Milan, Italy

15-16 May 2017

The last stop in Italy.  A business city of movers and shakers, contrasts well with Rome's Roman ruins, big government, and the Pope.  Rick Steves:  "...for every church in Rome, there's a bank in Milan..."

Since the locals didn't seemed to be outnumbered by the tourists as in Rome, you notice the locals more, with their keen fashion sense.  There's even Leonardo DaVinci in his best duds, with his supporting homeys.

Scene from the night before, on a stroll to find some eats.  Preserved canal lock, with toll house.  Leonardo himself had a hand in civil engineering the water system.

Another noteworthy covered plaza - 18th century, in the age of Eiffel and Italy's unification (all regions under one governance).  Here are some of the most high fallutin fashion shops of the world.  We'll stick to REI, the Columbia Outlet, and Goodwill for our duds, thank you.

Milan's Cathedral - began 1386, largely finished by 1810, the last touches as late as 1965.  Gothic style, and all done in marble!
To the right, the trophy for the bicycle tour of Italy, which goes down in mid May, and finishes in Milan.

Fair weather today on the plaza in front of the Cathedral.  We liked the bright interior of the Cathedral - a more uplifting place to worship versus some of the dark and foreboding other churches we've seen.

Incredible marble floor mosaic.  Stain glass windows from the 1400's.  Some of the windows were lost in WWII from the concussions of nearby bombs and replaced with modern versions (this one survived as an original).

Martyred Saints - we've seen many depictions of them glorified in statues and paintings, with literal references to how they died - this is maybe the most dramatic - he was skinned alive by Romans, and now wears his skin as a tunic.  The Madonna to the right is a replica of that which perches at the top of the bell tower - she was put here so that Milan's admirers could witness her up close.

In a building next to the Cathedral is a supporting museum preserving objects that had been at risk while in their original environments outside and inside the church, including stain glass remnants from damaged entire panels.

Continuing our city tour, Rick Steves brought us to Italy's major stock exchange in Milan's financial district.  The "Towering Middle Finger" was intended to be temporary - it won a popularity contest to get placed here, and locals loved it so much it's now permanent - this is from 2009, as the world sunk into recession, Italy hard hit.

To the right, Basilica di Sant'Ambrogia - from 380 A.D. - at the end of the Christian Roman western empire.  We had to wait for a children's mass service to end before we could enter.

For the left photo here, there's a caption needed, ...beam me up Scotty, I can't take any more church visits....the miracle appearance of the immaculate tourist...help me Obiwan Kenobi, you're our only hope....................

Creative vandalism.                                                               We close Milan with a brewery visit.