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My room at My Hotel MilanoToday was the day that I was saying hello to Milano. The train ride was uneventful really. The hotel I am staying at (My Hotel Milano) is a little bit more in the suburbs but easily accessible by subway. The only reason that I had problems finding it was that I thought it was at number 46 but it was actually number 14. Ooops …don’t know where 46 came from! Probably the hotel in Turin had that numbered address. Who knows … at this point I am amazed that I wake up and that I actually know in which city I am. Still don’t know what day of the week it is though without looking it up!
It had to be the loveliest welcome I have ever had in a hotel room. When I introduced myself, the woman (who I would guess is the owner) asked if I spoke French. When I said yes, there seemed to be a huge sense of relief. She then said something to the effect that her English was not very good but that from my name she was hoping that I would speak French. She made me sit in what is used as the
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Cute angel above the mirror in my room breakfast room, made me an espresso while she tended to the business she needed to tend to like making a photocopy of my passport. Breakfast is included and there is a small fridge that has water bottles for the guests. It includes “acqua gassatta” … see how useful knowing the words “sparkling water” in multiple languages is?? I knew exactly what she was talking about! This has also got to be the first hotel room where I have to lock myself in. There are no deadbolts on the door so you literally have to use the key from inside to lock it otherwise anybody is free to come in …
I would start my visit of Milan with what else but the Duomo. This is an enormous cathedral that took 5 centuries to build. I kind of started my visit backwards in that I immediately went to the ticket office to see about going to the roof. There are two ways … elevator or the stairs. I took the stairs of course … all 165 of them. I must be getting in better shape because that actually did not feel all that bad. I mean … I won’t lie
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Cute toiletries … I was out of breath but not like wanting to die out of breath! The view from up there is not necessarily the draw. It is the fact that you are able to see the incredible detail of the cathedral up close and personal. And there is a lot of detail! There are 135 spires each decorated with different figures. In total, I read that there are something like 3,400 statues that adorn the outside of the Duomo. I can believe it. There are small statues in every little nook.
I then made my way back down and truly took the time to admire the building itself. I just sat in the Piazza and watched tourists go by and tried to dodge the incessant vendors and those guys that always seem to try to want to tie bracelets around your wrist … what’s that about???
I then wondered over to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. It is a crucifix shaped building and is essentially a shopping centre … a shopping centre for things that I cannot afford I might add. Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Prada … lovely Prada … are all here. Oh and oddly … a
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My view at My Hotel Milano McDonalds. So I bought what I could afford … gelato! Frutti di Bosco and Mango … mmmm gelato!
After some mindless meandering (and a delicious panini ... yes I hate dessert first ... I'm on holidays so you are allowed to do that), I thought it was time to actually walk into the Duomo. In light of the fact that the outside is so incredibly ornate, you would think that the interior would be too. But it is not actually. It is actually quite cavernous and quite plain. The stained glass windows are absolutely beautiful. What makes it stand apart is its sheer size (a congregation of 40,000 can fit in this cathedral). There are also beautiful paintings hanging between each column that line the cathedral. I took the time to just sit and soak it in. There is just so much to see! It’s also always entertaining to just watch fellow tourists as they make their way through.
The rest of the day was spent meandering aimlessly in the small streets around the Duomo. I made it back to the hotel relatively early … I had stuff to do! Despite the fact that I have not cooked
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The view at My Hotel Milano for myself or made my own bed for almost three weeks, I still had some laundry to do and some bills to pay!! So I had to take care of a little bit of business. It also gave me time to read and find what I wanted to do over the next couple of days.
Ciao, ciao … as the Italians say! I am totally getting the hang of this language … ahem …
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J-Guy
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This guy must have been following the Canadian election and had the NDP fever...