This beautiful statue stands on the grounds of one of the most beautiful villa‘s in Italy. She longingly stares out across Lago Como, waiting. The canopy tree keeps her shaded in the hot Italian sun. She is beautiful, surrounded in luxury, but strikes me as so utterly alone.
There is a beauty on Lake Come that is quite unlike anywhere else I have been. The small lake front towns (Como, Varenna, Lenno) are far too crowded with tourists looking to get away from the city for the day. April when I visited, the wind was still biting and the temperature too cold for my taste, but still the beauty is there. There is a stillness and a calmness to these waters. I am all too happy to one day return and spend more time.
I said last week I sometimes travel just for one photo. The great thing is you find so much more along the way, but often singular things capture my imagination and pull me to them with some great unseen force. I saw another rendition of this scene on a travel website when I knew I was going to Milan. I was looking for things in and around the great fashion capitol to do and Lago Como caught my fancy purely BECAUSE of this scene.
The statue looks over the most lovely vista at Villa Balbianello and gestures; to the surroundings and almost to the heavens. He seems to say, perhaps here, they are the same. Italy is a long way to travel to see the view of an old statue. I stood in this spot, sat in this spot for hours, the warm sun penetrating the biting cold April Lake Como wind. I thought of all places I have been and seen; I agreed with the statue.
I came to Italy this time around to visit this location…Villa del Balbianello on Lago (Lake) Como just north of Milan. I spent two days in Milan. It’s a wonderful city full of life and fashion, but these days I think I prefer less the overt flash of the city, and instead enjoy the seduction of nature. This villa has played host to several films. James Bond recovers here (a hospital) in the Daniel Craig version of Casino Royale. This is the Lake Retreat settings for Star Wars Episode 2 where Anakin and Padmé hide out and also the location of their wedding.
I can’t adequately communicate how absolutely beautiful Lago Como is and every time I try, it comes out all wrong. The wisteria was just starting to bloom and the sweet smell flooded my senses during my entire time at the lake. It seemed everywhere I turned, someone had planted another fragrant vine just to brighten my day. This statue of a female archer seemed to stare out across the beauty of the area. She had a job to do, but longed to be lost in the beauty that she found here. I know exactly how she feels.
