Milan and the Lake District

(Typical building style in Milano with central entrance to the courtyard)

(Interior of central railway station)

(Lots of statues, old and modern - here the "3 graces" ?)

(Above and below courtyard)

Staring out of our Amsterdam condo windows over the windy canal scene, where people rush about, shivering or heavily covered in coats and shawls, I realize myself again, that the Netherlands are so much closer to the North Pole than Virginia. I know that, that is not an earth shattering revelation, but these musings only occur, when you are in the midst of such circumstances.

(Beautiful entrance to the courtyard of a downtown building)

We are packing for a week plus trip to Milan and the famous Lake District in northern Italy. We both have never seen that part of the country we like best among all european countries to visit. (Wouldn't wish to live there, but visiting is every time an opportunity to fall in love with the elements of surprise, that Italy always offers its visitors.)

(Unsigned donated art from famous artist to the city with one condition attached: it must be placed opposite the stock exchange - date gift 2009)

(La Scala and no we could not get inside without a ticket to an opera)

Milan is the fashion centre of Italy, the city of Leonardo da Vinci's "Last Supper" mural, it's where we should take a peek into La Scala, even when I dislike operas as a waste of time, similar to never understanding the fascination with fishing.

(Duomo - every inch ornate see below)

Lake Como, just an hour away by train, is lauded as one of the loveliest lakes in Europe. We hope to have a few days there, perched against the mountainside, while lounging on the terrace in front of our hotel room, sipping a glass of wine.

(Inside pictures, beautiful glass panels and surprise a orchestra recording)

La dolce vita beckons, especially when you stare at the cold scene outside, looking at the winterly clad tourists, that had the bad luck of wanting to visit Amsterdam at the wrong time.

(Duomo crypt richly decorated)

(Masterfull example of the skinned tortured St Bartholomew - I could not get enough of his facial expression)

A little Fiat cabriolet will find its way from lake to lake and the Bernina express will bring us to St Moritz Switzerland in about two and half hours, zigzagging through the mountains, which at this time in spring still should show considerable snow.

(Baroque beauty all around)

All in all, this trip southward should have all elements of dreamy beauty.

(The Catholic Church reaping in advertisement money, below pictures of the rich outer wall decorations)

Well, today is the day and the first snag is a one and a half hour delay at the airport. If it wasn't for the lounge here I would be peeved.

(Above and below scenes on the Duomo rooftop

(Snow covered alps from the Duomo rooftop)

( another effort of a building that wants to be the highest in town)

At this stage I will suspend the story till we have arrived in Milan. So stay tuned.

(Above and below the famous Galleria di Vittorio Emanuele)

Well all is well after arriving in Milan. We walked and walked and walked. It is a charming small downtown area with everything one wants to see and do in a one square kilometer area: Duomo, la Scala, fashion area, da Vinci's Last Supper, the Sforzesco castle (named after one of the last brutal Dukes of Milan) and there is even an Arc de Triomphe in honor of Napoleon, after many before him and after him he was an usurper the Milanese loved.

(like any other Milanese and or tourist we pivot on the bull's balls for good fortune)

( creations in chocolate)

(Sforzesco Castle)

(The wedding cake fountain with the temporary info buildings of the coming International Expo awaiting 2 million visitors is May till September)

( inside the fortress pictures)

( what is Milan's fascination with fingers?)

(Park littered with sunworshippers and the Arc de Triomphe in the background)

But the real surprise was the Cimitero Monumentale. I have always had a fascination with graveyards. Sandee can tell multiple stories about that, like how I took her during her first visit to me in Richmond to Hollywood cemetery, a place where we will be interred one day.

( the monumental front of the Cimitero and below a selection of gravesites)

The ornate Milanese cemetery is a one of its kind. I have never seen the competitive nature of the citizens reflected better, than here in their family graves. And of course there are different leagues of competition to choose from, as wealth is certainly required. As always this blog is about pictures and not the written word, so see for yourself.

(Over the top, I am speechless or better said I have no words for this)

(Just a sweet story above and realistic agony below)

(This impressive grave gets a touch up as you can see in the pictures periphery)

(This family is bucking the trend)

(I told you guys it is a competitive place where one can spend his last pennies)

(The last kiss - I can only hope for such an ending)

(Center Hall with grave of Milano's most illustrious writer and poet Allessandro Manzoni, although looking back there could be a few others that would belong on such a prominent spot instead of Manzoni)

(A few more as I cannot resist showing you more)

The Duomo with its rooftop access is unique and this church can definitely compete in being the "foremost" in Europe, but my choice would be the Maria Della Grazie church, not because of its beauty, but of the fact that two different building styles that clashed in the days of change from Baroque to Renaissance culminated into the destruction of the baroque apse, which then became a classic example of early renaissance under a towering dome. Enter from the back into baroque splendor and move towards an almost bare hexagonal front.

(The two style church best explained in a picture)

(Beautiful Nave)

(The Baroque side of Maria Della Grazie)

(Bare walled Sacristy)

(The Renaissance dome of Maria Della Grazie)

Since in its early days it had been a monastery, one will find when entering a side door, the now climatized dining hall adjacent to Maria Della Grazie, where Leonardo da Vinci made his famous Last Supper fresco. Leonardo with no last name, as he was a bastard to a famous Florentine lawyer, from the village of Vinci nearby, was a slow painter, who constantly corrected himself. And since working "al fresco" requires "fast" painting on wet fresh plaster, his work did not last long and started to deteriorate within a few years, because his plaster would be dry before he finished painting. It is ironic that in Milan his most famous work is thus a failed product of art.

(The picture of the picture)

After much restauration it still shows however an emotional picture of a lone Christ, who just told of Judas betrayal and his disciples in a state of excited curiosity as to who the betrayer was. Since picture taking was not allowed hereby a picture of a picture.

(Chiesi Di San Maurizio pictures above and below - most important Benedict nuns monastery - best place to dump unmarried daughters from important families. This avoids splitting the inheritance)

(You bring your girl in and donate a painting or any other item of value. In above painting disciple Peter draws his knife to stop the arrest of Jesus)