February 25
Lori, Christina, Joanna, Carmen, Lauren, Katie, Duncan, Sherie and I met up at the train station early Saturday morning for our four-hour train ride to Milan. Upon arriving, we walked across town to the Zebra Hostel (which was decorated just as tackily as you can imagine). After checking in, we ate lunch at a cafeteria-style restaurant, where we learned that caf food in Italy is just about the same as in the US. The plan was to visit the Duomo in the afternoon, but as soon as we rounded the corner into the piazza, we were doused in confetti. We had stumbled into the midst of a huge Carnevale parade. I imagine that this wasn’t nearly as elaborate as Venice, but at least now I can say I experienced the Italian festival.
In order to escape the crowd and stay together, we met at the entrance to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, which is an open mall with gorgeous arched glass ceilings. At the crossroads, there are three designer clothes shops and a McDonald’s (one of these things is not like the other, one of these things really does not belong). We ended up at a park where we enjoyed the green grass and beautiful weather (almost seventy degrees!).
The first church we visited was San Marco. I originally was just going to dart in while the others studied the map, but as soon as I walked in, I could sense the presence of a Caravaggio painting. It was the strangest feeling, but the aura of the church said, “There’s a Caravaggio here.” So I started peering into each of the side chapels. The last one I checked, there it was—The Deposition (or Entombment). I’m so glad that my new friends understand my little freak-outs at times like this.
Next, we stopped at the Castello Sforzesco. There were people everywhere for Carnevale and Women’s Fashion Week (unfortunately, we didn’t see Tyra Banks). We spent some time people watching, aka giggling over the cute costumes that all of the little children were wearing. After tearing ourselves away from all of the cuteness, we encountered more celebrations in the form of an African drum ensemble, so we danced in an empty corner of the street before continuing.
One of the main reasons I wanted to go to Milan was to see Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper. Unfortunately, one needs a reservation way ahead of time and it tends to get rather expensive (there was an open slot for Sunday morning at 8:30 for around 40 Euro). So I settled for the next best thing: seeing the church. My friends stopped me outside of the courtyard to take a picture of me freaking out and then I ran inside the courtyard and hugged the nearest column. Yes, you read that right. I hugged the building. I bought a postcard, peaked into the church, and then stood in the doorway of the reception area for the lucky people who had reservations and money. Good enough for me (for now).
February 26
This was my first experience staying in a hostel, so I slept with my purse under my pillow. Honestly, it wasn’t that bad, except for the obnoxious drunk guys who came back in the middle of the night and wouldn’t shut up, even though we asked them in four different languages. And then I forgot that hostels don’t provide towels…but at least we got free breakfast! We split up and headed to the Duomo. Italy doesn’t have a lot of Gothic style architecture, so this breathtaking cathedral was so unique to everything I’ve seen so far.
Then we went back to the Castello, which is the home to at least fifteen different city museums, all for 1.50 Euro. Best deal ever. I was determined to see Michelangelo’s last statue, unfinished because he died before it was completed. I love seeing unfinished sculptures like the Rondanini Pietà because it’s a glimpse into the artistic process, a chance to see Michelangelo’s vision in the process of emerging into life. Plus, the Castello is home to the Sala Delle Asse, which da Vinci just happened to fresco!
After reuniting with the rest of the group, we visited an actual carnival on the other side of the Castello. A few people went on rides, while other succumbed to the smell of fair food. My lunch was a frittelle con nutella (coated with “parmesan cheese,” aka lots of sugar). We found a small (but free!) aquarium on the outskirts of the park, which was an interesting but fun change from all of the artworks we have been seeing. The rest of the afternoon was spent wandering around the streets of Milan—I really can’t get over how modern it is compared to the rest of the cities I’ve visited so far. This is the first time I’ve seen skyscrapers anywhere in Italy, which was a small culture shock. We had a one-hour delay in Bologna on the way home, turning the four-hour trip into five, giving me an extra hour of homework time, but cutting into my sleep time. But I had a wonderful weekend, so I didn’t mind at all.
No comments:
Post a Comment