Orta San Giulio
Tour Day 13
Lago d'Orta & Isola San Giulio
10,862 Steps of Reflection
During our bus drive to the Piemonte region of Italy, and Orta San Guilio, Tricia took time to provide us with a nice review of the trip and reflect on all of the places we had been, all the magnificent sites we saw, and experience we had lived. Wow...we had done so many things! With everyday being a new adventure it was amazing to look back at the entire journey as it was about to come to a close.
The small lakeside village of Orta San Guilio is a beautiful location to conclude our Village Italy journey and say goodbye to all of our new travel friends. With many Italian experiences now behind us, it is an easy village to explore on our own. Also to explore is the island of Isola San Giullo, just a short boat ride away. Home to the Basilica and a Benedictine abbey, the island has a interesting "Trail of Silence" which is designed for meditation and reflection. And it was indeed a nice opportunity to reflect on our journey.
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Tour Tip: Add at least a day or two post tour to your travel intinerary.
If you can avoid it, don't schedule an early morning departure on the day the tour ends. Stay at least that last morning, and linger a bit.
If you must fly out early morning, stage yourself at a airport hotel the night before, and a full day after the tour ends. It is a much more enjoyable way to end your journey,.
Tour Day 14
Arrivederci & goodbyes
Total steps 144,014 of Adventure & La Dolce Vita
This was a day of goodbyes and arrivederci. Nearly all of our tour members, and Tricia, were heading home or onto their next adventure. It was time for our Village Italy tour members to scatter different directions and on to new journeys. Some individuals were traveling directly back home within the next day or two, while other would continue their own adventures in Italy and beyond. A few were even taking on a second Rick Steves tour.
As for Laura and Tom, they were departing for Spain. They would be joined by their daughters for further exploration and adventures as a family.
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For us, we would be traveling home in a few days. In planning our travels, we found our best route home would require a very early morning departure from Milan. We also knew from our previous tour that it would be nice to have one additional day to just relax and enjoy one last bit of Italy. We would stay another day Orta San Guilio.
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We made a point to see many of our departing tour members off, including one very difficult goodbye to Laura and Tom. We were not sure if or when we would see them again.
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We had no set plans or scheduled activities so we spent the day at a leisurely pace...enjoying slow meals, strolling the village, along the lakeshore, and up the hillside above at the Sacro Monte di Orta.
La Dolce Vita!
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"Don't be dismayed at good bye. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments, of lifetimes, is certain for those you are friends." Richard Bach
 Isola San Giullo |  Looking back at Orta San Giulio |  Approaching Isola San Giullo |
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 "Trail of Silence"...Isola San Giullo |  St Francis, on the hillside above Lake Orta |