After surviving the earlier part of the trip, during which none of the windows were open and there was no air-conditioning, some of the guards mercifully opened some of the windows. Not fully at this point (though that would come later) but enough to be able to get some shots through the open window and more importantly enough to get some air in.
Lecco is a small town (around 50,000 people) near the base of the eastern leg of Lake Como. About 50 km north of Milan, it is the first stop en route to Tirano.