Un Giorno in Milano

With my departure logistics seemingly resolved (see prior post), I set out to sight-see this morning. I overcame my duomo fatigue and toured Milan's Cathedral/Duomo dedicated to Maria Nascente. Although this structure is referred to as the Duomo, and it does have one, the dome is not obvious from the outside. You have to go inside to see it, which I did. Although the cathedral interior is huge, in my opinion it is the least impressive of the duomos from an artistic standpoint.

However, as you can see from the photos, this cathedral is a Gothic cluster-you-know-what. It took several centuries to build and features hundreds of exterior sculptures carved by numerous European artists. There are also grotesque gargoyles all around the exterior – these serve as rainwater downspouts. The cathedral facade was cleaned in 2006, so the marble and concrete looks good for now. The building was constructed with stairway access to the roof so I climbed up. The close-up views of the Gothic spires and detail from this vantage point are way more intriguing than views of the surrounding area.

Next, I went window shopping on one of the fancier shopping streets in Milan, finding all of the stores one would expect: Prada, Armani, Ferragamo, Versace, etc. It was uncrowded when I first arrived, but shortly, the sidewalks filled with exactly the kind of people I expected to see in Milan. Well built women and men in stylish clothes, carrying shopping bags and sporting cool shades, cigarettes and cell phones. I took a self inventory: my skirt might have been passable, but I was wearing a Timex watch, a shirt bought at Costco, sunglasses I found on the beach, and my semi-clod hopper sandals. No way was I going inside any of the posh shops. See my photo selection for a few unusual sights.

I spent the rest of the afternoon walking through a nice public park, lunching, and exploring the Castello (castle) Sforszesco. Tomorrow I have reservations to see the The Last Supper and then I will spend the day packing and getting myself to the Holiday Inn for my trip home. I'm ready!

Photos