To Market, to Market to Buy . . . .

More than 20 years ago when my friend, Sue, and I were visiting this area, we were told about the very well known weekly market in Luino on Lago Maggiore.  At that time, we did go to it although the only thing I remember about it is how we got ripped off for parking.  Some guy directed us to park on some street and then demanded 5000 lira (about $5 at the time).  We learned later that he was just scamming people and that we could have parked on that same street for free.  Live and learn!  However, the market is still very big and it is so well known that tour buses filled with shoppers arrive from all over Switzerland and Germany, some as far away as Munich.  When Nawal and I were planning this trip and she told me she loves markets, we arranged our itinerary so we could go to the market today.  After breakfast this morning, we took the 9:05 a.m. and 15 minute ferry ride across the lake to Luino.  We could not believe how many people were on that ferry - as far as we could tell, all German speaking.  They were lining up at least 1/2 hour before the boat was due to go!

Last of the crowd boarding the ferry.  At that point I am sure there were over 150 people on the boat.

Our hotel by the ferry terminal

After all the passengers were "disgorged" from the ferry in a bit of a frenzied mood, we starting wandering around the market.  It is set up along the lakefront as well as on side streets and in the town's main parking lot and square.  I didn't count the stalls but there must be a hundred of them or more.  Unfortunately, however, once you started poking around in them, you realized much of the "wares" were the same in many of the stalls.  At least I did track down a lime-green leather handbag that I wanted.  I think the most popular items were scarves (bought one), bracelets, leather goods, sunglasses and clothing.  It was difficult to find anything special or very high quality though.  Nawal lit up when we got to the food section where she bought a selection of dried fruits, sampled some cheeses (including a truffle one), and admired the fresh produce including some oddly shaped eggplants (round). 

Above and below - some of the fresh produce



More of the food stalls - above and below

Before it got crowded - around 9:30 in the morning

It became more and more difficult to walk around as the morning progressed and more crowds arrived.  I did not hear any English (aside from us, of course) and the predominant language was German - not Italian.  A number of the sellers were Arab so Nawal was able to talk with them in their language.

I am afraid we didn't stimulate the Italian economy that much but at least we bought a few little things.  We were happy to stop finally for lunch at a restaurant where, despite what the menu indicated was available for lunch, was actually only serving two kinds of salad and pasta.  I am getting a little tired of caprese salads, by the way.  It seemed just as lunchtime was finishing, the kitchen started turning out some of the other items on the menu.  Perhaps they were on their lunch break!  By 2 p.m. we were done and took the ferry back to Cannero Riviera, along with a few hundred other people.  I'm fed up with crowds and being pushed and shoved around - at least until we get to Milan.

 

Leaving Luino

 

View of our hotel:  Nawal's room is in the bigger building on the left
And mine is in the little pink building on the right,  We both have lovely views of the lake.
Life is good. 

Next stop tomorrow:  the Borromeo Islands south of here.  Sure hope the threat of rain has gone by the time we wake up!  I'm getting very tired of cools temps and clouds.  Nawal did a count and we've only had about three or four sunny days so far.  That is simply wrong!