AROUND THE LAKE

Today we are doing our own things; N+G go to explore on the motorbike, get some tidying done then go the the site restaurant for lunch.  We each have a simple pasta dish, but the flavours of home made pasta cooked al dente with a simple sauce and ragu are way beyond the sum of their parts.
After lunch we go into town and after a little wander about we buy tickets for a boat ride.  €6.00 each if we don’t get off at any of the stops.  The boat, SEBINO, arrives, we board and sit outside near the bow, and the boat powers out into the lake.  We can see the campsite away to our right before the first stop at Sulzano.  Then we cross to the island’s main town of Pescharia where we have disembarked in the past.  The ferry goes all the way around the island stopping five times in all and giving us views of the parts we haven’t seen before.   Everything is lit differently on the other side, colourful little houses with loggias and wisteria.

Having previously described the lake and mountains the superlatives to do it any more justice won’t come.  It’s a beautiful ride and we consider ourselves lucky to witness what we see.  At Sale Marasino  there is a plain church of off-white stone with a large gilded fresco.   We stop one more at Sulzano then across to the island for two more stops before the return to Iseo.  The round trip has taken just under two hours.

Back in town away from the water and wind of the boat’s movement warmth returns to our faces and arms.  We sit for a coffee but locals are starting on aperitifs which, as is typical in Italy, are accompanied with crisps, nuts and olives.  So it’s a beer for Nick and prosecco for Ali plus crisps and olives in the sunshine.
After a slow walk back to the site in time for dinner at site, superb steaks cooked to perfection and melt in the mouth.