Hurricane Arthur didn't deter the Mancini's and the Skruodys as we left New Jersey in the pouring rain and high winds heading South to Baltimore to board the Grandeur of the Seas. By the time we boarded the ship, the sky turned blue and the rain stopped.
After cocktails in the lounge, we went to Chops Steak House for dinner. Excellent! We loved the juggler/comedian at the show! Normally, we're not keen on jugglers, but this guy was hilarious.
Sadly, this was our last day in beautiful Varenna. Our flight is out of Milan tomorrow (5/7) so we are taking the train to Milan Central Station where we’ll get then take the airport shuttle train to Malpensa Airport in Milan. We have an early flight home in the morning and thought it would be easier if we stayed overnight in Milan. Once we arrived at the Malpensa Airport, we would call for a free shuttle from our hotel, Best Western Cavalieri Della Corona. Sounds simple. Not. The airport was very confusing. By the time we made our way out to the taxi stands we decided we would just take a cab to the hotel. How much could it cost? The hotel is only 3 miles away. Well, the taxi drivers don’t really want such a short trip and low fare, so they simply charge more. First driver told us EU20 and second one said EU30. So, back into the airport we went to try to find out how to call our hotel for the free shuttle. After about an hour and numerous failed attempts at making a phone call, one of the information people came out and showed Kos how to complete the call. Now we know. Simple. Dial the number and then press “OK”. That was the step we didn’t know. We do now. 
The hotel was nice, but the air conditioning was not working, so it was not a comfortable sleep. Shuttle brought us to the airport in the morning on time, where we caught our flight home. This was an amazing trip. I only wished that my blogpress app would have worked so I could have written this blog each day when things are fresh. Having to reconstruct the trip once home, was unpleasant! But worth it.
Rick Steves says “If you love Lake Como, you know Bellagio is the pearl…….but Varenna is the diamond.”
Today we have made reservations to take a cooking course with Chef Moreno. We were to meet him in the town square, where he would pick us up and bring us to his restaurant, Ristorante il Caminetto. The restaurant was about a 10 minute drive up the mountain in a town called Gittana where his family has lived for over 700 years. This was to be an all day affair. We were greeted with cappuccino and cookies while Chef M explained what we would be cooking (and eating).
Chef Moreno and his wife (and daughter) run this cooking class 4 times a week and had dinner service 6 nights a week. After picking us up and bringing us to the restaurant, he proceeded to explain our menu. Veal Roast, tortelloni, porcini mushroom risotto and fresh tomato sauce.
Midway through our lesson, we took a break for salami, cheese, bread and wine. I think I love this guy! 
We ended the meal with homemade lemoncello and raspberry liquor. Fantastic day! Afterwards, he called a taxi to bring us back into town. We were eating all day, so no need for dinner. Made another stop in town for our usual snack….salami and cheese! My pants are getting tight. 
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