Started with breakfast at the hotel and a soak in the tub...yes, tub for a change...but no plug as apparently you are meant to shower in Europe. I improvised by stuffing the hand towel over the hole so I could take a soak. On check out the fellow who had come down in the elevator with me tried to tell the front desk he was being ripped off for the price because I had told him I only paid $90 euros for the room for the night and he was being charged $200. I hadn't said a word to the guy and told the counter clerk as much...in fact I had received a special one night rate of $70. The guy gave up complaining and headed off, while the clerk said not to worry, people were always trying something.
Then I headed over to my hotel for the next two nights, which is also right across the street from the train station...handy to metro, buses, etc and again I had managed to find a deal with an on-line booking at about half the regular hotel rate. They even let me check in about four hours early, so I could head out to see a little of Milan.
Hopped the metro to the center and the Duomo Cathedral of Milan. Came off the metro to chaos as the piazza was filled with rabid soccer fans and a huge screen TV was playing a game. So to the cacaphony of blaring horns, shouting fans, singing, waving flags I entered the huge cathedral. Beautiful stained glass windows and huge artworks...very beautiful. Took a bit of time to get through but well worth a visit. It is also across the street from my next stop -PalazzoReale and the Impressionist Exhibition featuring Manet, Monet, Renoir plus many others and highlighting the birth and progression of the impressionist form of painting. Some really beautiful pieces; I especially liked Renoir's paintings, the light on his subjects made them look like they could walk off the canvas (or in his still life, like you could reach in and grab a piece of fruit). I spent a lot of time sitting and staring at paintings by these masters.
Back out on the square I took a tour around the painters booths set-up and admired the crafts of several artists displaying their wares. If only I had a bigger suitcase...I was really tempted to buy a piece with a floating clown, balloons, pinocchio and a suitcase on a brilliant blue background that was whimsical and wonderful. Just have to save it in my memory bank instead.
The crowd in the square was getting even wilder, with something burning, people hanging off the statue and just roaring with noise. I opted to head back to my neck of the woods for supper and try to avoid the rush in the metro when the rowdies dispersed. The underground was full of more people coming and others going to join the festivities and the train was packed and loud. Had a bit of trouble getting to the right platform and nearly died when I had to do about 200 stairs as the escalators were shut down and the lift only accessed the wrong platform. Insane...but I got to experience the craziness of the wild Italian soccer fans.
Got back to the hotel to find my knee was swelling...probably too many steps, too much walking. I guess tomorrow will be a day of rest...laundry and preparation for the trip back to London and the start of the Baltic Cruise on May 17.
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