Keeping Company With the Introverted Church

Completely isolated, impossibly high on the face of the mountain, we had been fascinated by it since the first time we noticed it from the boat as we arrived and labelled it "The Introverted Church.". Each day since, we gazed across the lake to that lone perch, high above the village below. At dinner last night we asked about it. "The Church of San Martini," answered Christian, and "Si" when I asked if one can get there. "Take the ferry to Cadenabbia," he instructed. "It's about an hour hike."

For someone, I suppose. An hour and a half after exchanging the village's streets for the cobblestone path, we pushed through the gate opening onto the grounds of Chiesa San Martini. The turns of each switchback up the steep incline were marked by artistic monuments depicting the stations of the cross -- until, that is, the switchbacks outnumbered the stations. No matter; by that point we were feeling crucified ourselves.

But it was worth it -- the views were magnificent every step of the largely unprotected path, the edge of which dropped precipitously off to oblivion; the wizzened old lady hollaring at her dog and goats from the gate to her yard; the cheese truck from which we purchased samples along with all the neighbors at the upper edge of the town that became our lunch/reward at the top of the climb in the church yard; trading photographic duties with the other triumphant climbers to commemorate our success; sharing the walk back down with the couple from Dallas. It was a glorious way to spend a beautiful day -- and one that earned our cup of gelato once back from the ferry ride and comfortably again in familiar environs.

Now ensconsed on the patio with a book and a gentle breeze and the sun beginning to settle, it feels good to prop up my feet, enjoy the zillion dollar view, and stare across the water, higher and higher, way up the face of the opposing mountain, and see "Introverted Chapel" up there by itself, and smile...

...Knowing that at least for awhile today it had some weary but happy company.