That's where we want to go, way down in Lago di Como...

Fun little side tray on the first train between Lucerne and Como. Like I said in my last post, I had only minor issues on my train rides back to Italy and mostly was able to just enjoy the passing scenery, the moody and atmospheric Alps. I got into a nice train zen, just listening to music, eavesdropping on my Spanish seat-neighbors, and attempting to mentally hold onto as much of the passing scenery as I could. Soon enough, however, I was at Como.

  

  

When I arrived, it was cold and raining. Because of course it was. For Como I decided to splurge a little bit and stay at an AirBnb, although I wanted to stay somewhere within the town limits that would not require my owning a car. I settled for a place that promised a single bed and nice facilities. And sure enough, the place was nice (as was its owner) although a bit awkward since it was only him and me in the apartment. Also, I did not realize when renting the bed... the bed was in the living room Anyway I got there and after talking with the very nice but kind of boring host for a few minutes decided to go explore Como, despite the rain. Unfortunately he didn't have a second key and I didn't have a phone which meant we basically had to set upon a time that I would return, like it was 1991 and we just had to trust that the other person would be where they said they'd be when they said they'd be. So primitive.

So I headed out into Como to explore and be rained on for a few hours. First I went into the big (although not Milan-big) Duomo towards the center of town.

 

(This is a shot from much later in the afternoon.)

  

(These shots are also from later in the day.)

Buildings about town.  

Gelato shop. I DON'T UNDERSTAND GELATO. It tastes like ice cream, except every time I bought it in Italy, it melted faster than ice cream would. I mean, it was fine. I liked it equal to the amount that I like ice cream. But I don't get it.

I loved the graphic old-timey styling on this wall.

Getting rained on? To the harbor!

 

   

"Three Kids"

Beautiful statue park by the water.

Tempio Voltiano, devoted to the Italian inventor of the electrical battery, Alessandro Volta. Also the front of the building makes an excellent hiding spot during particularly vicious downpours.

Faith.

Knowledge.

The city being built up into the hill is really pretty. There's actually a nice funicular in town that I wanted to ride but I was tired of getting rained on. Oh well, have to go back. No way around it!  

   

I headed back and napped for a while before going out again to enjoy the much clearer weather. I ate some pasta (Italy, you know?) then chilled out for for the rest of the night.

One more church, Basilica di San Fedele Como, for the road: 

The next day I walked to the smaller train station that was much closer to my host's apartment, I jumped on a train and headed back to Milano.