Most of what happens in Bellagio stays in Bellagio

Bellagio from afar
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On Saturday, Eric and Diego organized a group trip to Bellagio, a picturesque town at the tip of Lake Como. We traveled by train to Varenna and then by ferry so we were able to take in a good deal of the mountains, water, and countryside. You can learn a lot about your colleagues while occupying 10 square feet of space for a few hours. For example, Ed does a fantastically hilarious Schwarzenegger impression, Zach can count in binary on his fingers, and nobody can agree on what are the real rules for playing Hearts.

Eric smiles (probably thinking about how much he loves and misses his mother)
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Once we arrived at our destination, we wandered through the shops and cafes until we came upon a small deli. The idea of dining al fresco was unanimously approved and we found a small spot overlooking the lake to set up our typical Italian lunch fare: ciabatta, salami, pecorino, olives, and a nice bottle of red wine. A little further exploration revealed a tall stone pier where Diego, Nick, and Grant plunged into the water. Nick was particularly appreciative of the chance to cool off- see photos- while the rest of us were almost as refreshed with gelatti from the nearby bar.

You can learn a lot about your colleagues while occupying 10 square feet of space for a few hours

Grant savors a moment of solitude
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After that we wandered through the more residential areas admiring the landscape, the boats, and the numerous varieties of motorbike which seem to be the preferred mode of transportation. We found a nice outdoor pub on the water to rest our legs, enjoy some Italian birra, and share a few more laughs before boarding the ferry to Varenna.

Ed already proclaimed he will “be baaaccchhhk!” next year.