There are times in life when you think you have been touched by the ultimate – the dew-drenched petals of a rose, the diamond sparkles on a spider’s web after rain, the joyous smile of happy child, the exuberance of health after an illness.

And then, just occasionally, you find you can seize in your hands the preciousness of the perfect day before it slips into memory; a time of glorious weather, good friends, a beautiful place, a day when yesterday’s worries or tomorrow’s pain – or the next work deadline! – seems as distant as the moon.

Yesterday was one such.

Two old friends and a new friend, one of the world’s loveliest lakes, heavenly food, good wine, warmth and sunshine, a long walk…ah.

We took a tiny ferry from Cernobbio, near where we are staying, to Como where we bought boat tickets to another town up the lake, Bellagio.

While we waited for the departure time, we strolled around the Piazza Duomo and admired the cathedral and listened to the ringing from the bell tower. Then the glorious ferry ride up the lake, a walk through the grounds of the Villa Melzi to the Loppia fishing harbour where we ate* by the boats under a canopy of grape vines).

Were I to die tomorrow, I would still count myself the luckiest of women.

Pix 1-3: in Bellagio town
Pix 4-6: in the grounds of the Villa Melzi
Pix 7: strolling towards the restaurant under the grape vines
Pix 8-10: view from the restaurant
Pix 11: An afternoon shower of rain
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*Jo: Lake fish anti-pasta, grilled vegetables with melted Camembert, fresh bread rolls and red wine…all at the marvellous ristorante Alle Darsene di Loppia**.**Donna: they had a pin-up calendar of George in the loo. I thought of you…