Day 13: Double Bucket List Day

You ever have one of those perfect days? Where everything just falls into place and gets better and better as the day goes on? Well, I’m here to tell you that today was just such a day.

First off, we slept in. Didn’t leave the room until noon, which felt great! Both of us needed the rest. And by the way, it feels odd doing the remainder of the trip without Madison (now home safely in LA), but we’re still enjoying the daylights out of it.

Since Milan is one of the fashion capitals of the world, and Marsha loves fashion (after getting hooked on Project Runway), we wanted to do something fashion-oriented (her bucket list item). Every Internet search came up with two things: the Museo Morando, which has a couple of exhibits on fashion (but isn’t exclusively dedicated to it), and the shopping area where all the major stores are: Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, Jimmo Choo, and every other high-end label.

But Marsha kept searching and finally found one other good candidate: the Armani museum. Plus, we had dinner reservations on the ATMosfera trolley, and had to make sure we ended up there. So we debated on which order to do them and how to get around (subway or cab). The Armani museum (Armani Silos) is a little far out, but not as far from the Museo Morando and the shopping district, which were close together. In the end, we decided to just walk it all because we really wanted to take in the city.

We started with the Museo Morando, which was the perfect first choice. It’s in an old palace and has lots of paintings, statues, and other objects. Which we mostly skipped because Marsha was there for the clothes. They had two really good special exhibits. The first was a huge collection of garments that incorporated writing into the design. Some of these were a little bizarre and reminded us of the unconventional materials challenges on Project Runway. But others were really elegant. In the end, we went through it twice.

The second exhibit was upstairs and my favorite of the two. Italian actress Rosanna Schiaffino, whose career spanned from 1956-1977 (the clothes went all the way into the 90s), donated her entire wardrobe to the museum. It was fascinating to see the progression of styles from the various designers she favored over the decades. And how she actually used fashion to manipulate her image (being seen as more than a sex symbol) with regards to the Italian press. Plus, in addition to the actual clothes, they had many photos from when she’d worn them decades ago. It inspired me to want to seek out some of her films.

From there we toured the shopping district, which is called the “golden triangle” (and is actually rectangular) and went past many of the high-end stores. The only one we actually went into was Jimmy Choo. I would have waited outside, but the last time I did that (in Beverly Hills), I missed seeing Bo Derek (but mainly because I was too busy looking at my phone). No celebrity sightings this time, though the young salesgirl who greeted us was right behind us every time we turned around. Even when we went downstairs. Since no one followed the teenagers who were also in the store, I assume it was because she was hoping to make a sale.

Next we popped into the Disney Store (but of course!) and almost bought a couple of things, but the line at the register was too long. This one was more like a US Disney Store. Aside from the signs and music in Italian, there wasn’t anything uniquely Italian about it, unlike the previous two. I also noticed that all the Mickey merchandise actually said “Mickey” and not Topolino, his original name in Italy.

We realized that we were close to the Duomo. We could actually see it in the distance from where we were standing, so we headed over there to take a gander.

We still had a long walk ahead of us to the Armani Museum, so we didn’t attempt to go inside. We did take in the piazza, though, which was full of pigeons. These birds were fearless. They would constantly fly past your head or just wander in your path. It’s a miracle that we never stepped on one.

Then we made the hike to the Armani Museum. I didn’t shell out the ten bucks for Internet, so I used my phone’s GPS (one of the best travel hacks I’ve learned) to guide us there. Only missed one turn, which put us on the wrong side of the railroad tracks. In not a great-looking neighborhood. But Marsha had shelled out for Internet, so she got us back on track (no pun intended). A few streets later we found ourselves in a much, much nicer area with a million motorcycles parked on the sidewalk (parking on the sidewalk seems to be very big in Milan, even for cars).

Marsha and I were both very glad that we’d done the Museo Morando first. Because as much as we enjoyed it, it definitely would’ve been a let-down compared to Armani. This was EXACTLY what she wanted to see on our visit to Milan (bucket list item #1, not including Italy, which was a bucket list item by itself). Three floors of Armani clothes, arranged according to theme, and spanning three decades (80s until the near-present).

We also got the audio tour, which came on a little handheld device with audio, pictures, and a map. This was great, except for a couple of little details. The numbering on the audio tour didn’t match the numbering of the exhibits (took us a few minutes to realize they were independent) and the lighting on the photos (very bright) didn’t match the exhibits (very dark), so some of the garments looked completely different. But that was all very minor (and made it a bit of a game), because Marsha was in Fashion Heaven! Literally!

Some of the clothes were incredible, and it really helped that we’ve seen so much Project Runway (and Devil Wears Prada) to better understand the artistry involved. We also loved the space (very industrial) and especially the minimalist mannequins (several of which had been customized) so that the emphasis was solely on the garments themselves. And we appreciated that Armani designs for both men and women, sometimes creating clothes that go together.

After we’d done the first two floors, we headed upstairs to the last floor, which was the one to which I was most looking forward: Stars. These were clothes that Armani had designed for celebrities. I was really hoping that there’d be at least a couple of the suits he’d designed for The Untouchables (in my top two of movies, along with The Godfather).

But when we got upstairs, there was some other kind of exhibit. There was another woman we’d seen repeatedly throughout the museum, and she was wandering lost, too. The three of of asked a staff member where to go, and he explained that the Stars section had been removed for a temporary exhibit.

Well that was a bummer. So then the three of us compared notes about where we’d been and where we were going next in Italy (a lot of the same places, different order). And for the first time Marsha and I felt like the traveling class, just wandering around the country, enjoying the best that Europe has to offer. Surely a glimpse into our future.

Even though we didn’t get to see the Stars section, the Armani Museum was everything that Marsha had hoped it would be. We even went back to the two previous floors so that she could look at some of the garments again and take more pictures. LOTS of pictures. The fact that she loved it so much was the best part of all.

I’d noticed on the map that Armani was close to the river, which looked like a really cool area. And Marsha LOVES walking by a river. Unfortunately, when we left, we were so excited about the museum that I completely forgot about the river. So we made the long hike towards Sforzesco Castle, outside of which we were to meet our dinner trolley in a few hours.

We were really glad we opted to do so much walking. Yes, it was a long way, but it allowed us to take in the real Milan. Once we got out of the area where we’re staying, we got to see more of the Old World Italy we were expecting. The buildings were just beautiful, especially all of the plants on the outside.

We also popped by Da Vinci’s The Last Supper. It was getting towards the end of the day and we were really hoping we might be able to see it. They only let in a limited number of people a day and it books out way in advance. When I tried to book it two months out, it was already sold out. No luck on that, but at least we got to see the outside of the church.

When we got to the castle, we thought about going in, but instead opted to just sit in the courtyard. There was a band practicing for their evening show and they were pretty good. Right as we left to get a photo of a nearby arch outside the castle grounds, they closed all the gates and kicked everyone out.

Which was just fine for us, because as soon as we walked back around to the front of the castle to look for our trolley, it pulled right up!

During the same season of The Amazing Race where they went to Lake Como, they first went to Milan. It was during this leg that teams had to ride the ATMmosfera dinner trolley and look for three particular signs, all while dining on a three-course meal. As soon as we decided to add Milan to our trip, this was top of our list! Plus, one of my bucket list items has been to eat dinner on a train. Technically, we’d done that already in Pennsylvania, but the food was only okay and the route went past a bunch of cow farms after they’d spread manure. This, on the other hand, was the perfect experience. Bucket list item #2!

This was, without a doubt, one of the greatest experiences we’ve ever had. They have three menus from which to choose, which you select on booking: meat, fish, or vegetable. The meat menu had tartare and rabbit, so I went with the fish (hoped they wouldn’t change it out on me at the last minute and throw in octopus). Marsha had vegetable. Our biggest concern was that the experience would be better than the food (like in PA). We needn’t have worried. The food was absolutely incredible! And there was plenty of it. And then some!

Once they got everyone on board, we were off. Our meal was actually four courses (dessert being the fourth), but started with a selection of finger foods, rolls, and Prosecco. We had one server who took care of everyone (in addition to one chef in the tiny kitchen and the driver) and she was fantastic. She described every dish in English for Marsha and Italian for me. And they were all incredible! We’d wondered if the food wouldn’t live up to the experience, but it easily surpassed our expectations. Even Marsha’s vegetable dishes were amazing. And along with all the amazing food was an endless supply of wine.

The route took us all around Milan and, fortunately, past some sights that we wouldn’t have seen otherwise. Like the river! After the first hour, we came full circle back to where we started. They steered us into a nearby side street where we stopped for a break. Here we got to meet the driver and chef, and stretch our legs for a few minutes before heading out for the remaining courses.

The second route duplicated some of the first, but also took us through some different areas. It was also great seeing the city as the sun went down. One of the best parts was seeing the reactions of people on the street as we passed by and stopped at intersections. Many took pictures and some even took video.

We eventually made it back to the castle again where our incredible journey had begun. We were stuffed to the gills, but many of our fellow diners were still opening bottles of wine. The meal was a little pricey, but considering the experience, the food, and the endless supply of wine, easily well worth it.

We gave our server an extra tip, which meant that we didn’t have enough cash for cab fare. Before we leave town tomorrow, we’ve got to stop by an ATM and get some more. We weren’t sure about getting back on the metro, so we just opted to walk back. My battery was getting low and I hadn’t sprung for Internet, but I managed to steer us back to the Duomo and the shopping district just fine. From there it was an easy trek back to the hotel, with only a couple of blocks that looked a little sketchy. It was quite the relief once we’d made it back to the room.

Ciao!

Day 12: GTL (Garden, Train, Laundry)

Despite having to check out of our hotel at the surprising time of 10:30am (so glad I noticed, or they would’ve had to chase us out), this has been probably our most stress-free day yet. I had no idea checkout was so early when I booked our train at 1:37pm, so after we stowed our bags, we had plenty of time to relax before hitting the rails again.

Went back down to Bar Il Moro for their advertised breakfast and enjoyed their spectacular view once again. We both had eggs (Marsha’s scrambled, mine fried) bacon (which was more like prosciutto again), toast, and a tiny salad. We find that the longer we’re here, we both are hungry for American food again. But don’t get me wrong, most of the food here is amazing.

Afterwards we strolled one last time along the lakeshore and took more pictures. We’re really going to miss this place. I’m absolutely certain we’ll be back some day.

The hotel next door, The Hotel Villa Cipressi (same owners) has a garden on property. When we checked in, we were given free passes to go in. Since we still had a few hours before our train, this was the perfect opportunity. We took our time strolling down the trails and taking in all of its tranquil beauty. When we reached the Royal Bridge (which marked the edge of the garden), we realized where we were: right back at the garden bar of our own hotel. The tickets weren’t necessary at all. In fact, we’d almost wandered into it by accident on our very first night.

Afterwards, we picked up our luggage and made the hike back to the train station. We didn’t have to walk uphill as much going back, which was great, until we reached the final turn and from there it was uphill quite a bit. When we finally reached the parking lot, we realized that we’d left in such a hurry two days earlier, we hadn’t really paid any attention to our surroundings. We saw a building that looked like the train station (it wasn’t), then the real thing hidden behind a bunch of trees.

Despite taking our time since checkout, we were still an hour early. In fact, the 12:37 train to Milan was just pulling out. Had I known previously what I know now, we could have bought our tickets for an earlier time and had a six hour window in which to use them. Or just jumped aboard anyway, because no one ever checked our tickets.

Getting back to the station was a bit of a surprise. It’s really tiny, like an Italian Petticoat Junction. They had a nice little cafe, only two tracks, and helpful signs pointing the ways to Milan and Torino. No need to watch the departure board to figure out which track was ours.

At first we were the only ones waiting, but eventually a small crowd began to fill the platform. I overheard one Dad mention they were waiting for the same train we were. When one train (which had nothing to indicate to number) arrived close to our departure time, we immediately noticed that it was heading in the wrong direction. And that no one else made any attempt to board.

Our train finally arrived a good 10 minutes late, Marsha and I decided to play it smart. Remembering how crowded our train there was, and knowing that we were boarding in the middle of its route, we dashed right to one of the front cars while everyone else dashed left. Our chief concerns were not only finding seats, but finding a spot to stow our luggage.

We needn’t have worried. Our car was nearly empty, and only picked up a couple of more people on the entire run. I guess the train lines are are much less busy in the middle of the week. Even better, we had a giant window all to ourselves to get our last spectacular views of the lake as we left.

It seemed like no time before we were back at Milano Centrale, and this time we were happy to see the rest of the station. It’s absolutely beautiful and reminded me even more of Grand Central.

And when we stepped outside, we finally got our first views of Milan itself. Which didn’t look all that different from any other big city. We’d heard that Milan was more modern, which certainly seemed to be the case. Our hotel wasn’t too far, so we opted to walk it (thank goodness the heat has been subsiding). We passed by numerous stores and cafes that looked great, but could have been in any large city. I suspect that will change, though, as we venture out tomorrow.

Got checked into our hotel, the Westin Palace, just fine, which is great. But after we relaxed for a spell, we noticed that the AC wasn’t making the room any cooler (we ended up switching). We were ready to find something to eat, but first order of business was to do some laundry! I only had enough clean shirts for one more day, so it was do or die time! We considered doing it in the room, but did a quick Google search and found a self-serve laundromat a few blocks away.

This turned out to be a perfect solution and a great experience. The laundromat was tiny, and run by a sweet little older lady who didn’t speak much English (if any), but who knew exactly what we needed, so we just followed her lead. Plus there was a nice British woman who told us not to worry about the instructions (in three languages, which specifically mentioned coins and to get change) and just listen to the older woman. And an older gentleman who I first mistook for a customer (he rarely left his seat, while the older woman was all over the place), but was really good at pointing. The whole time we were there, the place was a constant flurry of people coming in to do their laundry or to pick it up.

In less than an hour, we had everything washed, dried, folded, packed up and ready to go. We’d calculated the cost (that sign was in English and Italian) and was pretty sure that it was enough. I asked her in Italian and had no idea what she mumbled back. But she took my 10 euros and brought the change I expected. So I immediately gave it back and told her to keep it (in Italian), which got me a wonderful smile.

After we dropped off our newly clean clothes (and got our room switched), we headed out for dinner. We’ve both been itching for a burger lately, so we did another quick Google search (plus Yelp). Didn’t find anything nearby, so we just hit the streets and headed back towards the train station.

We were torn between two restaurants, which both looked good: Metropolis and Nhero. We opted for Metropolis and were seated right away. When we tried to order though, the waiter explained that they were doing this happy hour thing where the food is free to if you keep ordering drinks. Sounded like a good deal, but not really what we wanted. So it was back to Nhero, which was an excellent choice. We shared a cheeseburger and pizza, and both were really good. And just what we’d been craving. And our waitress was very complimentary on my limited Italian.

Another language note: It’s proper to always greet people with “buongiorno” in the day and “buona sera” in the evening or at night. We’ve noticed a lot of people respond to buona sera with just “sera” (the equivalent of just saying “evening”). This is one of the many helpful details you pick up in country. Like when we went to France, and lots of people would say “merci, au revoir” like it was just one word. Madison and I still use that one at Epcot.

Afterwards, it was back to the room where we finally got to watch our Italy episodes of The Amazing Race. It was so cool seeing where we’d just been in Venice and Varenna, and where we were about to go in Milan.

Ciao!