Welcome home.  Its always bittersweet after returning from an epic trip like that, eh?

Sounds and looks great. It is good to hear about your trip.

Welcome back!!! What a trip!! The green Swiss fig looks fantastic. If anyone wants another lead on fig hunting in northern Italy... Cinque Terre had a good number of fig trees when I visited, I think particularly Manarola had a good number if I remember right :)

Thanks everyone for your comments. Still a little jet-lagged but ready to start posting some pictures.
First one is of a huge fig tree in Mykonos situated at a seaside restaurant's property. Imagine sitting under this tree, looking out into the deep blue Mediterranean Sea, sipping a little ouzo. It was a nice moment. 

    


Windmills of Mykonos were a little further out on the island.


     

Nice trip Frank, thanks for the info, I may use the same tour agent next year.

European Diary of “Significant” Figs:

 This will not mean much to anyone except me as part of the journal I am keeping.

1. Monte Bre - Lugano Switzerland. Tallest point in Lugano where you can view the surrounding area including the snow capped Alps, especially MountRosa.

-foot of the Funiculare large unripe with red flesh. May be black if similar to tree spotted half way up the mountain but not accessible

2. Campione D'Italia – Italian territory completely inside Switzerland on LakeLugano

-opposite the old mausoleum and chruch medium black very tasty red vermillion flesh

3. Ponte Tresa - Switzerland less than a mile from Italian border,

-Large tree on shoreline near gas station and chocolate factory we had visited earlier

-figs best in the world!!! Bright green outside - vermillion flesh. See pics

4. Stresa –  Lake Maggiore  Italy

-medium sized black figs up on hillside within villa area

5, Corfu – GreekIsland with Venetian influence across from TarantoItaly

- Large tree near the New Fortress wall ?color and quality unknown

6, Santorini - GreekIsland in a dusty parking lot from a big tree, dust on leaves with some green unripe figs present

7, Mykonos -  GreekIsland

A. Belvedere Hotel - purple figs early. Spoke to hotel worker next door

B. Large white fig as per same hotel worker just down the little lane

C. Taverna Antonin- big dark fig still on tree. Hard to get to

D. Black fig near motorcycle rental place up from outdoor taverna with huge fig tree (picture)

8. Olympia –Mainland Greece

A. Within Ancient Olympian ruins

B. near Olympia souvenir place

C. Port Katakolon from on seashore cafe. Nice ladies told me salt air impeded figs  from maturing, bet were green in color

9. VeniceItaly

-train station near canal-medium large black fig possibly Brogiotto Nero

10.  Padova Italy

A. Pontecorvo. Restaurant  below

B. near Ponte  Corvo  Via Ravignana and Vicolo Santonini green fig with red     flesh

Pictures from the Campione D'Italia fig tree.

The last photo is from our balcony.


                   

Nice photos Frank, thanks a bunch.

Thanks for the report, Frank, what a great time.  I'm jealous.  Maybe some day my son will be done with schooling and chose to run the farm and my wife and I can escape!

Just to be clear, are the photos in post #18 the one of the Ponte Tresa fig?  Too much sun is making it easy for me to get confused, I guess. :)  Please add me to the list for cuttings! LOL

Harvey, yes #18 is the fig from Ponte Tresa and what a fig it was.

I am not allowed to discuss cuttings but I can talk about mule  s h i t  though...

If anyone has been to Santorini, they will know that the only way to get to the top of the town is either by cable car or by riding on the back of a mule. The mules go up and down the paved pathway of 600 steps all day long, doing what mules do along the way. (We did not ride them due to the obvious cruelty these animals face - especially in view of the super-sized nature of American and German tourists)

Anyway, we did walk down the pathway in the twilight hours, taking almost an hour to do so. On the way down, to no one's surprise, we picked up a plentiful supply of the local color.

Furthermore, Europeans love their dogs. I know this because of the evidence shewn on sidewalks and streets.

We also visited a lot of areas with fig trees. Some of these trees had ripe fruit which we tasted. Some had fallen to the ground and rotted. Some of these got swished into the treads of our walking shoes as we carefully avoided taking cuttings.  

Just saying....


 

Great post and photos Frank thanks! How long was your vacation for? Sounds like it wasn't a quickie--you got a lot of awesome stuff done :).

Thanks for sharing your vacation. Looks awesome. Finding the best fig in the world... Priceless. :) Ad me to the list for mule poop too if it isnt full yet. :).. Makes great fertilizer.
Italy is high on my places to visit in the next couple of years. Trying to get the whole family to go. Of course they all think I'm strange wanting to plan a trip around fig harvest time .

Ponte Tresa Green Fig


                         

Oh man... why'd you have to go and do that. I need a bowl of those figs :). They are gorgeous and look so delicious. 

Feasting with my eyes wide open.
Glad you had an eventful trip and made it home with wonderful memories and are sharing with us. Thank you!

Yup, that fig has penetrated my soul and changed my life. If there is anyone planning a trip to the Lugano area, please let me know and I will give you the coordinates to that tree, so your life can be divinely blessed as well. ;))



Jeff, it was the longest vacation I've had since my University days:

One week in Campione D'Italia/Lugano area.
One week in the Lake Maggiore/Come/Venice area
One week in Greece (Islands and mainland)

Wonderful trip Frank and thanks for sharing your fig experience!

How do you compare the taste difference from the figs you tasted there to your own figs in Florida?  

Wow! What deep colored red flesh, YUM! I bet those greens could compete with any dark skinned figs. Thanks Frank.

Wow that Monte tresa is absolutely stunning. I may have to spend September in Italy next year. Any idea if they have an earlier crop or breba crop?

Welcome home!

@ Frank
you never gave me a chance to show you what greek figs are all about...

 

 
next time... ;-))

Frank,
Thanks for sharing your wonderful experiences and lovely photos.

Monte Tessa Green Fig...Wow!
I know Frank. I know. There is another thing I know. We will talk about that when I see you.

Nice Nice Nice