My first day found me in the Parco San Marco resort in Cima, Italy on the shores of Lake Lugano. Unfortunately, the wonderful view of the lake from my bedroom window was completely ruined by the fact that it was pouring rain. However, I went down to breakfast at seven on the dot (when it opened) and surveyed the breakfast buffet. I tried to hard-boil some eggs, but my jet lagged brain didn’t want to cooperate. There seemed to be these odd spoons in boiling water. You had to put the eggs in the spoons. But I somehow managed to get one spoon entirely submerged in the hot water. Then I stupidly put my hand in to get it out, earning a burn for my pains.
Finally, I got two eggs in two spoons. But how did you know how long to do it? A waitress showed me the timers to use. I set it at 4 minutes, and then put it down. It is only now, at nearly 4pm (as I type this up), that I realize that I left those eggs there, completely forgetting about them!
Oh, well.
I spent the morning organizing things. At 12 noon I decided to take advantage of the amenities, so I went to reception asking for a massage appointment. Of course, they were completely booked up. But the nice young woman whom I met yesterday, gave me a present in the form of a certificate for the spa at Hideaway Hotels, just up the hill. So I put on my new swimsuit, the dressing gown they provided, and the flip flops.
By that time, the room next door was open as housekeeping was cleaning it, so I requested that they clean my room.
Taking my key, a towel, and a map of the property I set off.
Of course I got lost.
I zigzagged up the hill in the pouring rain, holding the golf umbrella provided by the resort aloft. Only to finally meet my match in a locked gate that required my number. Of course, I didn’t have it.
So I went back to my room. Taking my (by now) filthy flip-flops off, I undid the safe, retrieved the card with the number on it that the young woman had given me the day before, put my flip-flops back on, put the card in my pocket along with my key, picked everything else up, and went to the front desk to ask directions.
In the middle of their lengthy explanations, a young man offered to walk me there. We set off through the pouring rain. Of course, he took the most direct way that went right past my room. So I learned that if I turned right out of my door, and followed the path along, I would come to a door on the left (just past the Instagrammable Photo Op on the right.) Of course, it required that number, but the young man just picked up the phone and talked to someone in Italian. Then the door clicked open.
I was in The Tunnel.
Completely not noticing the umbrella stand to my right where I should have left my very damp umbrella, I was mesmerized by the violet light emanating from the walls, the scatter of “stars” on the floor and the whole ambiance of mystery. Eschewing the elevator, I climbed three flights of stairs, only to arrive at one of those rope barriers. Fortunately, someone noticed me and took the rope away.
But what to do with my damp umbrella? Finally the hostess decided to leave it by the door to the spa. She walked me through and showed me everything. But of course the sauna would not be ready until 2pm (it was now about 1pm). However, I managed to enjoy myself.
I went to the pool and walked around it bouncing up and down in the water. It was never too deep for my feet to touch bottom. I would have loved a foam board or something to help me swim. But the resort just didn’t have them. Then I discovered all the underwater paraphernalia. There were three submerged seats. There was a submerged couch. And so I was able to practice my kicks on my front and on my back. The great advantage to this was that I was able to “swim” without getting my hair wet, which I’d just washed this morning.
After that, I found a ladies loo, changed out of my sodden swimsuit into another one, and tried out the foot massage (a jacuzzi for your feet) Next, I lounged in an infra-red heating chair for my achy back.
Enjoying a lazy afternoon, I met all the other Odysseys Unlimited attendees at a bar in the hotel at 6pm where tour guide Chiara was there to greet us. A very pleasant woman, she was born in Florence and currently lives in Germany. I knew I was going to enjoy my holiday, a 13-day tour of the Italian Lakes and Switzerland.
