Milan, Italy

By rail to Milan

2008-10-14T02:46:00.000-07:00

What luck, we got the two rear-most seats in the carriage; right next to the floor space where luggage is placed, the toilet (tight door, no odours), and the carriage door.

Everything about the train was excellent - decor, comfort, aircon, etc. And it was 2nd-class, mind you.

Bought tickets on-line from Trenitalia for 50.4 Euro total for the two of us, taxes included.

You can choose your seats when booking on-line.
You have to choose (when booking) the departure and arrival railway stations.

Ours were Venice St Lucia and Milano Centrale respectively. Best to get the arival station near to your destination hotel or on easy route to your next departure point eg airport.

Click to enlarge photo and you can see some cruise liners in the distance. The emerald Princes on which we arrived had already departed port on another cruise.

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Hotel Marghera

2008-10-13T04:12:00.000-07:00

Booked the 4-star Hotel Marghera aka Hotel Nuovo Marghera at Booking.com for 160 Euro a night for 2 of us, breakfast and all taxes included.

It was compact but not tiny, one luggage rack, one bag had to be on floor, two floor to ceiling windows.

The premises seemed to have been recently and totally renovated. It felt like being in a new hotel.

No huge unnecessary picture books and manuals that take up space.

Instead, everything essential were listed in three sheets under dressing table glass.

A safe in the clothes closet.

But the tv was a great dissapointment, an old tiny tube thing; and the remote didnt work well.

The ultra sleek and modern bathroom cum toilet was the best we experienced this trip out.

They even had towels on a low bar on the wall next to the bidet.

One negative point : the toilet rolls (plus point) were low (plus point) on wall beyond the reach of non-Italians (they have long arms but short legs to fit Italian cars, I read somewhere).

This was the breakfast cafe on ground floor.

With a full wall window looking out onto the main road.

Breakfast was excellent. Self service except for hot beverages which were served.

Three juices, cereals, pasteries, buns, etc were on buffets in this and annex room.

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A quick look around

2008-10-12T04:11:00.000-07:00

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Inside the Duomo

2008-10-12T02:55:00.000-07:00

We went to Milan to see the Duomo; not Italian fashion.

Recalling our visit, I really didn't notice anything special or leading in fashion in Milan. Not like in Paris, where you see chic on the streets.

Anyway, the Duomo is a must-see.

The word 'duomo' means cathedral, and you will be able to google up a lot of Italian duomos. But the Duomo di Milano is about the most beautiful and impressive one of them all. And you know they refer to this one when they speak of the Duomo.

Click on Duomo di Milano for more information on this grand dame cathedral.

It was dark inside with minimal lighting other than what came through the coloured glass windows. I have 'brightened' the photos so that the details could be seen.

The floor tiles were grand and beautiful. Unfortunately they have worn away in those parts that were made of less durable clays.

There is a taped 'guided' tour which we didn't take as it was very expensive.

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The 'other' Duomo tour

2008-10-11T22:32:00.000-07:00

The Duomo is one of the 'must-sees' in Europe; standing among the likes of La Segrada Familia (Barcelona), the Basilica of St Peter (Rome), St Paul's Cathedral (London), St Mark's Cathedral (Venice), and the Blue Mosque (Istanbul).

Externally, the Duomo has, to me, the most 'classical' cathedral look. Appointments-wise, it's a tough match with La Segraada Familia. Both are so fully decorated.

Tourists can walk on the Duomo roof!

The access is on the right side of the building.

This refreshment van was exactly at the right side corner of the building.

Very convenient for a drink after the walk on the roof.

The access doors can be seen at the base of the tall window.

Click on photo to enlarge to see the access doors.

We paid to get up the cheap way ie by the stairs. Couldn't remember the number the guard told us, but it was less than the 350 at the Lion's Cave in Kunming, China.

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The walk up

2008-10-10T23:41:00.000-07:00

Our first sight of battlement windows in the thick wall of the building.

Now here are window sills that I like!

One surface, sloping, so easy to dust or wet-wipe clean.

Here we are looking at the 'ceiling' as we climb up the spiral staircase

And the ceiling was the actual underside of the very steps that we would be climbing later on.

In case you're trying to figure out this photo (it throws me a bit too), we were climbing up towards that smoothed part, always going anti-clockwise around the rough central column which forms the major part of the photo.

I am on one of the lowest roofs, still a good distance below the angels and saints.

How did they set those statues atop those pinnacles? way back then, when they did not have tower cranes?

Here's my lovely wife finally coming out into the light drizzle. She's groping for our plastic brollies.

I was at the top of this little section of roof, sheltered under a slight overhang out of the drizzle, to take these photos.

The fall of the roof incline was very small, almost imperceptible, but you can see it very clearly if you click on the photo to enlarge it and look at the right hand side where the roof and wall meets.

Another very sginificant and pleasant discovery ! The surface of the marble was not the least bit slippery! which made for a very comfortable and comforting walk on the roof.

Way up was through that archway on the left.

I stood up for this shot to include the street scene at ground level.

Ah, the gargoyles!

Working gargoyle gutters no less!

Beautiful ones at that.

You need to click on the photo to enlarge it to see the water coming out of the gargoyle's mouth.

Here's another beauty.

Much of our time was spent simply standing and admiring the intricate carvings, like these.

And this, is a temporary solution with a section of pvc pipe.

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Finally, walking on the Duomo roof !

2008-10-09T03:48:00.001-07:00

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A bit more of Milan

2008-10-08T09:29:00.000-07:00

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