This summer was notable in that my cousin Kelly was turning 40 years old, and her father (my Uncle Twig) had just officially expatriated to Italy. Kelly coordinated with some family and friends to visit Italy and celebrate. I've had a lot going on in Denver recently, and didn't have much time to plan activities on this trip. So I went in mostly blind, and winged it! That's become more common for me, and I'm still trying to find the right balance between planning and allowing room for spontaneity while traveling. Both have advantages.

In any case, this was my first time visiting Italy and I flew into Milan for cost reasons before meeting up with the rest of the group to explore Sicily. I was only in Milan a couple of nights, and spent most of my full day taking a trip up to Como, a scenic town bordering a large lake right on the edge of the Alps mountain range. It feels a bit strange labeling this entry as "Milan," when in fact the majority of my time and photos were spent exploring the town of Como. But Milan is where I landed, and where I returned to sleep...so Milan gets the title!

Stepping off the train to Como, this was the view I was greeted with. Contrasted by the bustling European city that was Milan, I knew immediately I made the right decision.
This cool statue was on the way from the train center to the city center.
As mentioned, the town of Como bordered a lake nestled between the foothills of the Alps mountain range. It was 360-degree panoramic views, and quite the eye candy.
The town itself was rather sleepy, on account of the fact that it was not peak tourist season and a Sunday afternoon, to boot. Many shops were closed, so the majority of my time was spent just walking around. My first order of business was to walk down part of the lake where I snapped this photo looking back at the main town strip.
After exploring the town of Como for a while, I waited in the very long queue to take a funicular up the nearest mountain to the town of Brunate. It took a while, but it was worth the views!
Another photo from Brunate, looking back on Como. Along with the funicular, another big attraction was taking boat trips out into the lake. At the time I wasn't really in the mood, and I was concerned that I wouldn't make it back in time for the train home to Milan. In a different life, I would have planned this trip a little bit better. But oh well!
Back in Milan, I spent the evening walking around and exploring near the canals.
One of the foods I was itching for most was a Neapolitan-style pizza. After a bit of research, I picked out Mozzafiato Pizzeria and it didn't disappoint!
Many reviews also mentioned their tiramisu, which I felt compelled to try. It also lived up to the hype, and I snagged this brain-bending photo of the plated tiramisu on top of a decorative placement that the restaurant used.

After a successful day exploring Como, Brunate and Milan I headed back to the hotel to try and continue my fight with arch-nemesis Jetlag. Walking into the hotel lobby, I came across an interesting scene. An older lady was speaking adamantly in French to the receptionist, who was repeatedly replying "I'm sorry, I don't speak French." The phone rang right at that moment, giving the receptionist his opportunity to excuse himself from the conversation.

The lady was clearly frustrated, so I pulled out the translator app on my phone and tried to help. It turns out she and her husband were on a road trip, but had gotten turned around somewhere in the drive from Rome to Lake Como. She wasn't very good with technology, and didn't have a smartphone. I borrowed a paper and pencil from the receptionist, and then sat down and helped her translate and inscribe the directions from Google Maps to French.

She was extremely grateful, and it warmed my heart to end the day being able to help out a lost traveler. She only spoke French, and either told me her name was Maria and she'd pray for blessings...or she was praying to Mother Mary for her to bless me? Either way, the intent was there and she was happy to snag a selfie.

A grateful tourist on her way to Lake Como!