¡Ciao America!

We had an early commitment today to visit Da Vinci’s The Last Supper. With our ground work done yesterday we planned to leave early enough to give us time to find the chapel, exchange vouchers for tickets, etc. We have nearly mastered the Metro although we always confirm our direction before boarding. Our apartment is situated right between two lines, each about a five block walk, which gives us lots of options.

We did indeed arrive early, and thank goodness, because the Milanese are woefully stingy with signage for any of the sights! We had the same difficulty finding La Scala yesterday. I have become pretty good about approaching people with my open map (destination circled) and a pleading “prego (please)” while pointing to the spot on the map! We were amazed how many people did not know where the chapel was that holds one of the world’s most famous paintings!! After at least five queries we were pointed in the right direction and my map reading skills took over from there.

The Cenacolo Vinciano is on the grounds of the Santa Maria Della Grazie church and is home to Da Vinci’s The Last Supper. In an attempt to preserve the painting, only smalls groups of 25 or less are allowed in for no more than 20 minutes and only a few days a week. Buying tickets in advance is a must and we were truly lucky that their calendar coincided with our three days in Milan.

Unlike Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel, The Last Supper is not a fresco and therefore has not aged or endured as well. There have been at least three major restorations of the work, the last one from 1977-1999. Our guide jokingly said it took Da Vinci four years to paint it and us twenty years to restore it! But despite its age, narrowly escaping destruction during bombing in WWII, it is magnificent to behold. The colors, although faded, are brighter and clearer than we had anticipated. Our guide, a student of art, was able to explain technique, the religious symbolism and small details that would have otherwise been missed.

With our next activity not until 3 in the afternoon, we went in search of my nephew Colby’s, wife’s sister!! Carolina, Colby’s wife, is Italian and her sister, Simona, is a fabric artist and designer in Milan. Again, armed with an address and a map, we took the Metro to the northwest section of Milan. Once where factories lived, now a thriving, modern section of the city home to Milan’s tallest skyscraper and the Piazza Gae Aulenti. Born of a massive redevelopment project, the Piazza blends historic and modern. Also in this area are two residential towers known as the Verticle Forest. Literally planted with thousands of trees, shrubs and plants in an attempt to promote sustainable residential buildings and urban biodiversity.

More ‘pregos’ and map pointing got us to Simona’s studio, only to find her out. With contact information printed on her door, I was able to text her, introduce myself and our purpose. We exchanged texts and apologies that a meeting wouldn’t work out this time.

Back to the apartment for a lunch of leftovers from last night’s abundant meal and a much needed rest for our feet. Off again at 2 to catch the Metro to the Duomo for our guided tour of the cathedral and its rooftops.

What does one say about another magnificent cathedral, but we were not expecting this!! Thinking of the Duomo in Florence, we weren’t prepared for the scale or grandeur.

I won’t bore you with the myriad of facts and architectural tidbits we received on our 2 1/2 hour tour, suffice it to say it was mind boggling! Started in 1386 by the archbishop of the region and completed in 1856, the cathedral saw many architects, architectural styles and refinements. Unlike other European cathedrals this one is made from marble quarried exclusively from the Candoglia quarry in northern Italy.

The journey to the rooftops provided a closer view of both the materials and the details of the craftsmanship, not to mention city views. Lucky for us, the previously cloudy day became sunny, providing magnificent light and views.

When all was said and done we headed back to the Metro for our ride home. Walking the streets and riding the Metro you become subtly aware of the elegance of the Milanese people. Not one pair of Lululemon, (no athletic clothes at all!), not one ball cap (save for the artfully worn NY cap by a young man), and nothing sloppy. From young to old there is a care in dress and appearance. It may be the too tan, too blonde older woman or the casually elegant young professional or the cropped jeans and heels of the young, but they are all beautiful (and tall!)

Dinner was take away from our same local restaurant. The remainder of the evening gathering our belongings to be ready for tomorrow’s onward journey.

Domani, Vernazza.

Arriving at night, and having a long day of travel has its benefits. We slept well and deep, and woke up in the appropriate time zone! We were, however, totally embarrassed when we looked out our third floor window and saw the train station not four blocks away!! No wonder our cab driver was curt! In fairness to us, we did tip him generously and he was close enough to get quickly back in queue for another (better) fare.

Having no set plan until a 2:30 tour at La Scala, we spent the morning learning our neighborhood. We found a food market, a cheese market, a pharmacy along with many cafes, bars and eateries. It’s a quiet neighborhood, well located to all we want to do or at least transportation (Metro) to get there.

We went back to the train station to acquaint ourselves with the ins and outs of catching our train to Vernazza on Friday and how to use the Metro to get to Cenaccolo Vinciano, where we will view The Last Supper.

The train station, Milano Centrale is, itself, worth a visit for its enormity and grandeur. It is Europe’s largest railway station by volume. The faćade is 660 feet wide and it’s vault, 236 feet high with 24 platforms servicing 330,000 per day! It is a city within itself with cafes, restaurants, shops, and services to accommodate those in transit through its halls.

We walked the two plus miles to Teatro alla Scala enjoying the city beyond our neighborhood. La Scala is in the heart of the fashion district and Fashion Week starts in four days. The area was ALIVE with activity and preparation. Gardens being planted and fluffed, windows being dressed in their best, streets being washed and the ‘onlookers’ arriving.

We were early (allowing time to get lost) so ventured over to the Galleria and the Duomo. So much of this area, including La Scala and the Galleria, were destroyed by Allied bombing during WWII. Their resurrection and reconstruction are a testament to this city’s love of the arts.

The tour of La Scala was so interesting and educational — from its beginnings, its role in the arts (opera, ballet & concerts), the composers and conductors, the legendary performers and its role in the rebirth of both Milan and the arts after WWII.

After our tour we headed to the Metro station to figure out a way home and how to use it again the following day. We happily learned that we’re just a few blocks from a Metro stop that will give us access to all we have planned.

With weary feet and still a bit of jet lag we arrived back at the flat. After checking for messages we allowed ourselves a nap before venturing out for dinner.

We had spotted this local haunt on our way to the train station in the morning. Now run by a third generation of the same family, we enjoyed an incredible meal.

A walk in the neighborhood, as a digestive and to enjoy the cool air, completed our day.

¡Domani!

We’ve officially embarked on our Italian Adventure. Thanks to an abundance of miles we were able to book this flight in and out of Santa Barbara. There is nothing sweeter than security at the SBA airport!

We left Santa Barbara around 11 a.m. and arrived Dallas at 4 p.m. Because we wanted the red eye to London, (if I’m going to be in the air for almost 10 hours I would like to SLEEP some of them without meal service, cabin lights, etc.) we had a 5 hour layover in Dallas.

Thanks to another perk, we had passes to the United Club at DFW. We were pleasantly surprised by how quiet the lounge was. With it’s comfortable seating, WiFi, power outlets and decent food (not to mention a full bar!) we settled in for a few relaxing hours. Touched base with girls, checked email, paid bills (ah, the wonders of online banking!) and imbibed in some bubbly 🥂.

We boarded our Boeing 777, with our several hundred other passengers, about 9:45 p.m. just prior to take off the pilot informed us that we would be delayed because there wasn’t enough food on board for all (OH NO!). About a half an hour later food issue was resolved and we were in the air. After a mediocre airplane meal and a final glass of wine, we settled in for our polar route to London.

Although the flight was brilliantly smooth, sleeping is always a challenge, even with the help of sleep aids! We arrived London only about 15 minutes behind schedule. We had a little over two hours to disembark, clear passport control and change terminals for our flight to Milan. Luckily our bags were checked through to Milan and we had one less thing to negotiate.

Last leg of of long day’s journey departed on time. An easy hour and forty minute flight over the English Channel, France and the Alps before landing in Milan. Effortless entry into the country, however, baggage claim was delayed by almost thirty minutes and we were more than ready to put this day ‘in the books’. But the bags arrived (always a miracle), and we navigated our way to the train that would carry us into Milan. An hour later we arrived at the stunning Milan Stazione Centrale!

We knew the apartment was only a short walk, but by then it was dark and we were beyond tired, so we hailed a cab. He was a little miffed when we gave him the address and said “it’s 300 meters”! We apologized, and because of one way streets he did have to drive a bit!

Access to the flat was straightforward and as described. With little fanfare, a face wash and a teeth brushing, we were off to bed.

¡Ciao Italia!

For me, so much of travel isn’t the actual trip, but the journey of getting there. Finding and booking flights, exploring accommodations – houses, apartments or flats at our destination; researching places of interest via blogs, websites or books; loading weather and time zones onto my phone; starting a Pinterest board; getting maps (yep, the paper kind!); figuring out transportation options at my destination; understanding the currency and exchange rates (yes, there’s an app for that); mentally packing and finally loading my eReader with books for the trip. I affectionately call all of this ‘travel foreplay’!

I’m deep into it now as we are only three weeks away from departure. We are really excited about this itinerary and think we have a nice balance of places we will be visiting and experiencing.

In a nutshell – – – we begin with three days in Milan, then on to Cinque Terre (Vernazza) for six days, followed by Lucca for a brief two day visit with a bestie from high school who will be there for a month immersing herself in the culture, then on to Venice where we will catch a 7-day Adriatic cruise (Southern Italy, three Greek Islands, Croatia) before returning to Venice for the final six days. Phew!!

Come along with us – – – the travel begins on September 16!