How Was Milan?

by | 12/15/2021 | Questions - Before Now | 0 comments

 

Quite a heady bouquet

Milan felt quite sophisticated, as one might expect from a city known as a center for finances, couture and opera.  The men and the women were spectacularly dressed. It was as if every sidewalk was a runway.

Just a casual guy on the street.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Facade of the Milan Cathedral

A highpoint of Milan was our climb to the top of the roof of the Duomo di Milano, the Milan Cathedral. Begun in 1368, the catyhedral took six centuries to complete. It was a surprisingly easy climb considering we ascended 250 feet to reach the parapet. There is no better view of Milan. Martin and I circled the multiple levels again and agin and still there was no way to take in the 3,300 statues, gargoyles and spires

Just a few of the Cathedral’s thousands of sculptures.

 

NO better view of Milan!

 

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Museum of Rondanini Pietà, Sforza Castle, Milan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 This sculpture by Michaelangelo, his last, moved me greatly. He worked on it up until his dying days. This is the third iteration, Michelangelo having hacked at the marble block until nothing remained of the origial sculpture but Christ’s (disembodied) right arm. This is such a departure from others of his work. This was haunting. The facial features are blurry. It feel like a piece in progress, unfinished, hazy.

Naturally, one assumes that Mary is mourning her dead son’s body, and undoubtedly this is what inspired Michaelangelo. But what if she is being carried on her son’s back? What if she is so bereft she cannot manage to walk another step?  It got me thinking how, in one way or another, we all carry upon our backs the pain and tragedy of those who have come before us.

 

On to Venice!

 

Photos courtesy of Debra Darvick

 

 

 

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Was Cinque Terre Wonderful?

by | 12/15/2021 | Questions - Before Now | 2 comments

 

Or should one say, “How were Cinque Terre?”

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s what I knew from friends’ descriptions of Cinque Terre — it was a string of  utterly charming villages perched high above the Mediterranean and connected by a terrifying, heart-stopping, non-insurable unguardrailed narrow path. Having now visited tre of the cinque, I utterly agree with the charming part and was thrilled that the paths were closed for repairs.

With the paths closed, we traveled between the villages by train and boat. There are no roads connection them. Thankfully, wise heads prevailed to preserve Cinque Terre’s unique charms. The entire area has been declared a national park as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.


The color of the water is mesmerizing!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We visited Montarosso al Mare, Vernazza and Manarola. Montarossa, the largest of the villages was my favorite. Like its neighbors, Montarosso is built into a series of hills planted with olives, lemons and grapevines. Still today, the olives are harvested by hand (hands belong to sixty-, seventy- and eighty-year-olds!) and walked down the hills in large baskets where they are processed. Laundry hung from windows to dry. Fishing boats lined the quai and even in October plenty of sunbathers soaked up the rays and dashed into the crystal clear aqua water to cool off. Montarossa, has the only sizable sand beach of the five villages, earning it the nickname of the Ligurian Riviera.

I loved seeing this grandpa and his grandson.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The pastel-colored houses lining Montarosso’s medieval stone streets snake up the hills like lines of dominos. Hundreds of years ago, Montarossa and the other villages were regularly targeted by pirates. Up until the raids began, the homes had only a front door. In defense, backdoors were cut into the homes giving villagers an escape route by weaving front to back through the houses all the way up the hills and into hiding. Our guide grew up in Liguria where the houses follow much the same configuration. She told us that she and her friends would play hide and seek, going from house to house all the way up the mountain, in much the same way their ancestors ran from the pirates.

And now, on to Milan!

 

Two feet off the ground, I am so happy!

Photos courtesy of Martin Darvick

 

 

 

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How Was Your Trip?

by | 12/15/2021 | Questions - Before Now | 0 comments

Fabulous. Amazing. Wonderful. I’m not given to sports analogies, but Martin knocked it out of the park. And then some. I won’t give you a day by day description, but will offer somewhat ordered stream-of-conscious impressions and memories. In the Bookshelf, Martin mentioned Firebird Tours who provided the tour.  They get huge shouts out from me as well. This was our third attempt to take a trip that had been in the planning since early 2019.  They went above and beyond; every staff member responded to our concerns patiently and with good information. I cannot recommend Firebird highly enough.

Traveling during a pandemic
What was planned for a spring 2020 40th anniversary celebration finally happened in the fall of 2021.  There was a lull in Covid cases. Italy’s vax stats were much better than those in the U.S. We set off with some trepidation and yet once we arrived we felt more at ease than in the States. Entry into the country required proof of two vaccinations and negative Covid test results no more than 72 hours before arrival. Proof of vaccinations were requested in restaurants, shops, and museums. In addition to verifying our vax status, the hotels also took a quick temp check before we could register. Mask compliance inside any building  was universal.

The Vibe
Everywhere we went, we were thanked for coming to Italy. The country was hit hard, fast, and early in the pandemic. Tourism evaporated. During our three weeks, we encountered no other Americans save for those on our trip and two couples in Como.  As I write today, the overseas travel situation has changed. We hit a sweet spot for which we are eternally grateful.

Language was no barrier. Everyone spoke English and with my French and Spanish I was able to decode what was written.  I could understand directions, order in restaurants and even make out bits and pieces of conversations. My attempts at speaking Italian were appreciated even when I guessed at a cognate from French or Spanish. One of our guides complemented my Italian accent, saying that most Americans she encountered couldn’t manage it. Made me feel like a million Euros.

The Weather
All I can say is that is was flawless. Sunny nearly every day. Two hours of rain one day. Warm to cool needing only a sweater. Perfetto!

The People
Italians are delightful. When they speak it sounds like champagne bubbles. They are warm, welcoming, and their  joie de vivre is contagious. We clicked nearly immediately with one couple on the tour. Randy and Katrina, who were close to our ages, were on their honeymoon. They were as enthusiastic about walking and exploring as we were. Enjoyment is always multiplied when shared with others and the two of them added so very much to our experience.

The Trains
Like the hotels, the trains were first class. Never crowded, complimentary treats (sweet, savory, and wine if you like), and fast! My ears popped a time or two. If only we could do this in America.

 

Quiet time on the train.

What a delightful way to travel!

 

Read on — How Was the Food?

Photos courtesy of Martin Darvick

 

 

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