Milano

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Easy, 3 1/2 hour train ride to Milano. Unfortunately, we couldn't see much out one of our windows because of graffiti on the outside that went halfway up the glass. However, the people in our compartment made up for the loss of view. We shared the compartment with four other people, part of the time, two French women and two Italian women. One of the ladies was super nice and talked clearly and slowly enough that we could have a good conversation. Part of our talk centered around the high (40%!)(MISSING) unemployment rate for young people 25 and under. When the French women got off, a couple from Atlanta got on. They were flying non-rev and trying to figure out their next destination so they'd be somewhere they could get a seat on a flight home on Sunday. They were checking the loads in various cities all over Europe. Made me glad to have a real ticket home. But then, they were young and full of energy.

Milano is a very different place from San Remo. It's a big city, with people rushing around, no slow-strolling passeggiata here. Of course, having lived in NYC, I'm almost more at

home in this setting than the laid back one.

Our lodgings are totally different, too. We're in a hostel where you have to ask for a lamp, pay for a towel, leave a deposit for the key, and make your own bed, but it's cheap, quiet, and within easy walking distance of the duomo. We'll probably abandon it on Sunday to go to stay with my friend Rosa Maria near Bergamo. Tomorrow, we visit the duomo and the old canals of Milano.

Thanks to Liam for guiding me into the purchase of the Nexus 7 tablet I'm using to do these blogs. It also works as a GPS and is a huge help in walking around the city.

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Photos

Tropical Garden of the Italian Rivera
This is the view from our hotel room in San Remo, looking down into the court yard below. Quite a contrast with big city Milano, which I haven't gotten any photos of yet.

Comments

[Carolyn Gregg]

enjoying your trip
Things are rather tense here in anticipation of Floyd's surgery next wee. Your blog is a welcome diversion! Keep it coming. I love travel, even the armchair kind. love, c