COMO 2021
Mon Jul 12 08:17:54 2021
We left at 9:30 and only arrived back in Anzegem at 0:30. A full 15 hours driving. The Gotthard tunnel in Switzerland, 17km in length, was blocked and we waited more than an hour stationary on the highway. Eventually we were directed to go over the mountain pass but occasional road works allowed only crawling speeds.
Sun Jul 11 08:17:54 2021
Lazy day cycling south Komoot route
Dinner at Creme Caramel and watched Italy win the European cup at a local cafe.
Sat Jul 10 08:17:54 2021
Belle and the kids took the ferry to 
I cycled all along the coast up north. Komoot route
Fri Jul 9 16:35:19 2021
My legs are jelly and my muscles ache. I can still go uphill but when I try to go downhill my legs buckle under me from the strenuous exercise the previous day.
Spend the morning on the northern side of the lake looking for a waterfall. Saw a snake.
Came back and enjoyed our beach.
We met the family who owns the houses we stay in. The parents of the group of girls we share the beach with. There are three sisters all married and each with 3 daughters. Only one of the sisters has a boy.
The one father told us the history of the region. At the end of world war 2 the partisan Italians who did not support Mussolini took over and controlled the region.
Due to the region only 50 men could manage the region and hold back a much bigger army. Mussolini tried to escape, dressed as German soldier on the back of a retreating German troop carrier but was caught and executed. "He and his mistress, Claretta Petacci, were captured on 27 April by local partisans near the village of Dongo on Lake Como." - Death of Benito Mussolini. Later his body was displayed / hanged in Milano.
We also heard an American paratrooper was hidden from the Germans in a village when injured and came back years later to buy the villa. He later donated it back to the village. "Just prior to World War I American businessman Butler Ames saw the villa for the first time. He made an offer to purchase it from the Arconati Visconti family and was initially rejected. He kept returning with ever-larger cash offers, until in 1919 he was successful in obtaining ownership. Ames renovated the villa and its garden." The Starwars Villa - Villa Del Balbianello
Dinner high up in the mountain at La Locanda San Martino
Saw a fox in the headlights driving back. It stopped, turned and blinded by the lights we got a good sighting.
Thu Jul 8 16:35:19 2021
We did a fantastic hike up the mountain with Lisa. Belle did part of the hike yesterday.
https://www.komoot.com/tour/413445396
The women race giro d'italia 2021 came past our local lunch stop.
We have this private beach attached to the residences and there are many windsurfer boards, kayaks and boats we can use. We share this beach daily with an extraordinary young woman looking after an extraordinary group of girls, 5 of them between the ages of 3-7 (I guess).
Watched the Sharks lost to the British Lions touring South Africa in empty stadiums because of COVID. The Lions' defense is immense. They are on you in two's before you get the ball. It will be interesting to see how we counter that.
New Italian words
- Prego | you are welcome
Wed Jul 7 16:08:30 2021
Rented a 40HP outboard engine speedboat. Cruised Lake Como for 2 hours. Saw Belaggio, villa from Starwars movie set 
Visited Meggazio to shop in afternoon, eat at restaurant and were caught in a cloudbreak.
New Italian words
- Buongiorno | Buonasera
- Grazie
- Arrivederci | ciao
Tues Jul 6 16:08:36 2021
Drove 11 hours stright down to Italy, Lake Como. I went to bed at 9 and after 3 hours sleep woke up at 1:00am showered, hooked up the bicycle rack and packed final things. We left at 2am. We stopped once for petrol and 30min in Lucerne, Switzerland to stretch our legs.
Arrived just after 13:00. Nice place to stay and had a swim and went cycling. The evening we went to watch footbal (European cup semifinal Italy against Spain). Slept like a baby.
Mon Jul 5 16:08:42 2021
Prepairing to leave for Italy. Shopping, packing and two ne covid tests for the kids - they need a test not older than 48 hours
Sun Jul 4 11:51:41 2021
Wag om te hoor of Belle uit hospitaal kom en of ons kan vertrek na Italië.
Sat Jul 3 19:51:41 2021
Heuwelland wijntoer met Isabelle en Patty. Monteberg. Onderweg naar Dranouter hak ons stuurstange aanmekaar en val Isabelle. Sy kry 'n klaplong. Jan Yper Spoed.