A few days in Italy

Have just returned from a few days in Italy on the shores of Lake Como. The weather was crisp and sunny. The air was full of the smell of wood burning. Our trips to Italy are usually during the blazing summer when all we want to do is sit in the lake and watch the world go by. But the cool weather meant that we were up for more sightseeing.

There was a walk up to the Madonna del Soccorso zigzagging past chapels depicting the life (and death of Jesus), a hike up to the Rifugio di Menaggio and some swimming (rather exhilerating) in the lake. The only other bather being one of the new breed of 'badante' (carers from the Ukraine, Russia and similar places) who look after the aging population of the village. Italians, I am afraid, are just too namby-pamby to consider a swim outside the designated season (June to the early days of September). Once your body had got used to the cold water, the sun on your face made it most pleasant.

And before we caught our flight back to the UK, we strolled around the Alta citta of Bergamo. I had never been before and it was delightful. The narrow streets are studded with wonderful shops.

It was in Bergamo that I saw the sign which for me depicts the difficulties of Italian - l'universita degli studi di Bergamo. It's the little words that can be so perplexing.

Thanks for the steady stream of orders for Nod off in Spanish. We were really encouraged to see that people who had purchased the French were also buying the Spanish. It warms the cockles of The Publishing Cupboard's heart to see that the titles are proving helpful.