Milan

For Rachael's first full day in Italy we decided to take a trip to the big city and world fashion hub of Milan. Our first stop was in the heart of this great city at the Duomo. We were lucky enough to be there on one of the last days of the Carnival celebration. The square was bustling, with confetti and silly string flying through the air and little kids dressed in costume running past our feet. The weather was perfect and when coupled with the magnificent cathedral it provided an incredible backdrop for the whole scene.



The Duomo is one of the most intricate structures that I have ever seen. It is an enormous work of art comprised of billions of tiny sculptures all put together. I was having a difficult time trying to get close enough to see the minute details and yet stand back far enough to see the entire thing but loving every second of my confusion.





Upon entering the sanctuary I was immediately dwarfed by the cavernous space. In contrast to the exterior the interior is very dark and cold but still extremely beautiful. The naves and the floor contain incredible inlays of marble and colorful stained glass windows. The Alter at the front is absolutely enormous. There is a huge organ and large paintings which create an awe inspiring sight. Next to the alter there is a really interesting statue of St. Bartholomew. He at first glance appears to be just a wrinkly old man but as we came to find out he is not draped in a cloth but actually is carrying a cloak of his own skin. Quite a way to become a saint if I do say so myself! Taking advice from my own travel rules we decided to find the tallest thing we could and get on top.







Luckily for us we didn't have to walk very far because we were already standing inside it. After a small fee and an arduous trek up the stairs we were greeted by a magnificent sight. The top of the Duomo is covered in intricate carvings with tiny details that you could never possibly see from the ground. Atop every spire there is a different sculpture and each downspout has a different design. The real treat of the whole experience was that the entire roof was open to explore. The views of the city were amazing and despite the large number of people it didn't seem crowded. I think my fear of heights has lessened some over the last few years but I do have to say that walking the ridge line of the roof, knowing that only a few feet of stone separated me from the marble floor far below, did send a chill up my spine. It was right around this time that the excitement had worn off and I was ready to get back down to the square.







Once down off the roof we headed for a quick shopping detour on one of the streets nearby where I picked up some super sweet and stylish Milanese sunglasses! Armed with my new found sense of style we headed to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, the worlds oldest shopping mall. The glass ceiling gives the mall that certain air of class that you would expect from the stores below, Luis Vuitton, Gucci, Prada, and of course McDonald's. From there we headed past the famed opera house La Scala and on to the castle.



The castle is a formidable structure sitting in the middle of the town. Out in front there is a large fountain where crowds gather to admire the entry tower and watch the world go by. This is by far the largest castle that I have ever been in and definitely showed the power of the Lombards. It is very well preserved and at one of its entrances still has a working drawbridge. Inside the castle is a really nice green where we took in some sun and rested our feet before we had to start the journey back to Pavia. With only a few of the sites in Milan seen I look forward to exploring more in the months to come.