Ciao! Today was our day trip to Como and the first company visit. We took a bus to Como and stopped on at the company on the way. Looking out the window of the bus the architecture was so different the that in the United States, it was much more beautiful! I also got to look at the alps and the dreariness of the day added a mysteriousness to the landscape.

Once we arrived at Mantero, which is a silk company, we were greeted by a very nice woman who showed us around. One of the coolest parts of this company is that it is family owned and run. We were unfortunately not able to take any pictures during our tour because they fabrics they are working on have yet to be released to the public so essentially we were getting a sneak peak at the future fashion trends for higher end companies. It was very interesting to see the two ways that they added the designs to the fabrics. It was nice to see the machinery that was needed to make the fabrics, as well as learn more about the role engineers play in the world of fashion. They also showed us the massive library of fabrics they have collected, and it was cool to see how certain styles have come back in fashion over time. After our tour we were taken to the gift shop and were able to purchase some of the silk products made by them. It was really fun to look around and see the final product after being walked through the entire process needed to make what we were buying.

We left the company and continued on our way to Como. When we arrived we went to this beautiful restaurant for a group lunch. It was fun to sit with everyone and talk over a nice lunch, it is really cool how close we have all gotten in such a short time. Unfortunately it was raining so our walking tour was a little wet, however the beauty of the Como still shined through the dreary day. From our walking tour we went on a boat tour through lake Como which luckily was covered and provided us with protection from the rain. The views from the boat were gorgeous, even on such a rainy day. I can only imagine how amazing it would be on a sunny day. After our boat tour we got back on the bus and headed back to our hotel in Milan. I am sad that this is our only day in Como because there was so much to see and so little time to see it. I guess that just means I will have to come back again soon!

Until tomorrow, Ciao!