographic in 2017 as among the 17 best nature destinations to visit.  Quito’s Festival of Lights in August, unique to South America, draws over a million visitors from throughout the world.  Quito is also noted as the world’s second largest rose producer, and near the top for variety.

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It all began in 1978 when John Colclough, an avid reader with a quick wit who is blessed with a rare photographic memory and enough intelligence to share with an army, began exploring the history, culture, and traditions of Ireland. Following his heart and with a profound affection for the island, Colclough explored the untrammeled backroads lined with ancient hand-designed stone fences that appear as if they were created by a master artist and designed for horse-drawn carriages. He negotiates postal lanes that carve their way past rolling grass fields with the most brilliant green on the planet, dotted with elm and lime trees, and glorious castles that appear like an astonishing vision in a landscape bordered by blankets of green and stands of leafy trees.

Winding his way into villages, speaking with residents in Gaelic, listening to their tales and wondering what’s around the corner, he investigates haunted castles and researches the absolute best of Ireland, the preeminent accommodations, the finest chefs, creating personal connections to private estates and castles, and is able to open doors to remarkable possibilities, not available to visitors. With a great passion, Colclough affectionately appreciated the great country houses and castles of Ireland. He has traced the development of Irish architecture from medieval times to modern day, is a member of the Irish Georgian Society, a group that is helping to preserve and save the old Irish houses, castles and estates and along the way, having spent his adult years investigating Ireland’s distinguished travel destinations, launched Ireland & Britain Observed, the essence of luxury travel.

Colclough, (pronounced colclee), was born in Wexford, located in southeast Ireland. He attended school in London to follow in the footsteps of his father and grandfather who were both barristers. Tired of law, John switched to art, literature, architecture, history and the magic of storytelling. In the 1980’s, Colclough inherited a 1947 Bentley by chance from an uncle who couldn’t afford to run the car and while driving around the countryside, Colclough discovered a 1949 Rolls-Royce that was being used as a chicken coop in the backyard of a farmhouse where a tree or two had also found a home among the eggs. He purchased the Rolls, collected the eggs, chased out the hens, removed the trees, and meticulously restored the vehicle. He decided the best way to utilize the cars would be to take guests on tours in the Bentley and Rolls-Royce to some of the 150 or so private homes and castles that he was personally familiar with, including those that were haunted or had a presence.

Colclough was aware that only 20 miles from Dublin a visitor is deep in the Irish countryside where the land has remained unchanged for 500 years and the countryside has been cared for, factories and industry have not marred the land, and it is waiting to be shared with the world. He launched his luxury tours in the early 1980’s including a ghostly tour that was extremely popular. Touching the heart and refreshing the spirit, he led guests past large stones smoothed by the ceaseless rhythms of time to a renovated 12th century round tower, an ancient church with a sagging roof covered with moss and the Huntington Castle in Wexford with a moat, drawbridge, druid drinking well and a bevy of friendly spirits that bump around at night in rooms and hallways. The castle is built over a druid well that dates to A.D. 400, and ghosts or not, there are so many spirits flitting about that he found it impossible to keep guests here overnight.

The Ghostly Tour also included a night in a 1440 Norman stronghold where there is a 12,000-volume library with many first editions of the Elizabethan poets, and on the walls, curious portraits. Each evening there is a dinner party at a private estate and here, over a glass of port wine, are where lasting memories are formed.

The Bentley and Roll-Royce are gone, but John Colclough’s luxury tours are booming as his reputation has steadily grown, expanding to Britain and Scotland, and noted as the essence of the modern Irish Renaissance man. He was a visiting lecturer at The Smithsonian and has lectured numerous times in the United States at heritage organizations, and satisfying dreams and surpassing expectations, is hosting some of the organizations, and surpassing expectations, is hosting some of the most demanding clients in the world, including Prince Michael of Greece, international celebrities and film stars. Last year 27 of his clients arrived by private jet, and one of them brought along his own horse. Colclough’s Ireland & Britain Observed has also grown on a high level expanding with two driver/guides, both who understand service and detail.

For visitors on a time schedule there is a Half Day Walking Tour of Dublin, Hidden Ireland Day Tour, Day Tour of Gardens, golfing and architecture excursions. For gourmands, an intimate and informative evening in Dublin of traditional Irish cooking at the Alix Gardner Cookery School, renowned as the first cooking school in Ireland dating to 1979. Affable Alix Gardner, regarded among the top connoisseurs of cuisine in Ireland, has been married to John for some 40 years, and between the two this dynamic duo is an Irish treasure.

website: www.irelandandbritain.com
email: in**@ir***************.com

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With the Ken Burns and Lynn Novick three-part, six-hour documentary film series, devoted to the life of Ernest Hemingway, much excitement has been generated about the legendary writer and his enduring influence on literature and culture.

So, the time is ripe for Three Things About Hemingway, courtesy of T-Boy writer, Richard Carroll.

Mr. Carroll has been involved with Hemingway his entire adult life, and is a member of The Hemingway Society.

Three Things You May Not Know About Hemingway

By Richard Carroll

With hundreds of books and articles covering Hemingway, his life, and international travels, I’m including a few details that Hemingway aficionados might have forgotten or overlooked.

Hemingway lived in Cuba a total of 22 years of his 61 years in a rambling converted farmhouse on a hill overlooking the small town of San Francisco de Paula. The home called Finca Vigia offered distant views of the lights of Havana and was renowned in the world of international letters.

Hemingway was adored by the Cubans and to this day the Havana Hemingway Tour is the most popular. Hemingway once said in a speech who spoke perfect Spanish with an American accent, that he would give the medal from his Nobel Prize for The Old Man and the Sea, to “Nuestro Senora de la Caridad del Cobre,” who is the virgin saint of Cuba. Throughout his years in Cuba Hemingway and his wife Mary briefly met Castro only once at a Hemingway Fishing Tournament, though Castro was an avid Hemingway aficionado.

Hemingway was not close to his mother Grace, was deep into his cups except when on deadline or composing, never smoked though it was the fashion during his day, and had a great ear for crisp dialogue, and believed that the adjective was the enemy of the noun.

Don’t miss Richard Carroll’s A Magical Walk Through Hemingway’s Paris.

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Photography: Halina Kubalski

Milano, one of Europe’s celebrated destinations with fashion, architecture, and fine dining at the forefront, and conceivably one of the world’s distinguished twofold travel destinations with Lake Como a short 40-mile jaunt, is blessed with 13 NH hotels, one in the town of Lecco in Lake Como, and all positioned in unsurpassed settings. Spanish owned, small to mid-sized boutique properties, tabbed as four-star, we booked three Milano NH hotels for convenience of locality while on a fashion assignment in Milano, and in a way in which to become acquainted and connect with Milano neighborhoods on foot and possibly enjoy some jazz and dancing.

We found the NH recommendations from respected and veteran media travelers were incredibly accurate. The hard-working NH staff were hospitable and impressive, and it seemed that the hotel’s employees shared the same deep veneration for a city layered with fashion, history, and Italian personality. For us, the well-managed properties were just the acceptable size for employee to visitor interaction with small being a limitless and notable asset within the world of hotel hospitality.

Not renowned in the United States, the NH Collection has an exceptional profile in Europe, and Latin America, opening their first property in Pamplona in 1978, and expanding, became one of Spain’s first and foremost hotel chains with more than 350 city hotels. We booked three nights at three NH hotels, the first NH Collection CityLife, a mid-sized property with 185 guest rooms, opened June 4, 2022, on the site of the 1930’s Chiesta Cristo Re church, deconsecrated in 2017. With white columns spiraling skyward guarding an elaborate entrance, first impressions were that of an estate. Ingeniously, the hotel retained much of the ecclesiastical building, as well as the grand entry, the lobby section of the church, and the original wooden doors and arches. The property is carefully designed in the Italian neo-Mannerist style, located in the futuristic and chic CityLife district with several high-end shopping centers, restaurants, steps from the Portello Pavilion, and 100 meters from a metro station.

Straightaway guests appreciate they are visiting one of Europe’s foremost fashion destinations with large framed black and white fashion images of stunning Italian ladies embellishing the hotel’s public spaces that send an artistic welcome to Milano. Our room, 1012, was comfortable and clean, housekeeping being of upmost importance. The linens were high quality, pillows with hypoallergenic synthetic feathers to avert allergies, free Wi-Fi, coffee maker, floor to ceiling windows, and a large television screen. For warm days CityLife has a rooftop swimming pool, a private garden, meeting rooms, and a gym we failed to experience.

The elaborate morning buffet offered a huge touch of hospitality with smiling servers passing by with additional offerings. Later the room converts to Taylor’s restaurant where Executive Chef Gabriele Grisolia creates Italian and Mediterranean cuisine, and selections passed down from his grandparents. A long-time employee, his kitchen suggestions were integrated into the original blueprints. Smiling, he said, “We have a very modern kitchen, and I do love to cook, and at home too. When I’m in the kitchen and examine fresh vegetables and fruit my heart is with my creative thoughts.” A huge block of honey in the breakfast buffet is likewise creative. Grisolia smiling, “It came straight from a local farm and is the tastiest hotel honey in the city.”

General Manager, Riccardo Bombaci interjected, “We work hard to address the visitors concerns. I believe we are a fresh diamond in a city full of diamonds.”
Moving to NH’s Collection Porta Nuova, hosting all of 100 guests, we were within a 20-minute walk to the fashion district, and less than a mile from Brera, an elegant and distinctive neighborhood with cobble-stoned streets leading to art galleries, antique shops, trendy boutiques, clubs and restaurants, and the Academy of Fine Arts dating to 1776. The hotel, elegant and stylish, has an intimate and embracing ambience with an attractive lobby, small stylish cocktail bar, and well-equipped gym. Our room came with robes and slippers and was sparkling clean. With floor to ceiling windows the breakfast buffet stretched the entire length of the room, freshly baked bread, tasty croissants, and local specialties, all tickling the senses. Speaking with General Manager, Baldassare Schembri, 17 years with NH, he said, “I feel we have a tailor-made experience. We’re small and can bond directly with the guests. Travel can be challenging, and we want our guests to find a home here. We’re in the financial district and host everyone from business executives to newlyweds.”

Walking the area, we discovered directly across the street from Port Nuova the NH Palazzo Moscova, opened in 2015 with 65 unique guest rooms. Adjacent to the lobby is Forti, noted among the best seafood restaurants in the city with a 3,000-bottle wine cellar. Around the corner is Sciatt a Porter, a small family-owned restaurant and a real gem. They source their produce from local farmers with original Milanese offerings, home-cooked style.

After six full working days in Milano, we hopped on a 40-minute train ride to Lecco in Lake Como and the 111 guest NH Lecco Pontevecchio Hotel. The hotel and Lecco are a dynamic duo. Managed by personable Alessandra Giovanniello, the hotel is set in the heart of the city, which seemed more like a friendly town to us, tucked between the towering Grigna and Resegono mountains and the Adda River, laced with cycling, hiking, and jogging paths. Lecco, removed from the Lake Como tourist trail has family-owned boutiques, superior dining, and the opportunity to mingle with the residents of Lake Como, yet close to nature and the Lake’s main attractions.

From our balcony in room 308 we had a splendid view of a 1338 Roman Bridge and the Adda River, and appropriately the hotel has a bike room for cyclists, a gym and ironing room. Executive Chef Vincenzo di Bella, 58, is another NH and Lecco highpoint. President of the Federazione Italiana Cuochi, and cooking since age 14, he has a great passion for Sicilian cuisine and designed the hotel’s menu with Sicilian delights. The hotel has a late checkout before 3 p.m. on Sundays but departing Lecco and Lake Como is difficult indeed.

When You Go

NH Hotels are 100 percent non-smoking, free Wi-Fi, dogs and cats allowed. Visitors should allow at least four full days to fully enjoy Milano’s hidden pleasures, and Lake Como is forever. www.nh-hotels.com. Recommended guide, Alessandra Dell Andrea, ww************@am**************.com ; For a personal itinerary for Milano and Lake Como, Travel Consultant and Itinerary Designer, Celia Abernethy. ce***@mi*********.com

We didn’t dance or hear any jazz but did enjoy two of Italy’s most vibrant destinations.

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The name rolls off the tongue in a poetic and memorable ring, the resonance tantalizing the ear like a beloved song. Dusseldorf, a little over an hour train ride from Frankfurt is world removed, and refreshingly faithful to art and fashion. Overlooking the vast Lower Rhine River in the heart of Germany, the city is brimming with energy and vitality with an elevated living standard and a five-star lifestyle, eminent among the best cities in Europe.

The creativity swirling through the city on the wings of fashion designers and students, ongoing fashion trade shows, and fervent fashion boutiques, has taken hold in Dusseldorf, not unlike the fashion cities of Milan, Rome, Paris, and London. With four public and ten private universities as well as Gallery Dusseldorf, Breuninger, and Fashion Design Institute, the dominant fashion school in Germany, everyone seems to be young, and even the older Dusseldorf folks look youthful.

The destination is one of the country’s brightest stars, yet often bypassed thanks to a rather threadbare tourist trail. With sustainability an ongoing focus, and Germany being one of Europe’s top solar producers, Dusseldorf is a green city with gorgeous leafy parks and gardens, ponds with snooty swans, impressive art centers, grand palaces smartly converted to elegant museums, and designated bicycle lanes with a cycling community not yet on the level of Amsterdam but inching forward. Bicycles or not, Dusseldorf is a compact city the residents say just relax everything in the city is only 20 minutes away, which includes the neighborhood near the main train station, home to one of the largest Japanese communities in Europe, and thriving Old Town adjacent to the Rhine River.

Fashion, City Center

For a mid-sized city, Dusseldorf has the most attractive city-center fashion shopping street in Germany, if not all Europe. The hefty bouquet of fashion influence drifts through the city center on a silver chalice. Mile-long Konigsallee, called Ko by residents and visitors alike, is lined with Prada, Miu Miu, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Dior, Hermes, Armani, Fendi, Fashionette, Barbara Freres storefronts, and engaging fashion boutiques casting a huge presence in their shadows. Ko is separated by a large garden-like pond canopied with trees, small street bridges with Victorian-style lamps offering access to either side of Ko, while the island of green alters Ko as if it has been separated into two different streets. A visitor said, “It’s like shopping in a big park!”

Drenched with soothing morning light, Marion Strehlow’s intimate atelier in the Oberbilk city district, in a ground floor complex where she both lives and works, inspires a feeling of creativity and inspiration. Her collection of unisex garments would fit naturally on Ko with their dark, earthy colors. Smiling, “I started from zero in 1998. I spent three years in fashion school and work with Italian fabrics, cotton and cashmere, and beautiful black cloth. I love to sew and create a garment from beginning to end, and make my own look, a look that is clean with unexpected hidden details, comfortable and classy to wear, and for all ages. I follow my heart and create garments that I love. I do have a clientele, and visitors can come to the studio if they call or email me.” www.stre-low.com, in**@st******.com , 49 (0) 172 29 88 500.

“Don’t Panic It’s Organic” is Heiko Wunder’s call to sustainability. His Wunderatelier {Werk} and retail stores are a commitment to an absolute sustainable lifestyle and a fully organic fashion collection. He said, “My fabric is from Austria free of toxic chemicals, and it’s softer and more attractive, and good for your skin, and I use stone nuts in place of plastic buttons.” His casual clothing is classic, not trendy, with six retail stores throughout Germany. www.wunderwerk.com

Suzusan, is a Japanese family-owned fashion house in business for over 100 years. Creative Director, Hiroyuki Murase said, “I design the collection and they are manufactured in Japan by my family dating to the 5th generation with special age-old Japanese skills. Cashmere-a favorite.” His clothes have been worn by Natalie Portman and created for Dior. www.suzusan.com.

Dusseldorf, a luxury fashion destination has a significate assemblage of elite fashion designers, a pleasure for fashionists world-wide.

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The natural world of grapes, leaves, and twigs are stunning, consuming, eyes, ears, nose and fingertips with the maze of brilliant green vines, the rustle of soft leaves fluttering in the light breeze, the earthy smell of the soil, and the rough texture of the illustrious vine trunks growing out of the ground as stubborn and stiff as the gnarled legs of an ancient human. Time stands still for a moment at the heart of this vigorous vineyard, as if it is holding its breath in anticipation of the drinkable art this man creates from the bounty of nature.

The sun slips behind wispy clouds, the flight of a hawk casts a brief shadow over the restless green, as Herold, soft-spoken, introspective, and unassuming, gently touches a cluster of fledging grapes the size of small pearls. Full of promise as yet unfulfilled, they are reminders of the often-unpredictable rhythm of life in a vineyard, and a private space for embracing new discoveries, holding on to old secrets, and bearing the burden of history. Tiered hills with vines creeping skyward create a sanctuary for work and life and stewardship. Here, Herold underwent an intense journey while grappling with the sheer multiplicity of variables in Napa’s micro-climate, the changing balance of rainfall and sunshine, Napa’s 33 different soil series, the vagaries of harvesting and fermentation, a mosaic of 44 different wine grape varieties, and more. With great resolve, he created prize-winning wines with the care Van Gogh devoted to his paintings.

The Bennett Vineyard is hallowed ground where Herold first sourced the fruit from which he created the wine that launched him into the world of wine-making and earned his reputation as the founder of the esteemed Merus wine. Touching a vine and carefully examining a leaf, he said, “I like to plant so the sun is overhead. The leaves protect the grapes. You can feel the energy in the vines; it surrounds you. There is so much life here! I see mountain lions, coyotes, and migrating wild turkeys that unfortunately love the fruit.” Gazing at the rows of vines that were spread across the terrain in a mesmerizing pattern designed by a master craftsman and smiling, he continued, “For me, a vine that struggles does not make good wine. A happy vine is happy wine.”

Panama City

One of five children, Herold was born in Newport, California, and at age four moved to Panama City in the early 1960’s when Panama and the United States were struggling for control of the Panama Canal and debating which flag should be flown at its entrance and exit. Herold’s father, Raymond, was a successful psychiatrist, and, along with his wife Marisa, an avid angler noted for catching world-record sailfish. “I had a special childhood in Panama,” Herold says. “I loved to bike around the city, skateboard, and fish with my parents. I was a kitchen helper and my mother was a lasting influence. My parents always entertained a lot. They served French wine at dinner and there were always lots of flowers on the dining room table and in the house. Helping in the kitchen, I thought the smells were exceedingly persuasive and memorable, and to this day I love to cook.”

Mark was fully immersed in the vibrant culture of Panama, absorbing the cuisine of his Panamanian mother, the lifestyle of a Panamanian fisherman, and the practiced skill and anxiety of casting a line into a ruffled sea. At age 16, when hormones are rampaging and life is both buoyant and intense, his parents divorced and Herold moved north to Southern California with his father. The transformation of cultures was an enormous windfall for Mark Herold. Fluent in Spanish, he now lived in a State noted among the world’s great wine producers with more than 2,000 wineries and growing. His persistent wine and vine alter ego, a tenacious shadow always lingering about, was exceedingly pleased with his new home.

Bordering on being a professional student and at one time planning to study culinary arts in Paris, Herold enrolled at U.C. Davis and was honored with a Ph.D. in Ecology with an emphasis on nutritional bio-chemistry. While at Davis, he hooked up with a professor who owned a winery and immersed himself in the fall harvest as a volunteer. Mark was finally following his heart. For two productive years, the large family-owned Joseph Phelps Winery was Herold’s stomping ground. Hired as a Research Enologist, he studied the art and science of winemaking and the phenolic profiles of grapes, which was an important stepping-stone on his path.

Magical Meru

Sitting in his Napa tasting room, a swordfish mounted on the wall, he said, “I simply was fed up working with other people. I felt confident and thought if they can do it, I can do it.” In 1998, in a three-car garage in the heart of Napa with six borrowed French oak barrels from friends and family, he and his former wife Erika Gottl created Merus, which in Latin means pure, unmixed, undiluted and completely absolute. For Herold, it means making wine from the most carefully chosen fruit in exceedingly small quantities, with unsparing attention to detail, striving always to reach a new level of excellence. “To make it work,” Herold said, “we often shared tastings with the neighbors and particularly those who were not too happy with us, and thankfully, after a few years, we finally outgrew the garage.” Merus was a huge local and international winner offering intense complexity and color from fully mature fruit.

Sharing Expertise

Mark Herold’s entrance into the world of wine was confirmed with the opening of his own Napa tasting room, and appointments as consulting winemaker at the exclusive Celani Family Vineyards and winemaker at the award-winning Kamen Estate Wines. Owner and vintner Robert Kamen, an articulate and passionate screen writer and producer of 20 major films said, “Mark Herold has to be among the top three Napa Valley winemakers. He’s consistently produced world-class wines. His wines take on a personality, and he has a close relationship with Latino growers and workers and uses Spanish every day. Mark is creative and precise, operating on two levels, art and science, and with his own form of organization allows the grapes to speak through the wine.”

The Bennett Vineyard, a Napa garden of dreams gracefully blessed with a veil of emerald green, is vibrant beneath a lively sun and the gate is always left open for Mark Herold.

Tasting Time

• Mark Herold Wines, 710 First St., Napa, California
• Celani Family Vineyards, by appointment only.
• Kamen Estate Wines, 111 B East. Napa St., Sonoma, California

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Travel Consultant Absolute 

Standing six feet tall in her bare feet, strikingly attractive, with a relaxing glow of self-confidence and the posture and demeanor of a former fashion model, Celia Abernethy is an expat from Long Island, New York, enjoying an ongoing love affair with Milano and the city of Lecco, her Lake Como home. The ideal Travel Consultant and Itinerary Designer for Milano and Lake Como, she offers remarkable assistance to visitors world-wide. Discovered by a modeling agency at age 16, Celia had her modeling career up and running after graduating high school. She first set foot in Milano as a fashion model and was successfully highlighted in the challenging world of fashion for some ten years, working the fashion trail in London, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, Tokyo, New York, and Milano, among others.  

After years of being featured  in magazines, fashion shows, catalogs, and showrooms, featuring the fashion houses of Valentino, Gucci, Yves St. Laurent, Yoji Yamamoto, Krizia, Dior, and a fitting mode for Milano’s own Giorgio Armani, Abernethy was informed when she was just 25 that she was too old for modeling. The dramatic edict from a business she loved was heartrending, but ironically was a positive life changer.  

She sadly bid the runway adieu and turned her thoughts toward what would be next: her mind racing in countless directions, she even contemplated returning to the United States—a move her caring father was extremely happy to consider—but the charms of Milano and Lake Como were an overwhelming influence. Appreciating the essence of quality and detail from her years in the demanding fashion industry, Celia enrolled in graphic design courses where she put her intelligence, near-photographic memory, and writing and photography skills to good use before working for a web design company, and becoming immersed in the computer.

 One day, by chance, she met her husband-to-be and a bolt of passion instantly smacked both of them in the heart with a rare love at first sight gift, and after three years of elation they were married. Smiling, Celia says, “My life here in Milano and Lake Como is astonishing. My father visited me for a few days and said, ‘I see why you decided to stay.’” 

After years of answering questions for friends, visitors, and others such as, where to eat, where to go, and what about fashion, antiques, architecture, nightlife, the possibility of a marriage ceremony in Lake Como, and so much more, she said, “So I decided to organize the details of both destinations with specific itineraries, and publish milanostyle.com, to keep readers updated.”

She has a high profile on the internet and with her outgoing personality and fluency in Italian, has hundreds of contacts and friends. “I realized that many visitors were bypassing key aspects of Milano and Lake Como. I’m not a tour guide, but I can open doors to both destinations with itineraries to specific requests with added suggestions. For instance, Lake Como with its immense fabric of sky and water, visitors should first book the Taxi Boat Varenna motor boats for a stunning overview of Lake Como, then explore landside with lunch or dinner at Hotel II Perlo Panorama with a spectacular view and an award-winning chef.  

Lecco, where I live, is also overlooked by Lake Como visitors. I’ve found it’s important to break through the popular façade of  destinations such as Milano and Lake Como and discover what’s beneath.” 

For information, ce***@mi*********.com    

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A cluster of five mountains like ancient trusting friends encompass Lake Como with tales to tell. They tower to the horizon in a domineering maze of peaks, deep irregular valleys, and crusted sheer-sided facings. Deeply sculptured from wind and rain, and often cloud-covered, they stand like faithful world-worn sentinels. Tagged the Pre-Alps, the mountains cast long shadows across the lake’s glacier-formed deep blue water creating a textured moment of sun and shade. Residents and visitors alike recognize that in only a few places on the planet are water and mountains in such remarkable intimacy and the recognition inspires soft expressions of awe and delight.

The mountains of Lake Como, like so much of Italy, refer to the past, where the Romans once roamed, dusty cathedrals with rusty bells abound, and villages and towns such as Como, Bellagio, and other hamlets are entrenched on the shores of the lake or carved into the mountains with steep staircases. Tunnels were dug through granite and sandstone leading to narrow two-lane roadways originally designed for horse and carriage, all magically sculpted into the base of the mountains with a master chisel. The mountains have been compassionate and patient, but for those searching for a parking space is when a lucky moment can happen.

Lake Como, the third largest lake in Italy and the deepest, a short 40-minute train ride from Milan, resembles a scrawny, long-legged inverted “Y”. Master artists with easels in hand are challenged, writers and poets search for their voice, starry-eyed long- awaited proposals ring true, and where many experience a rejuvenation of spirit in the ever-changing and wistful essence of this extraordinary setting. The magic of Lake Como has exerted its pull for hundreds of years; aristocrats, royalty, and people with wealth were captivated and built fascinating palaces, mansions, and villas overlooking the lake with terraced gardens, sculptures, and fountains, some with enough rooms to house a small army, while others are only accessible by boat.

Carefully maintained Taxi Boat Varenna motorboats operated by skippers with immense skills slice through the water leaving a trail of foam cleverly avoiding the reliable ferry and gleaming white sailboats with sails billowing, while taking passengers on a lake tour or to their hotel. Nevertheless, the mountains dominate: as resident and travel consultant Celia Abernethy said, “At any given time there are more hikers in Lake Como than sailors because the mountains offer some of the best hiking in Italy, laced with trails for all levels of fitness and with views forever.“

Cruising the lake via a motorboat or tour boat, villages and small towns appear at lake’s edge like a colorful mosaic.

Lecco Living

On this day in October, the sun glistens on the ruffled water and large groups of tourists have found their way to Bellagio, dining at sidewalk cafes, waiting for a lake tour, and crowding the Bellagio shopping passageway. Energetic servers bustle about to meet their client’s needs, and numerous languages collide in the lake air. To enhance and retain the magic of Lake Como and gently slip away from the tourist trail, the town of Lecco, a 30-minute drive from Bellagio on the eastern branch of the lake, where Lake Como narrows to form the Adda River, is an unspoiled and authentic homebase unfamiliar to most Lake Como visitors.

A great strolling town with pedestrian walkways and a riverside promenade, Lecco is the perfect place to meet Lake Como residents and browse family-owned boutiques not found in Milan, to take pleasure in two large town squares lined with sidewalk cafes, and to see the remains of a Roman wall that once encircled the city and a striking stone bridge spanning the river dating to 1386. Hiking and cycling paths that could take weeks to fully explore can be arranged with or without a guide, and provide a chance to visit farms producing honey, cheese and produce, and with luck catch a quick glimpse of the elusive Lake Como fox. A few days in Lecco is Lake Como validated.

Lake Como Cooking

Remaining off the beaten path, Mandello del Lario, an alluring port village tucked away between Lecco and Varena on the eastern leg of the lake, is home to Mamma Ciccia Cooking Academy. Mamma Ciccia, ala Silvia Nessi, a tall, attractive blonde, has been offering the popular four-hour classes in English for ten years at her restaurant, and often features Michelin-starred guest chefs. For children ages four to ten, a session called “Cooking is a game” pulls them into the fun and art of cooking. Smiling, she said, “For visitors to really understand Lake Como and Italy’s culture one has to fully explore the cuisine.”

In the hills above Bellagio, the 17-room, family-owned, Hotel II Perlo Panorama, circa 1922, offers one of Lake Como’s most spectacular dining vistas from a terrace that seems to be floating in the clouds. The meal itself is a romantic, five-minute-kiss lunch or dinner with award-winning Executive Chef Redolfi Alessandro who sources organic produce from local farms and perch and whitefish from the lake. For hundreds of international travelers to Lake Como the hotel is a priority and enhances the magic of Lake Como.

When You Go

Contact Travel Consultant, Celia Abernethy for Lake Como and Milano itineraries and travel guidance at ed****@mi*********.com ; Mamma Ciccia’s Cooking Academy, in**@ma*********.it ; www.mammaciccia.it; full day lake tour, Taste & Travel, guide, Elena Pettinicchio; www.tasteandtravelitaly.com; water Taxi & Boat, in**@ta*************.com ; Hotel II Perlo Panorama, in**@il*****.com .

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1. Question: What are some of the “things” or activities that the people of Bordeaux do for fun?

Answer:

The Bordelaise, active and vibrant, enjoy wine tasting in one of the world’s great wine growing regions such as Saint Emilion or Pomerol. Dining at sidewalk tables that line the Historic District, and cycling/jogging on the pedestrian promenade adjacent to the Garonne River. A short drive to the Atlantic Ocean beaches, and to Arcachon, a colorful seaside town is where the Bordelaise dig into a plate of fresh oysters from the Gironde estuary. With one of the liveliest music scenes in France there are performances at the Grand Theater/Opera House, 1789, and on going productions and exhibits at La Cite du Vin, and night clubs. On Saturday and Sunday the Bordelaise also head to the Le Marche des Capucins market to art galleries and antique dealers in the colorful Saint Michel neighborhood.

2. Question: What’s one thing the public probably does NOT know about Bordeaux?

Answer:

Bordeaux is not a “Little Paris.” Old Town dating to the 18th century is the world’s largest UNESCO urban World Heritage Site. St. Catherine Street is the longest pedestrian shopping street in Europe. In keeping with the dynamic French culture Bordeaux has a growing collection of young up-and-coming chefs. La Cite Du Vin is a five-star one-of-a-kind venue covering the World of Wine. Bordeaux, a cyclist’s paradise, is the sixth most cycle friendly city in the world with over 100 miles of cycling trails, and seven designated routes for exploring the city. Resident Melanie Pelle explains, “Visitor’s are surprised to discover that We have 71,000 acres of natural woods, parks, pine forests, private gardens and marshlands and a large number of hiking trails, and also 15 museums including a former Submarine Base bunker used during World War II.”

3.  Share some aspect of what Bordeaux has contributed to the world.

Answer:

Bordeaux is long noted for their fine wines anchored by 16th, 17th and 18th century chateaux; preserving their downtown Historic District with 5,000 buildings dating to the 18th century; La Cite Du Vin, (The City of Wine) an elaborate cultural experience, unique to the world, with eight floors, 19 themed modules detailing all aspects of wine through the ages with art exhibits, wine tasting and dining with a view.

Get more information about Bordeaux

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For thousands of travelers, the summer of 2022 was a disaster: hundreds of cancelled flights, shortages of pilots, countless flight delays, a deficiency of ground crews and airport personnel, endlessly slow-moving security queues, and images of luggage piled sky-high, gave us plenty of reasons for all kinds of second thoughts about our upcoming trip to Europe. It would be our first major trip following the more than two-year lockdown. Researching airlines, including many we have flown in the past, we came upon Condor, a German leisure line based in Frankfurt, and the only major airline on the planet that did not cancel a single flight during the dreadful travel summer of 2022. Operating a fleet of over 50 aircraft, Condor also maintains their own maintenance facility, an additional bonus for sure.

We booked Condor for an early October flight from LAX (Los Angeles) to Frankfurt, both of us with one roll-on each, and added their Rail&Fly package from Frankfurt to Dusseldorf. We would be flying aboard a Boeing 767-300, Premium Economy on our way there and Business Class on the return flight. Our departure from LAX was scheduled for 5:50 p.m. An hour later we were in the clouds, but Condor made up the time with some strong tail winds, and we arrived on schedule. Announcements were in German and English, which was convenient. Walking through the aircraft, we noticed that the flight was nearly full with passengers that ranged from young collegiates returning from vacation in the United States, to couples in their 30’s and 40’s, and business travelers. Premium Economy seating meant two seats on either side of the aircraft and three seats in the middle. Chatting with passengers on either side of us, we learned that some had flown Condor numerous times, while for others it was their second or third flight with the airline. One commented that Condor could use an additional clerk at LAX check-in. The plane was clean, the restrooms were well-maintained, and the benefit of Premium Economy was adequate leg room and an intriguing menu.

Attractive flight attendants served dinner at 33,000 feet. The LAX chefs had prepared fresh, lightly marinated king prawns with smoked salmon and a dab of horseradish, and chicken breasts strips with a sprinkle of Teriyaki sauce and Asian vegetables on a bed of rice. Before catching some shut eye with a blanket, facemask, and ear plugs, we had a selection of 71 movies and 110 television shows to browse. Breakfast, served by efficient, hard-working flight attendants, was a fresh fruit salad, a warm cheese sandwich and fruit yogurt.

Frankfurt International Airport

Nearing Frankfurt, we dropped down to a landscape that was a brilliant green; Mother Nature seemed unwilling to give up her summer colors. We guessed the captain might be a former Navy pilot because of his smooth landing technique. The Frankfurt airport, third largest in Europe, was bustling with activity with various languages colliding in the background. Lugging our roll-on’s, and making a few inquiries, we soon found the train depot and with Condor’s Rail&Fly package we boarded a fast-moving train to Dusseldorf.                       

Our pre-flight research revealed that Condor began flying as a division of Lufthansa, orchestrated by former Lufthansa employees; in December 1955, they launched Condor’s first flights with a fleet of three British-made Vickers Viking two-engine propeller aircraft, with 36 seats. In 1966, Condor’s first long-haul flights were to Kenya, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and the Dominican Republic, and in 1990-92, Condor was the first airline to introduce a separate, more comfortable class into its aircrafts. In 2019, for the fourth time Condor was voted Germany’s most popular holiday line, and in 2021, they ordered 16 new Airbus A330-900neo long-haul aircrafts, addressing state-of-the-art  technology, paramount efficiency and, best of all, the highest level of customer comfort.

Condor Business Class

Business Class is an extraordinary extravagance, and at the Frankfurt airport, Condor enhances the pleasure, sharing a roomy and comfortable business lounge with Lufthansa. When we arrived before our return flight, passengers were relaxing on a quiet rainy day with tea and champagne. The lounge offered drinks, appetizers and a selection of three steaming soups, and nearby was a small “Chef’s Delight” table where local Chef Tamara Seebachter had prepared a tasty pumpkin dish with slices of fresh smoked trout, begging passengers to lift a fork.

Our return flight departed on time at 2 p.m. Flight attendants served orange juice and champagne, while at each seat were a blanket, pillow, and Refreshment Kit. A large menu listed dinner selections starting with a pastrami tartlet with chimichurri, and a fresh baby green salad with tads of tomatoes drizzled with an appetizing balsamic orange dressing. Our Main Course choices were an organic vegetarian plate with spinach leaves                                                                                           

Red lentil dal, and a chicken breast fillet dabbed in lemon butter with garden-fresh vegetables on a bed of a nicely prepared pea orzo risotto. An assortment of bread was offered as well as a semi-sweet mango coconut tartlet. The wine selection included a brut reserve French Champagne, German Riesling, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, and an Italian Sangiovese. A nice touch at the conclusion of dinner was a sip of Port wine with a platter of grapes and cheese. Also available are special menus for children, and vegan, lactose-free, or gluten-free meals. The flight attendant supervisor in Business Class on our flight was Carina Schunk, who has worked for Condor for 24 years. She said many of the employees have been with Condor for more than 10 years. Smiling, “ It’s the Condor spirit and it’s alive and well.”

The entire flight attendants on the return flight from Frankfurt to LAX. A number of the flight attendants have worked for Condor more than ten years. They said it’s the Condor Spirit. They have stories to tell with more time in the air than  most of the passengers.

With lights dimmed, creature comfort comes full circle with seats that allow one to stretch their legs. Before landing at LAX. a snack included a mix of seasonal greens, cucumber and tomatoes with a light raspberry dressing, or a slice of grilled sausage in a savory tomato curry sauce, and lastly a raspberry tart with elderberry and pistachios. This was our 57th flight to Europe on assignment and Condor did not disappoint.

Of Note

From its Frankfurt base, Condor has connecting service to more than 100 destinations throughout Europe along with a network of airline and rail partners. Four North American gateways provide access: LA, Seattle, New York and Toronto. From other cities in the U.S. and Canada, Condor has interline partnerships with Alaska Airlines, JetBlue and WestJet. Condor’s Economy Class is value-oriented, but Business Class passengers can check sports gear and skis at no extra charge. www.condor.com.

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