March 12 - Tesserete to Odogno

 We took the bus to the town of Tesserete. A sunny day today but still with the bit of haze. We really didn't know where we wanted to go, so we just followed one of the hiking signs to see where it would lead us! On the way, I took this picture looking back down on Tesserete.

 Passing through the nucleo of an area nearby called Campestro.  I love these old, stone areas!

 Another part of the area called Campestro. It's so charming in these areas, which are found in almost every old center of every town, but it's not always easy to live there. It's hard to always walk on the uneven stones, and of course, there are no cars in these areas (well, there are if the lane is wide enough!) So every time you need to use your car, you have to walk out into some parking area.

So the hiking sign, which can also just say "sentiero", (path), led us into a valley. On the way we see this sheep. Hey fellow, who was your hairdresser!!!! Poor thing just had clumps of wool here and there.

On the way back at the apartment we did a little grocery shopping. I bought some peanuts, which I find so funny the way they pack them. They are shrink wrapped so tight, it's really like a brick. And then it's fun to cut a little hole and hear the shhhhh of air filling in. Oh the little joys in life!

March 11 Exploring a new corner of the Lugano area. Muzzano to Breganzona

Hiking around Lake Muzzano with Monte Bré and Monte Bolla in background.

Today Rick and I decided to hop on the bus and explore places we see all the time but just have never explored. We stopped by the little Lago Muzzano and followed the hiking trail around 1/2 the lake. The path then led up to the center of the town of Muzzano. The old centers of towns are called the Nucleo. It was very charming and all the old homes in the Nucleo were renovated and so cool with great balconies!

From there we followed both the road and paths upward. From a distance we had seen a church at the top, so we headed in that direction. (It's not the church you see across the lake in the above picture - it is much higher.)

Old wash house from 1914

A few towns still have their original washhouses. This one wasn't quite that old, only from 1914, but there is a large tub under this roof. The laundry was brought here to be washed. This was up above Muzzano. 

 A terraced park we found as we came up the path. An awesome place to relax! 

Such pleasant things we discover! And every town has shortcut paths to go upwards, and for sure there are always paths leading to a church! 

Rick at the top looking out from the church terrace in Biogno (very small town above Muzzano)

A little hazy today, but the view is still mysterious! 
With the use of my map app on my iPhone, we headed in the direction of Breganzona, where I know there is a bus to take us back to town. The map app also will show where the bus stops are - very handy! After lunch, we did some grocery shopping. The sign below was above some apples at Manor. These are things that can baffle an American! 

So these apples are by the kilo. (They are actually the apples in the lower right corner of the photo.) The shopper needs to put them in a bag and weigh them. Each item is given a number, and you punch in that number on the scale to print your ticket. Can you guess what number these apples are? 

(answer below)

These are 3.50 a kilo and are #11!  The N' is for number and what looks like the letter M is really 11. They often write the number one like an inverted V, thus it looked like the letter M! 

March 8 and 9 - Ponte Tresa, Agno, and hikes!

Yesterday, March 8th, I took the train to Ponte Tresa to check out the Italian market. It was a nice morning, but hazier, and I am SO glad I took my trip up to Monte Bré yesterday, when the skies were super clear! 

On the way to the market I noticed that in Agno (along the train route), there was a festival going on, so on my way back I got off the train. It was like a county fair. They had logging demonstrations, big farming tractors, and many farm animals. They also had lots of food, arts and crafts for sale, and rides for the kids. 

I love just "happening" upon things. It's always a surprise! 

Today, March 9, I took a shorter morning hike along the mountainside just above our house, and then an afternoon walk along the former Lugano-Cadro-Dino train line. A pleasant day - sunshine and no wind. Very relaxing. 

Here are a few pictures along my mountain hike. I often stop, turn around, and take time to observe things around me. So much time is spent watching where my feet are going. It's important to stop and enjoy. My hike made a loop, finishing up by the main church in Pregassona. The funny thing about hiking in Switzerland - sometimes the path takes you right through someone's property. I walked right  past some sheep - no fence. So funny how they just stared at me! 

And remind me not to end up by the church at noon. The bells started ringing and boy did I jump! They were SO loud! 

I love all the moss on the trees and the little spring flowers coming up

Spring flowers!

A mountain stream - The Swiss always manage to control all the water coming down from the mountains! 

The typical red Swiss bench. Oh, I think a little boy lost his gloves. The trekking poles are mine. 

This hike has a couple of grottos. With burning candles inside! 

March 7, 2014 - A beautiful day for a hike from Monte Bré to Cureggia

View of Lake Lugano, Mont San Salvatore, the city of Lugano, and the snowcapped Alps, taken from the top of Monte Bré

Oh, I am SO enjoying the beautiful weather here, and I'm taking advantage of every moment. It was such a long, cold winter in Chicago, so it feels so good to get outside. 

Today I took the bus up to the town of Bré, which is just down the slope from Monte Bré. I first hiked to the top because I knew the view would be fantastic! There is a restaurant up there with a large terrace, although it is closed at this time of year - but the terrace is still open to check out the view. Magnificent! Basically I could see as far as the earth would let me. It is awesome to see the majestic Monte Rosa, which is the second tallest mountain in the entire Alps, after Mont Blanc. 

After the summit, I then walked back down to the town of Bré, which sits sort of in a cradle between two mountains. From there I took the trail along the mountainside towards the town of Cureggia, which actually sits up on a high ledge above my town, Pregassona. I wanted to do this hike last year, but dry, sunny days were so far and few between, and when we did get a decent day, I didn't go because there had been so much rain and I knew the path could be more dangerous. 

Oh, what a nice hike this is! I thoroughly enjoyed it, and the best part is that since there are no leaves on the trees, the view is much better than in the summertime. It was about 55-60 degrees, sunny, and no wind. Perfect! 

I have lots of pictures, and I'm sorry if some look similar to pictures from last year, but I never tire of the splendid view and I never stop thanking God for this opportunity to view his wondrous artwork! I am blessed....

Along my hike up to the top of Monte Bré. Looking down on Lake Lugano

Zooming in on Lugano and Monte Rosa

What a great place for a picnic! 

The perfect picnic spot. The town is Bré and all the other mountains seen are part of Italy. 

Hiking down the backside of Monte Bré.

Stairway back down to Bré

A panoramic view. Snow up on the left is Monte Bolla. Town of Bré in the middle. Italy in the background and on the right. The lake is Lake Lugano

Now I am on the trail between Bré and Cureggia. Great trail, isn't it?

View along the trail. A passing hiker took my picture. This is where I ate the lunch I packed. :-)

Spring flowers already in the mountains! 

A bit of a panoramic picture of my picnic spot.

A selfie of me eating my sandwich, made on pretzel bread! 

Here is more of the trail alongside the mountain

A panoramic of the trail on the left and right with a lookout point in the middle

Just a view along my hike!

I have arrived in Cureggia, which is above Pregassona, where we live. What a great view from this Grotto restaurant! 

One of the yards in the town of Cureggia. Gosh, I wish I could be invited to a party here! 

March 6, 2014 Quick trip to Como, Italy

Rick is with the football team in Cervia, Italy for the next few days. This morning I took the train down to Como, Italy, to buy tickets to Rome. We will take a trip there in a few weeks, and the stupid Italian train website just doesn't work! So I had to go to the train station there to buy them.

After retuning to Lugano, I took a little hike over to Paradiso, which gives a great view of Lugano and the mountains. Enjoy!

Panoramic view of Lugano and Monte Bré, taken from Paradiso

Lugano from Paradiso

Looking toward Italy, from Paradiso

March 5, 2014 - Shopping and enjoying the sunshine!!!

My first panoramic photo from my iPhone. This is the view from our apartment. Straight ahead you see the orange construction fence - thus the jackhammering all day long. :-(  (you can click on the picture to enlarge it)

 This morning was a trip to IKEA to pick up a few things we need. What a great day today! It was mild and sunny, and oh, so beautiful with the sunshine on the snowcapped mountains. We are really appreciating the view, since the snow will melt soon and it becomes a totally different look. 

On the way back from IKEA we picked up some sandwiches at our favorite shop in Lugano - Gabbani's. We ate them along the lakefront.

This evening we met the team and coaches down by the stadium where they boarded a bus for their long weekend trip to Cervia, Italy, where they will practice. After such a nice day, boy, once that sun goes behind the mountains, it seems like a cold wind rushes down the valley along the river - brrrrr! 

Rick eating his lunch along Lake Lugano!

The spot where we had lunch by the lake. It's a shame the snow on the mountains blends into even the blue sky. Straight above my head between those mountains are further snowcapped ones

Enjoying the sunshine on the balcony!

A double decker bus for the trip to Cervia, Italy! But it is definitely NOT a romantic tour!

2014 - Our return to Lugano!

Hi Everyone!

We are back in Lugano for season 2 with the Lugano Lakers. We flew in to a rainy Lugano yesterday, but today was just cloudy but mild - 53 degrees! Wow! After 4 months of straight below freezing temperatures and snow on the ground in Chicago, today was pure pleasure.

We are unpacked and feeling like we had never left. Rick and I spent the day on walk to downtown Lugano and bought our monthly bus passes and did some grocery shopping etc. The funniest thing today: when we bought our bus passes at the station, afterwards the woman hands us a huge package of chocolate as a thank you gift! Never got that before!!! Yum!!

Our first observation on being back - there is more construction than ever going on. The worst is right across the street from our apartment where they are converting the former city hall of Pregassona into an addition for the grammar school next door. There has been jack hammering going on since 7:30am. UGH!
There is also a TON of snow up in the mountains. Apparently, there has been more snow down here in Ticino than north of the Alps, which is very unusual. It's hard to see all the white snow, as there are more snowcapped mountains in this picture that just blend into the sky.

Check out the bus on this package of 12 big pieces of chocolate!!! Yippee!!!