Passing on a Legacy - Northern Italy & Switzerland with my Son



Want a wonderful opportunity!  I met my oldest son at the Milan airport and took him to Lake Como, where his great-grandparents immigrated from back in the 1920s.  It was a poignant experience, as we visited many of the same places I had taken my father 8 years ago before he passed. In fact, the picture above was taken right when I posed with my father. We visited Bellagio on day one and then made our way up to the lake's northern tip.  

We visited the Canclini wine sellers and cemetery.  


We hiked up into the mountains above Colico, for a breathtaking view. We also discovered a little church that had a fresco painted around 1490.  According to the documents, this version was done 30 years before Leonardo da Vinci painted his "Last Supper" in Milan.
          
Then it was on to Lago Maggiore, where I had stayed while I worked.  It was a wonderful "homecoming" seeing old friends and work colleagues and visiting some of my favorite restaurants and haunts.  Per JD's suggestion, we were reading, "A Farewell to Arms" by Earnest Hemingway, which was set in northern Italy in some of the same places we visited!

 
 




Isola Bella

Then up Bettmeralp, Switzerland to enjoy the Alps. It was between the winter and spring tourist seasons, so the village was very quiet.  The trams were closed, so we hiked.  We almost made it to the summit, but the knee-deep melting snow kept us from making the last 1/4 mile.  Nevertheless, an awesome place to commune with nature.  

The tram to Bettmeralp. No cars there!
Bettermeralp
Lunch at the summit








This trip was a voyage to show a son how and where dad had lived for many years.  And it was a passing of the torch to the next generation. 

Location: 23823 Colico, Province of Lecco, Italy

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