Arriving in Milan by train, CrossCountry Bob finds himself in a train station built by Mussolini in 1931 to showcase the power of his Italian fascist state. Makes one pause when about to utter: “those were the days”.
CrossCountry Bob chose a hotel a five minute walk from the Mussolini masterpiece so that he could look at it five times a day (kidding, but hey, look at Italy today, maybe not the best, maybe not the brightest but right up there when it comes to expressing that life is for living – just drink their coffee and eat their pasta if you have any doubt about that says CrossCountry Bob). One small problem for CrossCountry Bob with all that living – you all know it as the expanding waistline 🙁
Milan is a big, active modern city. The kind of place CrossCountry Bob loves to visit but wouldn’t want to live in. But the old area of the city is relatively compact and showcased by the Duomo (means cathedral in Italian). For reference, the Duomo was not built by Mussolini according to a reliable source that CrossCountry Bob experienced when young – you may have heard of that “reliable” source – the Roman Catholic Church.
A much more appropriate version…
People flock to the area around the duomo and it is alive! Paintin’ Peggie has the eye for these places as her photos here illustrate:
And high end shopping. This is the first time CrossCountry Bob has seen people lining up to enter a Prada. If you look close you can see the Prada wallet/purse checker moving down the line and ensuring customers’ wallets/purses are fat with cash and credit cards.
Well, ok, maybe no wallet/purse checker but there were purses for sale for 1,500 euros and nice coats for 1,800 euros. CrossCountry Bob has trouble conceptualizan paying that kind of money for clothes!! But he is searching for a pair of stylish Italian sandals for a more reasonable price (maybe 125 euros perhaps 🙂 ).
Time for a mid-moring breakfast on the go in Milan? Not a problem, many choices. Paintin’ Peggie spotted this and it was a winner.
Delizioso!
For moving about in Milan, the Metro is clean and efficient; CrossCountry Bob’s preferred way around Milan was an all day pass for 7 euros! And if you ever need help up the stairs there is always a Paintin’ Peggie ready to help with the stroller…
Ten minutes on the Metro from the hotel to the Duomo and then another ten or fifteen minutes to the canal district. The canals are popular with both tourists and locals.
By now, as evening approached and CrossCountry Bob had clocked over 10 km on what was left of his knees, it was time to sit, have some wine and dinner and people watch. A pleasant way to slide into sunset. The knees appreciated it!
And then back to Hotel Garda via the Metro. An easy stroll from the Metro station to the hotel along safe streets. The Italians have done Milan just right. It’s a wrap for CrossCountry Bob and Paintin’ Peggie. A restful sleep and then a civilized start the next morning, a 9:15 a.m. train departure from Mussolini’s monument.
Next stop, Venice.
CrossCountry Bob signing off for the night.