Duomo Santa Maria Nascente - This beautiful church is a fine example of Gothic architecture. The roof has 135 spires and is one of the largest Cathedrals in the world. Forty thousand people can fit inside.
“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.” Dr. Suess
Wow Moments in Milan
We arrived in ITALY!!! We bought our tickets taking us from the airport to the city, boarded the train and found our hotel all while jet lagged. We even tried speaking a little Italian and received our response in English! After dropping our stuff at the hotel, we set out to explore this incredible city and found an equally incredible church.
We had to find the 'torino' or little bull in the Galleria. Spinning on the bull's balls will bring you good luck. Our destination was in the heart of Milan's shopping district.
TIP: Plan ahead with the help of your Rick Steves' tour book to find the highlights in the city, especially if you have limited time. We found a small group city tour to show us around Milan. This was very helpful in battling jet lag and adjusting to the time change. Safety first - Use your money belt (why risk it?) and bring an umbrella.
The Milan city tour included the world famous Teatro alla Scala Opera House and Leonardo's The Last Supper. If you want to see this beautiful work of art, GO SOON! Leonardo da Vinci tried a new technique with experimental pigments on dry plaster instead of the traditional wet plaster technique and sadly, it didn't work. It began falling off the wall before it was even finished. Don't forget to make a reservation. The fifteen minute viewing times sell out months in advance and is well worth the price of admission.
Italian word/phrase of the day: Disritmia - Jet lag. We signed up for a city tour to battle the jet lag. A nice bus ride to rest and plenty of beauty and learning to keep us awake.
NOM NOM NOM
A quick bite on the go - two little sandwiches and a glass of wine for 3 Euros.