Day 6 Stresa (via Baveno) to Pallanza

Today was a very leisurely 9 miles, peppered by roadworks (as the italian's do love a bit of roadworks in the morning).

Andy took us on a slight detour up the mountain to where he had stopped as a kid for 3 weeks every year, and a lot had changed..especially the foot high sleeping policemen now in the long road up the hill that shook the foundations of the mini's as we bounced over them. Andy was a little disheartened at the way they had turned the place into a permanent shambles of wooden houses down "Coronation Street", closed the bar and built a carbuncle of a site office, turning the old tram into a lodging. (Sorry that was more for the Nabbs Clan that all used to travel 4 a breast in dads old triumph).

So we arrived after setting off at 11am in Pallanza to find out that some of the rooms were ready, so we dropped all the bags off in Mike and Helen's rtoom, then set-off to park the car in a compund that resembled a s scene from Mash (the onlky thing it lacked was the helicopters). Short walk back to the hotel and we were ready to go on the passenger ferries around the Lake and the Borromean islands.

A 20 minute boat ride, dropped us back into Baveno where we though we would have some lunch on the fron, after our tour guide Andy took us into the centre, to look at one of the oldest churches and courtyards in the area.

Steve's dont worry the pillar wont fall down mate!

Back on the boat after lunch, where we took a look at the islands and Stresa again (starting to get De Ja Vu), but what we wanted was the sunshine and heat after the first 5 days of bad weather. Lago Maggiore didnt disappoint and the heat was around high 20's low 30's as we cruised back to Pallanza.

Then Mike and I walked the length of the strip at Pallanza, what we thought was the way to the public beach ended in being a marina, so we scaled a wall in what seemed like a scene from the Great Escape...

5 minutes later, we found the pool and beach and caught up with the sun goids that were Steve and Jan, scaring the local kids with their displays of nudity. So that we didnt cramp their style, Mike and I decided that vanity was the best part of valour, and jumped into the lake... "Very Refreshing" shouts Mike as we swam around for a bit, I got beeped by the pool attendant for grabbing one of his yellow balls (the ones in the lake!).

A quick beer at the bar and we all walked back to the Hotel to get ready to go out for a small pre-dinner drink. (table speaks for itself).

Well it wasnt a driving day tomorrow, is what we all said.

Turns out the waitress at the bar was scottish, so we asked her where the locals ate, where she pointed us to turned out to be a gem (although Steve at this point needed a break and went to bed early).

Dinner, was next to a table of Italians (20 of them, Great Grandma, Grandma, Mom & Dad, Kids and Babies) all ate at the same table. We opted for a meager 5 of us!

Then after booking for Mike's birthday, we all walked up the promenade and sat looking at the water fountain for 30 minutes before retiring at 11pm (god thats a record for us) getting ready for "The Badger's Birthday!"