For Stresa pictures, click here (Photos #22-#86).
On the second day of our trip, my mom and I spent the morning continuing our exploration of the Locarno corner of Lake Maggiore. We found a bench in the shade by the lake, and conversationally matched the chirpiness of the sparrows hopping by our feet until it was time to head to the train station. We boarded the train in the early afternoon and headed for Stresa in Northern Italy.
When we arrived just over two hours later, we were greeted by a train station that was discouragingly dilapidated, with boards falling off the front and paint peeling off the signs. As soon as we turned left into town, though, my mom and I both audibly gasped: Stresa is a lush garden paradise with breathtakingly colorful rows of hydrangeas, tall leafy trees, open airy hotels adorned with red and pink flowers in window boxes, and twinkling lake water punctuated by green islands and white boats.
Hotel La Palma, which I selected based on its excellent location (a 5-minute amble from the train station), was adorable: the curtains were of a Ming vase pattern, and we could see healthily leafy palms and other clearly happy trees from our window.
Upon check-in, a wedding reception was in full swing and some comically bad Italian karaoke was spilling out onto the lawn. Fortunately, it ended before we tucked in for the night; plus, my mom and I each took nice, long baths in the Jacuzzi tub. It also helped that we were fully satiated from our yummy dinners!
I went to bed with images of burstingly full blossoms in pastel shades of pinks, blues and purples dancing through my head. I bet my mom did too -- this is one of my favorite pictures of her!
For Locarno pictures, click here (Photos #1-#21).
For Stresa pictures, click here (Photos #22-#86).
