Aug. 22, 2002

Click Here to read Courtney Cushing's journal entry for August 21.

The sun on this crisp August morning pierced through my fifth floor window, disturbing my peaceful slumber at around 6:30 a.m. It beckoned me to throw aside the shades, gulp in a lung full of Italian air, and peer out at the "bellisimo" (beautiful) Lake Como. "YEESSS!!!" I exclaimed, "Im still dreaming..." for nothing could be this surreal, remarkable, breathtaking as the view that lie before me. But wait...I wasn't dreaming, because before I could turn away from my open window, the overwhelming scent of freshly baked "pane" (ya know, bread) struck first my left and then my right nostril! My guess is the local baker just opened his shop to his Thursday customer. Oh I wish I could write on and on about our August 22 experience here in the land of lovely, luscious, scenery, smelly folk, oh and can't forget the virtous VINO! but it would make you all way too jealous so I'll just sum it up for y'all.

10:00 -- ventured our last outing in little town of Como (tears shed) quick little shopping spree...shoes galore!

11:30 -- Relaxing "autobus" ride in our neon green "discacciati" to wonderful Milano.

2:30 -- lived up to the ideal American tourist stereotype with cameras flashing and eyes gawking over every little insignificant thing about the city of Milan. While in the center of Milan, saw a gigantico church called the Duomo. Also took in the latest Italian fashion. I'll just mention the men. TIGHT and I mean tight pants with red, green, blue shoes and any shirt that completely clashed with the choice of "lescarpe".

Now in the hotel Catalina in the boonies... we hung out with some locals having a "fiesta" in the country and they were enthralled with us California girls!