Chapter I: Milano

Buon giorno!    Double click on the photos to enlarge.

We landed in Milano on 28 August (about 23 hours after Paige left us at the security gate in Victoria) and took a train from the airport to downtown.  The Milano train station is magnificent – huge, old, ornate, soaring, classical.  Grand Central Station could be tucked inside and would look nice but modest.  Moira had found a hotel (Hotel Corrobbio) on line for a good price; it was a fine pick on all dimensions (clean, quiet, comfortable, great location, nice people). 

We didn’t do all that much in Milano – wandered around, admired the duomo inside and out, did some window shopping, drank terrific coffees and wonderful orange juices.  Did a tour of Theatro la Scala’s museum, which was well worth the cost of admission, and also went to a museum with an amazing vast collection of great paintings.  Had dinner two nights running in the same place because we liked it so much the first time (and were not disappointed the second).

The duomo of Milano.  Stunning.  An easy walk from our hotel.

Don'tcha feel my thigh.

 

Spot the shiny calf above.  Kidding aside, these doors are stunning.

Saint Bartholemew is said to have been skinned alive; here he is with his skin draped above him like a cloak.  A chilling sculptural masterpiece in the duomo.

 

Reportedly the world's first shopping mall.  Certainly the classiest.  I read that the architect fell of a scaffold shortly before the work was completed so he never got to shop there.

 

Theatro la Scala, super-famous opera house.  Moira and I saw an opera here years ago, but this time we just visited as part of a tour (which also include displays of a bunch of very fine costumes).

Life imitating art.

Leaving our hotel in Milano (after 3 nights there) en route for Padova.