Alfredo drives the train

The Giardini Estensi is a converted villa, built for the Este family in the late 1700s, modeled after the famous Schönbrunn palace near Vienna. It's been turned into a beautiful civic center, with (not surprisingly) manicured Italian-style gardens, offices, and, up a steep hill, a play area. Alfredo, who like many people who work in Varese comes from near Naples in the south of Italy, sets up this little train and some little kid rides if the weather is nice. Business is slow, he says, everybody's out Christmas shopping.