Famalam 23

It was time for another get-together of the family and a perfect cluster of cottages was found near Ely in Cambridgeshire. So, for a few days only, time together and lots of fun was the agenda for Cathryn, Andy, Amie, Daisy, Sophie, Michael, Dan, Scott, Lorna, Ella, Katie and me, plus two dogs - Meg and Macey. It was Ella's birthday when we arrived.

One cottage was big enough for us to gather and dine together, while some of us stayed in another three, the main garden was huge with a terrace, outside seating and a hot tub. There was also a games room. It was a rural and very peaceful setting alongside a farm and adjacent to a tributary of the River Great Ouse.

Willow Cottage garden

The cottages as seen centre

from Andy's drone

Andy's new toy not only gave us a view of the farm and cottages, but also the footgolf course alongside. It was 9 holes, same rules as golf, but played with footballs, with the least number of kicks into large tubs in the ground, but most of us seemed to find the rough and nobody was counting!

Chef duties were shared, food was taken, and a considerable volume and diversity of drink was consumed. Inevitably, this facilitated another family video, colourfully enabled by an increased stock of wigs and other accessories. The whole video of family frivolity is restricted to avoid any embarrassment, but great fun was had and some pictures give an insight to the Queen-themed production.

So many accessories to choose from

Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?

Caught in a landslide, no escape from reality

Open your eyes, look up to the skies and see

I'm just a poor boy, I need no sympathy

Because I'm easy come, easy go, little high, little low

Any way the wind blows doesn't really matter to me, to me

Mama, just killed a man...

But now I've gone and thrown it all away...

Mama, ooh, didn't want to make you cry...

The accompanying music started with I Want to Break Free, then morphed to Bohemian Rapsody to finish with Don't Stop me Now.

Oh, why should I be embarrassed, here's my entrance the evening before laying down the first take of the video itself:

It was late and much had been consumed, Amie was mortified and went to bed! I don't think anyone admitted to actually wetting themselves, but it certainly seemed to me a possibility! It was a dare, Michael got the Freddy M outfit and I was up for it, much to the astonishment of others! However, my cross-dressing experiment is now complete, enough said!

Amie taunted by Lorna!

Footgolf from Andy's drone

Our last evening provided a lovely sunset down by the river.

Ella's first dart landed on her birthday

What a coincidence!

Katie concentrates on holding her pool cue

All a bit much for Meg

We were, however, left with the question of where a good framer could be found for:

I'm a racing car (bike) passing by, like Lady Godiva (on a horse).......

Long may these special family gatherings continue...........................

Italy 23

June '23 came and it was time to head for Milan to join Hugh & Tammy for a few days. Flights were on time and Tammy had booked us a well sited apartment, near to cafes and the metro to get about Milan. 

We visited the famous Duomo and walked the rooftop terraces, took in some history of invention and art at the Leonardo da Vinci Science Museum, visited  Sforzesco Castle, Galleria Vittoria Emanuele II, Teatro della Scala Museum, more art at Pinacoteca di Brera and wandered the Navigli Grand Canal district.

Along the way and in between, food, wine and a few beers were taken, as is customary if not obligatory, while enjoying another good catch up with Hugh & Tammy before they continued on their travels!

Duomo Milan

(Oops - Black & White, my bad - unaware of a setting change!)

Galleria Vittoria Emanuele II

and a stop for lunch

Magnificently large cold beer coming up!

and reaching the parts that needed reaching!

Notable helmets on patrol nearby!

Sforzesco Castle

Pinacoteca di Brera

Resting, or absorbed in the art?

Milan night sky, while we dined al fresco

Leonardo da Vinci Museum - one of the Last Supper(s)

Earliest commercial fax machine

The Pantelegraph ~1861

(Huge) suspended hi tech racing yacht

The canal and (more) refreshing Aperol Spritz

Ugo's restaurant nearby

All in all a very good few days together.

Then we parted as Hugh & Tammy headed for Lake Garda and we headed for Lake Como, where we had an apartment near the centre and in easy walking distance to points of interest, the ferries on the Lake and, importantly, places of sustenance and indulgence.

Firstly, it was a walk around the town, a visit to the Basilica and then a ride up the funicular to the village of Brenate, known as the balcony of the pre-alps.

Como below

500m down in a 1km ride

Jean walked down (3.3km) and I took the funicular!

Ice creams had to follow!

Paddle steamer- tour boat

Dessert pleases!

The weather once again defied a forecast of rain and thunder and we had an enjoyable ferry ride to Bellagio in bright sunshine, taking in views of the shoreside and the  villas of the great and good.

Hydrofoil

Grand Hotel Royal, Bellagio

Al Pacino, Robert de Niro and Richard Branson

have stayed here, to name but a few,

but we weren't even allowed in for a peek!

Some heavy drops of rain moved in just as we were walking back to the apartment.

Our last full day once again served up fine weather for a walkabout of the Como Lake waterfront.

WW I Memorial

Our last dinner started out al fresco but, before we could even sip our Aperols or nibble the appetisers, we had to move inside.

But the Aperols were barely interrupted and seafood was very good, so it was a fine finale to our visit to Como.