1. We met for breakfast at 9 - all a little bleary eyed from the night before. I did ok after that first shot of OJ, but it was a tough morning. In the Hague, I'm usually in bed by 10:30 at the latest, but most often, I find myself in bed at 9 or even 8:30. I think its because each day at work is really draining (even though going really well). Its exhausting learning a brand new job and meeting so many new people each day. I come home just wiped out. So staying up till 1:30 in Milan was not a brilliant idea, but worth it because I really missed the people I met up with.
2. After a leisurely breakfast, we took a Metro to the main train station after seeing that the weather was going to be rough that day. We thought about Lake Como, but seeing the lake in the rain would have been a disappointment. So instead we bought tickets for Bergamo and headed there. Here's a picture of the train station in Milan:
It really is something to see in and of itself. RS let me down here. I think any trip to Milan is not complete without seeing this station - it's incredible.
3. After catching the train, we made it into Bergamo about an hour later. Here's what I learned from the train ride: 1. If 1st class isn't that much more expensive and you know there will be first class seats on the train, buy them. Saves you from dealing with a lot of what could be unsavory characters on the train. Not that it was dangerous at all, but there were several people that I saw waiting for the train that I could smell before I saw them. They were not in first class. 2. If you are traveling with a group of people, often it is cheaper and more convenient to grab a cab at your destination to wherever you want to head. We could have taken a bus up to the old city (good 30-40 minute walk straight up hill), but took a cab which cost less than the combined bus tickets for 4 people and was quicker.
4. RS failed me on Bergamo. He mentions the airport in his book but nothing else. So as a result, I'm not entirely sure what I saw, but I'll try to describe the pictures with answers from my friend Wikipedia.
5. First, we wandered into the old town and went straight for the square, window shopping along the way. The square was really neat. Second, we wandered into a cathedral type area and came across this:
This is the Cappella Colleoni, whichis part of the Santa Maria Maggiore cathedral next to it. The architecture on this building was something to behold up close.
Next, we wandered into the Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore (what's the difference between a Basilica and a cathedral? I don't know...maybe next blogpost I'll try to find out.).
Wikipedia Interlude: The church was founded in 1137 on the site of another church from the 8th century dedicated to St Mary, which had been in turn erected over a Roman temple of the Clemence. The high altar was consecrated in 1185 and in 1187 the presbytery and the transept wings were completed. Due to financial troubles, the works dragged for the whole 13th–14th centuries. The bell tower was built from 1436 (being completed around the end of the century), while in 1481–1491 a new sacristy added after the old one had been destroyed by Bartolomeo Colleoni to erect his personal mausoleum, the Colleoni Chapel.
In 1521, Pietro Isabello finished the south-western portal, also known as Porta della Fontana. The edifice was restored and modified in the 17th century.
Now done with Interlude. That explains so much of what I saw. Many of the signs were only in Italian, so it was a bit difficult to figure out what was going on. Here are some pictures:
I was not expecting the ornateness inside this church. I can't imagine going to church in a building like that. While awe inspiring, it is weird to think about all the money spent beautifying the building and not spent on the poor and social issues. Maybe there was an equal amount spent on the poor, but the view from outside Christianity of this type of lavish presentation must be quite contradictory to what is our calling as Christians. Still, worth seeing. I'm not great at taking pictures (I own that), but some of my issues inside a church are more about feeling strange taking pictures (even when you can and are supposed to).
6. After the cathedral, we took a nice long lunch break. I shared a sampler antipasta with a friend and then went for my first italian pizza (ham and cheese). It was excellent. Good wine, company, etc. Relaxing morning/afternoon.
7. We then walked back down to the train station, which a few weeks ago would have been termed "Death March September 29". However, with all of the walking I do in the Hague, it wasn't too bad. I was slow, but cobblestones are tough. I made it, no worse for the wear.
8. Train ride was uneventful. Saw some beautiful country side as the rain started to lift. Alps just barely peaked through to say hello.
9. Arrived in Milan and caught a quick cab to the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie for our 5:15 tour of the church which culminated in seeing the Last Supper. Here is my review of the RS section:
a. Sign up for a tour. It's really the only way to do this. You have to book tickets to see the Last Supper 3-4 months in advance. If you book the tour, you can book 2-3 weeks in advance. It's more expensive than just straight tickets to the painting, but the tour guide was good. We used www.leonardoamilano.org, which I thought at first would be shady because the website doesn't look super professional, but it worked out great. The guide met us at church, group only included 10 people and the guide was knowledgeable and spoke good English. For the guys in our group, I was told that on a scale of 1-10, she was about a 12. I will comment that she was very pretty, like an Italian Julianne Hough.
b. The tour of the church was interesting and provided insights into what you see at the end with the painting. Rick doesn't talk about the church next to the painting, but I would recommend seeing the church too.
c. Ok, the Last Supper. It is incredible. Probably my favorite painting I have seen thus far in Europe, and that includes the Night Watch by Rembrandt and the Lilies by Monet. You can only see it for 15 minutes due to the preservation methods they are using. The painting is really fragile and is constantly under repair. I thought it looked really good, but I could see places where restoration work was needed again. You can't take pictures, so that's a bummer, but if it preserves it for another generation, it's worth it. Interesting fact 1: the building the painting is in was bombed in WWII, leaving nothing but the wall the Last Supper is painted on in tact. I didn't know it was painted on a wall, first off. Second, I can't imagine one wall standing with just that painting. Incredible. Interesting fact 2: I'm super gullible (as most of you know), but I really thought the person next to Jesus on the left was Mary Magdeline based on Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code. Imagine my shock when the diagram in the painting room labels that person as John. I really thought the labeling was wrong. Foiled by Dan Brown! Shoot. I felt like an idiot. But didn't care because I saw the Last Supper!
d. RS only gives it one pyramid. I would give it 3. That's a big statement given the hassle to get tickets for only 15 minutes, but I loved it.
10. After that, we went back to the hotel to refresh. Dinner was in the Brera area, which is an artsy part of Milan with outdoor cafes. This food was my favorite meal while in Italy. I again got the Parma and Melon. That ham is like crack to me. I don't know what it is, but I could eat plates of that stuff - it is pure heaven. My second course was a lobster linguine pasta that was really good. It had the egg noodles that tasted almost German/Wendish in my mind with tomatoes and lobster. Couldn't have been better. I skipped dessert because by this point in the weekend, I've eaten more than I've had in the last month almost combined. Such good food.
11. The guys continued on that night to find a bar that was playing the Ryder Cup. I called it an early night at 11 and made up for some of the night before.
That's it for Day 2 - very successful and fun day! Day 3 write up to come tomorrow...includes more RS reviews and another great meal :)
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