Timed our breakfast much better than yesterday…..

Weather very overcast and quite cool.

Frederica led her charges to the same jetty from which we had boarded the boat yesterday. The boat, when it turned up, looked too small, and the back was uncovered, so anybody sitting there risked getting wet if it rained. There was, however, a waterproof cover that could be unrolled if needed. So that was all right, then.

It was certainly cosy.

The boat trip was an hour and a quarter northwards up Lake Maggiore to the town of Cannobbio on the Swiss-Italian border. The weather conditions gradually improved as the journey went on.

We passed an old fort on the way. Apparently it is being renovated. So far it has taken 30 years…..

We landed at Cannobbio and were given an hour and a half to look round. We headed straight for a café and had a coffee.

We then decided to have a look around.

Cannobbio is a very pretty town.

Jean bought a handbag/backpack combo…🙄

Back on the coach for the short trip to Locarno, crossing the Swiss border.

I’d always imagined Locarno to be a picturesque Swiss village. It ain’t. It’s a large, ugly, sprawling, modern town.

And it was raining.

We found a pizzeria and had a nice Romano, accompanied by a half-carafe of very acceptable white wine, in the company of Kathy and Rowan, a couple of ladies from the Peak District. We stayed there until it was time to walk back to our rendezvous with Frederica, dropping in on C&A for nostalgic reasons on the way. The bill was an astronomical SwFr 55.

Locarno is the start point for the Centivalli (Hundred Valleys) railway, which takes you over the southern Alps foothills before descending to the Italian town of Domodossola. One was promised spectacular scenery.

It was fine, but not spectacular. Also, we had three episodes when the train stopped, often for long periods, whilst mechanical and logistical problems with trains ahead of us were sorted out. True Swiss efficiency….🙄

Apologies for the reflections.

Despite all the delays (the train was 50 minutes behind schedule), the spirit remained good-humoured.

We found our coach at Domodossola without too much difficulty and, in fact, arrived back in the hotel with enough time to ready ourselves for dinner.

We were in the company of Kathy and Rowan once again, and got on well enough to carry on the conversation at the bar afterwards. A limoncello spritz went down well with the ladies. I had, unsurprisingly, a G&T…..

A very noisy bunch of Yanks put an end to a pleasant evening.

Tomorrow is a very relaxed day. A visit to Isola Madre, then free time after that. Also, we don’t have to assemble until 10.20, so a lie-in is guaranteed!

Probably not too much to report tomorrow, but hopefully you’ll stick with us.