We took a train ride from Venice to Milano. Ah, Milano! A city that’s as beautiful and interesting as the cookie that bears its name. It reminds me of New York (the city). Well, of a glitzier and more refined New York with a dizzying history surrounding their magnificent duomo. We didn’t stay long since we needed more time in Rome, so we cut our visit a day short. It was actually fine that we did since we really didn’t like the hotel that we were staying at. Of all hotels in Milan, we wound up staying at (don’t laugh) Hotel Florida. My blog is a bit behind because of the EXCELLENT non-functioning wi-fi.
When I say “magnificent duomo” I mean duomo magnifico (sounds better in Italian). Carline and I agree that it’s probably our best duomo to date. If’s ONLY the fourth largest in Europe even though it’s ginormous (when did that become an official word? Webster? Webster?).We actually spent about an hour with an interactive history machine at the Leonardo Da Vinci museum learning about the construction of the duomo. But I digress.
Digressing. We also visited the Leonardo Da Vinci Art and Tech museum where we learned what boredom can make one man do. The museum also housed technological history, not only by LDV. They have a Casio FX-502P programmable calculator which I owned when I was a teenager….a few years ago (ahem). Anyway….
The highlight of Milan (at least for me) was being in the presence of Cenacolo Vinciano. We’ve all seen copies of it ad nauseum; on tacky table runners and wall mounts in your grandmother’s house, on the “telly” (I’m writing this on my flight to Dublin from Rome on Aer Lingus), and in religious stores, but to see the original in person is a totally different experience. Unfortunately, we weren’t allowed to take pictures so I cannot show you it’s magnitude, but it is very, um, “magnitudical”. It was almost a religious experience for me. How can people be idiotic and cause damage to such a work is beyond my comprehension. Luckily, it survived long enough for me to witness it (Yes. I’m being a bit selfish). After all the excitement, I had to sit down at a local bar and have a cappuccino and una torta di cioccolato. The barista was kind enough to show me how he made the heart on my drink with the milk froth.
We had a bit of fun at the mall next to the duomo. Carline spun on the testicles of the Torino. Yes. It sounds weird. Look it up. Let’s hope it brings us good fortune.
Milano, ritorno subito per passare più tempo per conocerla meigliore.