Not that I wish to cast doubts about the motives of my travel partner but the coincidences are piling up, and I'm just not sure it is all serendipity, as he suggests.
But not to get ahead of myself.....
We awoke to find even more mist and fog than yesterday, and anticipating better weather (based on the Italian weather bureau's prediction - very foolish!) we headed for the train station and Milan, an hour away.
There's always surprises, but when Ewan suggested a different Via to get to the station away we went, wheeling our cases over the cobblestones. First we came upon the local cemetery with a plume of smoke issuing forth from the rear, then a couple of huge supermarkets and some piles of rubbish outside some derelict buildings. At this point, when I commented on the streetscape, Ewan drily said that he really knows how to show a girl a good time!
After checking into the hotel in Milan we had a coffee to collect our thoughts and make decisions about the day's itinerary, before setting off on the tram (yep a real old fashioned tourist tram) which runs right outside the door of the hotel.
Dear reader, this is where the coincidence occurred. Whilst planning the day Ewan disappeared to have a chat with the helpful vivacious blonde Reception desk girl, and to buy public transport tickets supposedly. However it appears that there is a big soccer (football here!) match on here tonight. How amazing! Fancy our visit to Milan coinciding with this fabulous event! Even more amazing is the fact that Ewan watches all of the Italian soccer games on TV at home so he would love to see one live! AND the hotel is within walking distance of the very Stadium where tonights match is being held. AND.....the Reception desk girl managed to get us two black market tickets to go at a princely sum ( the shopping is looking grim)!!
So...let me see...the World Cycle Championships were on in Tuscany when we were there.....and now the soccer is on the day we arrive in Milan....how serendipitous as Ewan commented!
I did consider letting Ewan enjoy this fabulous treat on his own, but we did go to a rugby match when we went to NZ so I feel I have to do the right thing and have the corresponding football experience here.
For those interested it's Roma (black and red ) playing Inter Milan (blue and black). To avoid being lynched by the home crowd we are going to support the Milan team of course.
To return to the start of the day...we jumped aboard the tram and then the Metro to emerge from the darkness into the Piazza around the huge Duomo. It's a very awe-inspiring sight -the ornate pink granite Duomo on one side, the huge enclosed Galleria Vittoria Emmanuale (shopping arcade) on the other, and statues and beautiful stone buildings everywhere.
We decided to ruin our current record of climbing all available church domes and NOT climb to the top of this one. But we did wander around and enjoy the enormous columns and beautiful old stained glass inside. Apparently we totally missed the nail that is supposed to have been in Jesus hand when he was on the Cross. This Duomo has been a long time in the making having commenced in 1347 and still being worked on in the 1960's: currently there is a lot of restoration going on as well.
We managed to see a different view of it from the food hall on the 7th floor of the local department store, La Rinascente. We were trying to find somewhere to eat at non-tourist prices when I spotted the sign, and when we reached the 7th floor there was a restaurant right next to the top of the Duomo, within waving distance of the people who had climbed to the top!
We had a very lovely simple lunch and found ourselves walking through what appeared to be a chocolate and desserts food hall as we exited. After testing some of the chocolate on offer, Ewan purchased some chocolates with coffee filling and some with praline, and they really are lovely smooth chocolate (unfortunately for the waistline!). We managed to resist the macarons, the nougat etc etc etc.
On the way down in the escalator we stopped to look at some of the designer clothes. Ewan was very taken with a suede jacket: see the photo. But at a mere 4317 euros we thought we'd leave it behind. As I'm not built like a broomstick most of the clothes were not very tempting!
But this is Milan and it's important that as tourists we pay homage to the design and clothing world that exists here. So we set off for the Alessi shop so I could ooh and aah, which I did. They had a lovely dog bowl that the dogs would have loved but I couldn't fit it in my luggage - so sad.
Then we did the Quadrilatero D'Oro which is a series of alleyways where the 'big' italian clothing labels began. Even Ewan didn't mind wandering around as it was all so over the top that it is a form of entertainment.
The cost of the items on sale in the shop seemed to be reflected in the number of security staff on the door and salespersons, and inversely related to the number of people in the store. So, lots of staff equals exorbitant prices equals very few customers. When we reached a Camper shoe store there were heaps of people in there, whilst the Dior shops were deserted.
So, it was all the big names Prada, Escada, Gucci, Zegna... and many more. It would be true to say that I saw very little that the normal person would contemplate wearing! Note the photo of the outfits that looked as if they were made from $2 shopping bags: yuck! We saw one girl with her harassed looking partner clutching multiple bags from lots of stores and some shoppers being dropped off in their chauffeured cars.
Ewan has been contemplating the purchase of a new set of cords and was thrilled to see that A. he is ahead of the fashion as you can buy them here, and B. he didn't need to pay the 359 euros being requested here!!
I did stick my head in the Prada shop to have a look at the bags but they didn't have any I liked, in the colour I liked, so I came out (clutching my crumpler travel bag!) empty handed.
The streets had hot pink carpet and lots of pink lights and decorations to support a breast cancer fundraising project so it did look very fashionista!
We eventually found our way to the tram and back to the Hotel for some downtime to prepare us for the big match.
With plenty of time to spare we set off, stopping at a bar for aperitivos on the way. This is a system where you buy a drink -Campari for me, Beer for Ewan - and they provide you with a bowl of olives, potato chips and some hot and cold snacks, including bruschetta, frankfurts, arancini balls etc. Just what we needed.
Then we caught the bus to the Stadium and made the foolish decision to get off the bus when a man in a Milan scarf did. In theory this is a clever way to get there, but in practice he turned out to be English and had as little an idea as we did! Consequently, after a few passengers got off well before the Stadium, we found ourselves stuck in a traffic jam with the Police (in helmets and with batons and guns) trying to sort out a route for the bus. And the bus driver refusing to open the doors so we could back track to the Stadium!
They are doing a lot of road and tunnel building so instead of being able to be dropped off in the Stadium carpark we had to walk it. On the way we collected a young Canadian student on exchange in Switzerland who was desperate to see a game for even 5 minutes. Not sure how he went with that!
There was an impressive array of security guards, police and carabinieri with shields , batons, helmets and in small armoured vehicles. Could have been useful if there was a war, but the only one taking place was the two football teams in the stadium.
Eventually we came to an enormous high stadium white and glistening, and made our way to our seats. Whilst trying to locate them we blocked the view of a few of the local supporters who made it clear we needed to sit down. The match was underway and was very entertaining more so because of the spectators than the actual match: Inter Milan lost to Roma 3-0. Much unhappiness with the referee's decisions and much advice given by the Milan faithful. The amount of sound that is generated in a stadium that can seat 100.000 people and is higher than the MCG but around a smaller playing field, is amazing. The singing and chanting were very entertaining.
It took us a very long time to walk home and we collapsed into bed weary but happy.
your exhausted and suspicious traveller
Dianne
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