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Sunday, April 27, 2014

Tulip Week -- La Settimana Del Tulipano At Villa Taranto




I can FINALLY cross this off my must-see list. I finally visited Villa Taranto to see the tulips in bloom during Tulip Week, la Settimana del Tulipano. 

 

We caught this spectacle at the end of its run (this year Tulip Week was the two weeks from April 13 to 27), when the azaleas and some types of rhododendrons were also in full bloom. But the stars, of course, are the 80,000 tulip bulbs. They are scattered in beds throughout the gardens, but the highlight is the Tulip Maze, which alone exhibits 65 different varieties of tulips. After the tulips have bloomed, this same maze becomes the location for the six-foot-tall dahlias that take the spotlight in the autumn. 

All the tulips were labeled with their names, but unfortunately I didn't have time to make note of them. We were there late in the afternoon, toward closing time, and as I was with two men I was also concerned for their tulip tolerance, which, it turns out, was quite high. I also wanted to leave us enough time for a beer in the tranquil beer garden near the entrance, before the garden closed at 6:30 and we headed to nearby Suna for aperitivo and dinner.

 
(   Continued   ...   )

Saturday, April 19, 2014

Driving Directions From Malpensa To Stresa -- With Photos

Following are driving directions from the exit of Milano Malpensa airport to the center of Stresa. A written version follows the photos, to copy/paste if you like.


Welcome to Malpensa Airport, Milano, and Italy! Got all the luggage packed into the car? Allora, andiamo, let's go! This is what you'll see on the way out of the airport.






Easter Eggs


Buona Pasqua to all our readers, from Stresa Sights



Sunday is Pasqua, Easter. The spring festival, in one of its many forms -- Easter, Pasqua, Pesach, etc. --, is one of the most universally celebrated holidays.  Here in Italy, every supermarket, every Autogrille, every Tabacchi shop is selling the traditional Italian Easter treats -- large hollow chocolate eggs that have a small surprise gift inside. Kinder is a well-known brand, and you can see that the gifts inside are little toys of famous characters from children's films and stories. 

Bunnies and Colomba at Carrefour in Stresa

There are also many brands and shapes of chocolate bunnies, and of course, the traditional Colomba, the spongy cake shaped like a dove, symbolic of Easter. But you know... Chocolate bunnies are as common as, well, bunnies. And I'm not really a fan of spongy cake. So what would I want to give or receive on Pasqua in Stresa? 
(   Continued   ...   )

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Walk: The Donkeys Of Collegio Rosmini

Group shot! The Rosmini donkeys.

Are you the sort who stops to pet every dog you pass while walking along the lungolago? Do you throw crumbs to the swans and ducks in Lago Maggiore? Then you will also enjoy visiting this somewhat hidden corner of Stresa and saying hello to the donkeys who live there. 


These guys have a pretty big responsibility: keeping the sloping fields of grass and wild flowers in front of Il Collegio Rosmini neatly trimmed. And they work hard at it... I never see them lazy or taking a day off. 
(   Continued  ....   )

Monday, April 7, 2014

La Casera Cheese Shop

La Casera is located in Piazza Ranzoni, Verbania, under the arch in the blue wall.

La Casera is located in Verbania, right in the main piazza, and it can be reached quite easily with the VCO public bus or with the ferries.

Here's the door. You would never know what waits beyond, so go inside.


Looking in the door this is what you see. Where's lunch, you're wondering. But don't worry, you're in the right place. Walk through the shop, taking in sights and smells, whetting your appetite as you go.

(   Continued ...   )

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