It's Saturday morning and we know that tomorrow we have another early start for our return to the UK, so today is lie-in day. We get down to breakfast just after 9:00. Outside it is grey and gently raining. We'd thought about spending the day at the lido, just chilling out but with the sun not making an appearance we decide to get a bus down to Como. It had been described as industrialised and not really worth a visit, but we want to see it for ourselves. Bus tickets are purchased from a local shop just up the side road beside the hotel (service bus drivers apparently can't/won't take cash) and queue briefly. Shortly after boarding the driver is cut up by a car lady driver and that turns this ride into a very memorable one. That bus went faster along that route, which was narrow and winding, faster than I would have done it on a motorbike and as a consequence we arrive in Como 10 minutes ahead of schedule. It wasn't dangerous driving but it was fast.
After a chat with some of the other hotel residents about the white knuckle ride we set off for a walk around Como to see what it has to offer. Somebody had mentioned it was market day so finding the market became our first goal. We found the fruit and veg market so Giuseppe asked a local lady if that was it and was told that the clothes market was 2 blocks away, so we headed in the directions given. Easily found it was a street market with several hundred stalls, mainly clothes, shoes, bags and leather goods, nick-nacks, small electrical items and a few specialist things like herbal remedies. It had started to rain / drizzle so the protection offered by the stalls' awnings was appreciated. Sue had been suffering with shoulder pain and the damp air was making it worse so we headed out of the market to a pharmacy I'd spotted as we'd been walking around the market. The pills recommended needed to be taken after food and as it was now nearly 13:00 and the rain was now heavier we dived into a Pizzeria. What a find and how lucky were we? Chilled beer and wine, a good selection of pizzas and pasta and friendly service - we were in no hurry and made the most of it after the anodyne fayre on offer at the hotel. On leaving we stumbled across the boutique centre of Como and the girls were in 7th heaven. Generally wending our way back in the general direction back towards the lakeside and bus terminus we came across a group of pretty girls and smart dressed men promoting the Tesler electric sports car, made in California it retails for 105,000 euros and apparently they have sold 30 in Italy so there must be some money about somewhere.
The return trip on the service bus was more sedate than the outbound trip, the bus being absolutely packed, every seat filled and all standing room utilised. At the hotel we rested for an hour before taking dinner and then went for a stroll back down the road towards Como for about half/three quarters of a mile, finding a bar with music playing and sounding lively - just a shame we found it on our last night.
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