Comments for LisaLarry.com http://www.lisalarry.com Adventures, News, and Updates from Wherever Tue, 26 Oct 2010 10:19:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 Comment on Villa del Balbianello, Lake Como, Italy by Anne http://www.lisalarry.com/2009/10/17/villa-del-balbianello-lake-como-italy/comment-page-1/#comment-1530 Anne Tue, 26 Oct 2010 10:19:37 +0000 http://www.lisalarry.com/?p=2753#comment-1530 Congratulations on the fantastic pictures of this magical place.The visit to Villa Balbaniello was the high point of our tour of Lago di Como. A few further bits of information about Guidoand the Villa. It was the Visconti family who owned it before Guido and their symbol on the coat of arms of the snake eating the baby is gruesome but very memorable . Guido's symbol on his coat of arms is a large stag looking up to the sun. He was the heir to the Italian department store "Standa" and his first act upon purchasing the villa was to remove all traces of its previous incumbents and adapt it to his taste and needs. The carefully selected French and English furniture and antiques complement perfectly his wonderful collections of South American, African and Asian art.He only spent about 3 weeks a year in the villa and it was he who constructed the road to the Villa from Lenno to enable it to be reached by car.It was the era of the "anni di piombo" when he took over the villa and he was constantly in fear of being kidnapped by the Red Brigades for a large ransom. This led him to block up one of the quirkier parts of the Villa, the secret passage which had been installed by the original owner , Cardinal Durini , to escape an unexpected attack. Guido wanted the villa to be his sanctuary and his generous gesture of leaving it as a gift to FAI ( Italian national trust) means that we can all now share this idyllic spot which now describes the life of an adventurer/explorer who achieved so much in his life tragically cut short by lung cancer , caused by his addiction to tobacco. The one challenge he could never overcome was to quit smoking and he paid the price with an all too early death. Congratulations on the fantastic pictures of this magical place.The visit to Villa Balbaniello was the high point of our tour of Lago di Como. A few further bits of information about Guidoand the Villa.
It was the Visconti family who owned it before Guido and their symbol on the coat of arms of the snake eating the baby is gruesome but very memorable . Guido’s symbol on his coat of arms is a large stag looking up to the sun.
He was the heir to the Italian department store “Standa” and his first act upon purchasing the villa was to remove all traces of its previous incumbents and adapt it to his taste and needs. The carefully selected French and English furniture and antiques complement perfectly his wonderful collections of South American, African and Asian art.He only spent about 3 weeks a year in the villa and it was he who constructed the road to the Villa from Lenno to enable it to be reached by car.It was the era of the “anni di piombo” when he took over the villa and he was constantly in fear of being kidnapped by the Red Brigades for a large ransom. This led him to block up one of the quirkier parts of the Villa, the secret passage which had been installed by the original owner , Cardinal Durini , to escape an unexpected attack. Guido wanted the villa to be his sanctuary and his generous gesture of leaving it as a gift to FAI ( Italian national trust) means that we can all now share this idyllic spot which now describes the life of an adventurer/explorer who achieved so much in his life tragically cut short by lung cancer , caused by his addiction to tobacco. The one challenge he could never overcome was to quit smoking and he paid the price with an all too early death.

]]> Comment on Back in NYC! by shelby http://www.lisalarry.com/2010/06/27/back-in-nyc/comment-page-1/#comment-1521 shelby Tue, 29 Jun 2010 15:56:47 +0000 http://www.lisalarry.com/?p=3059#comment-1521 what new wheels? Cant wait to have an excuse to come see you guys., you should post a pick of Grey's with the caption "68 seconds or 138 steps from my front door". ss what new wheels? Cant wait to have an excuse to come see you guys., you should post a pick of Grey’s with the caption “68 seconds or 138 steps from my front door”.

ss

]]> Comment on The Beautiful, Majestic Lipizzaner Stallions: Lipica, Slovenija by Marko http://www.lisalarry.com/2009/10/07/the-beautiful-majestic-lipizzaner-stallions-lipica-slovenija/comment-page-1/#comment-934 Marko Sat, 28 Nov 2009 20:39:06 +0000 http://www.lisalarry.com/?p=2651#comment-934 Wow, this reminded me of my visit many years ago. They truly are magnificent! Thanks for sharing. I just might go back one of these days. Wow, this reminded me of my visit many years ago. They truly are magnificent! Thanks for sharing.
I just might go back one of these days.

]]> Comment on Prague, Czech Republic, Day 2: Comedian Tour Guide, War Stories, the Castle, and St. Vitus by Keith Hanson http://www.lisalarry.com/2009/08/23/prague-czech-republic-castle-st-vitus/comment-page-1/#comment-805 Keith Hanson Mon, 12 Oct 2009 02:22:01 +0000 http://www.lisalarry.com/?p=2315#comment-805 It all looks like a lot of good times. The history is quite interesting, it makes a person wonder what the people are like after going through all kinds of persecution and being dominated by others. Maybe their plight was not that bad however. Some of those old buildings are amazing. The last picture looks like a beautiful night out and wonderful weather. It all looks like a lot of good times. The history is quite interesting, it makes a person wonder what the people are like after going through all kinds of persecution and being dominated by others. Maybe their plight was not that bad however. Some of those old buildings are amazing. The last picture looks like a beautiful night out and wonderful weather.

]]> Comment on Lavender Valley, Lacoste, and the Marquis by Keith Hanson http://www.lisalarry.com/2009/07/18/lavender-valley-lacoste-and-the-marquis/comment-page-1/#comment-708 Keith Hanson Sat, 22 Aug 2009 04:07:07 +0000 http://www.lisalarry.com/?p=1690#comment-708 Beautiful vineyards and old buildings. That night view is great. Beautiful vineyards and old buildings. That night view is great.

]]> Comment on Vaison la Romaine; Seat of the Papacy by Keith Hanson http://www.lisalarry.com/2009/07/22/vaison-la-romaine-seat-of-the-papacy/comment-page-1/#comment-707 Keith Hanson Sat, 22 Aug 2009 04:02:31 +0000 http://www.lisalarry.com/?p=1812#comment-707 Looks like a lot of fun places to see. Thanks for taking all those cool pics for the rest of us that can't be there. It saves us a lot of time and money. We can be there virtually through you! Awesome... Looks like a lot of fun places to see. Thanks for taking all those cool pics for the rest of us that can’t be there. It saves us a lot of time and money. We can be there virtually through you! Awesome…

]]> Comment on People, Places, and Things by Larry Dee http://www.lisalarry.com/2009/05/30/people-places-and-things/comment-page-1/#comment-384 Larry Dee Sun, 31 May 2009 16:15:37 +0000 http://www.larrylisa.com/?p=412#comment-384 I await with eager anticipation each entry of your vagabonding experience. It's like being there with you. As I read each line, each paragraph, I start to think how so much the words are beginning to sound like an exciting novel. Have you two ever considered exploring the possibility of having your works published? "Vagabonding Across Europe - a Personal Perspective" What's the next adventure for our two intrepid explorers? I can't wait to find out. I await with eager anticipation each entry of your vagabonding experience. It’s like being there with you. As I read each line, each paragraph, I start to think how so much the words are beginning to sound like an exciting novel. Have you two ever considered exploring the possibility of having your works published? “Vagabonding Across Europe – a Personal Perspective” What’s the next adventure for our two intrepid explorers? I can’t wait to find out.

]]> Comment on Kitty Sitting (Day 4) by Kristin http://www.lisalarry.com/2008/11/24/kitty-sitting-day-4/comment-page-1/#comment-377 Kristin Sat, 29 Nov 2008 05:14:21 +0000 http://www.lisalarry.com/?p=174#comment-377 So, so very funny. So, so very funny.

]]> Comment on Moon and Clouds by Larry http://www.lisalarry.com/2008/09/16/moon-and-clouds/comment-page-1/#comment-372 Larry Fri, 21 Nov 2008 23:25:45 +0000 http://www.larryhanson.com/?p=74#comment-372 Thanks! Thanks!

]]> Comment on Moon and Clouds by Allison Sellers http://www.lisalarry.com/2008/09/16/moon-and-clouds/comment-page-1/#comment-371 Allison Sellers Thu, 20 Nov 2008 05:31:40 +0000 http://www.larryhanson.com/?p=74#comment-371 I just wanted to say I like your blog, I think it looks great. I just wanted to say I like your blog, I think it looks great.

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