15/11/24
The view was indeed spectacular. The island is the largest in any of the Italian lakes. It rises up to 600m above sea level in the middle, and people live near the edges for the most part. We were overlooking the water and another small island with a villa on it.
We decided almost immediately in the morning to spend the day here. The idea of immediately getting on the ferry again and rushing off was daft. Not least because of how much it cost to be here, but also because it was clearly worth exploring and we were a little tired.
Not having much food, our first plan was to find the largest supermarket. It was about a mile away and began walking up the narrow road. It was too narrow for a car. Tourists can’t take their car there, and the residents mostly ride mopeds around. There is the odd van, and a bus though. However, whenever you’re walking on the road, there is no pavement, there is nearly always the annoying sound of a moped. They also smell awful. The polluted air lingers, forcing you to cover your face.
It was very bright and sunny, of course, though not on the western side of the island where we were walking currently. The supermarket was exactly like the kind you’d find in a village in northern Scotland. Lots of sparsely occupied shelves for dry goods. A couple of smaller fridges with an array of fruit and veg as well as the dairy products.
It was slightly more expensive than usual, as we expected, but it was only for a day. We were about to buy packaged bread when we spotted some brown bags at the back of the shop. They all seemed to have names on. The shopkeeper told us we couldn’t have those, they were like orders. There was some bread left though, and we took a big brown bag of rolls and a larger loaf too. It was very light, and crusty bread. It would have to do.
Just past the supermarket there was a cafe. Coffee time it was. We perched outside in the Sun. All the residents seemed to think it was cold, wrapped up in gloves and hats. We were big fans of the cafe culture in Italy, small rustic coffee shops which were everywhere. Nothing fancy. The coffee was rich and creamy, always served with sugar and a round headed spoon. They frequently had soya milk and made excellent cappuccinos.
As we walked on we noticed hiking signs on the side of the road, indicating times rather than distances, to different places on the island. A big benefit of the hiking trail was the almost complete lack of mopeds, one did come down a very steep path towards us. We chose to head towards Santuario della Ceriola. It was a church built right on the top of the island. It was a slow and windy climb which passed through many villages, including one that had its main feature of not being visible from the water. As we walked we were struck by the sheer number of olive trees that had been planted.
The sanctuary at the top was like something out of a film or video game. There were large stone prayer stones presumably highlighting different saints lining the stone steps. The supremely crispy autumn leaves crunching under our every step. This was the first church built on the island. Jesus was carved out of a 12th Century piece of chestnut according to an information board. The views were far reaching, and there was even a cafe though we didn’t need any more caffeine.
We descended back through the trees, accidentally taking a dried river bed back to a road. The down was far easier, and we hoped we hadn’t overdone it on our “rest” day. We got slightly lost heading down through some olive tree terraces, harvest time was now and there were people with nets and little machines we could identify as olive dislodgers.
Back at the hotel we ate some of the island bread with olives and tomato. We were embodying the Mediterranean diet without even really trying that hard. It was so delicious, who wouldn’t. Frankie wasn’t too hungry, we thought it was because the previous day had been too strenuous. We had a final stroll to the main port town, about a kilometre away, as the light faded.
The atmospheric pollution of northern Italy was accentuated by the setting Sun. It was like a Microsoft word gradient from red to yellow. Clear lines of haze limiting what should be extensive views to less than a few miles. The high pressure stopping the pollution from rising out of the mountain enclosed area. It’s a really big problem in Lombardy and Veneto. Often cyclists were wearing buffs over their faces. Not to keep warm but to limit the pollution from irritating their nasal passages. It’s such a shame that the people aren’t more committed to acting to reduce it for their children’s sake, but of all the places we’ve been, car dependency, or rather addiction, is the worst here. If their driving was a little bit better it would be a minor consolation.
The shops in Peschiera were closer to the port and therefore mainland, and though smaller the prices were cheaper. We should have come here first! We walked back in civil twilight dodging the scooters, even seeing an electric one which unbeknownst to the driver we cheered for, and went to our bed knowing we’d have to leave this little slice of paradise in the morning.
Surly They Won't Make It 