Two beautiful hikes: July 5

Let's start with the promised pictures from yesterday--Steve's hike up to the church called the Chiesa Martino.  In the first picture, this church is the small white structure up on the mountain.  The hike is straight up!  The building with the red on the balconies is the place we are staying and Elva's "happy" balcony.

Some of the sights and scenes along the way:  Then one walks up the street, past some nice gardens and some well screened but huge old Villas with backyards that must exceed an acre or two

and the Chiesa always looming up pretty high . . .

Then you start up and there are lots of steps and ramps up

and as you go you are reminded to pray and think upon the Savior with little tile vignettes of His life; this one is Jesus teaching in the temple (Luke 2:41)

And you keep climbing and you get to a little chapel dedicated to the Italian War Dead and you keep climbing

and finally the church steeple hovers into sight

 then there is the church and the views!!  Notice the huge green spaces where villas are located!

Then we headed up to Refugio Venini, which sits above the treeline and overlooks Lake Como.

After an hour's drive along narrow winding roads, we arrived to sounds of goat and cow bells

Then Elva and Gary relaxed and watched Caleb and the rest hiked to the cross which is above Lake Como; it's on the highest  hill in the right of the picture

We saw lots of rock-loving goats along the way

And then we got there for some more beautiful views

Although a hazy type day, it was still beautiful.  The day ended again with a delicious dinner on the lake patio.  There was some debate as to whether the appetizer that consisted of well cooked and softened veal gristle (cartilage) was as unappetizing and un-tasty as it sounds.  One of us voted a thumbs down on it.  The rest was great.