360-Degree of Milan

Italy : Milan
Winter 2011

A bustling Piazza del Duomo on a winter day in Milan
(Feb-2011

Journal Entry... Standing at Piazza del Duomo, I came to terms with reality that the best of Milan might as well be absorbed by pivoting oneself in a 360-degree turn. There's the Duomo (Basilica), the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele (indoor shopping center), the museum (with Da Vinci's Last Supper painting)... then the Duomo, the Galleria... again the Duomo and the Galleria... Now, I've dizzied myself. 

22-feb: Arrived Milan...

On the Milan catwalk

Hubby and I flew back to Italy via #AustrianAirlines coming from a side trip to Vienna (Austria) to get to our pit stop city: Milan. Hubby was muttering he'd be happier if he had gone to Salzburg instead. He says, I (only) insisted on Milan, because of a movie that was filmed there. I innocently looked at the hubby as if I did not know what he was talking about. Check-in: #BreraApartments. 
Hubby and I have been touring Italy for a month now... I was exhausted from the trip. Sleeping the last days off was appealing, but none of that! Took the Metro to Piazza del Duomo to have my Milan photo-op over and done with. But, the guys selling bird feeds were getting in my way (as they keep offering me those bird seeds to feed the gallivanting pigeons at the square... watch it!) So, I headed inside the Galleria. 

Talent scouts
at Piazza del Duomo

Nothing had caught my fancy inside the Galleria as well. Let's just say, I'm not fond of window shopping. Not until that black #Gucci - Borse leather bag called on me... and whoops, there goes my credit card to the cash register! I must have been inside the Gucci Milan store for two hours deciding whether I was to buy the Borse leather bag, or not, reaching the point where the Japanese salesperson (Toshiaki Negi) had suggested for me to think about buying it and to come back the next day.  I did decide to buy the Borse leather bag that same day to Gucci's sigh of relief. Back in the square, I had my photo-op uninterrupted, finally. The square was getting busy as the day progressed for the Milan Fashion Week. On the Duomo corner was a lady model being photographed in her spring attire not feeling a tad cold that winter day.

Models at work on the Galleria catwalk

Spinning a foot
on Il Torino

The catwalk was about to roll inside the Galleria. More lady models went strutting out in their Triumph lingerie that ushered in the male viewers, that included the hubby and another oldie standing next to the Italian flag up a balcony (see, photo).

When the runway show ended, I called out a search for Il Torino (the "Little Bull"). It was where the movie actor did his foot spin for a wish to come true. It is said that spinning one's right heel (or, is it the left heel?) on the bull's testicles brings forth good luck. I located the bull at the Galleria's center floor. Bull's organ had already vanished deep into a sink hole caused by spinning heels.

Da Vinci statue
in Piazza della Scala

Exiting to the other end of Galleria, I came out to Piazza della Scala adorned with a statue of Leonardo da Vinci. Da Vinci spent many years in Milan working for the Sforza family, which explains his presence in Milan. Across the street were two more lady models striking poses for the camera. Da Vinci, er... the hubby was getting amused by the outdoor photoshoots he seemed to have forgotten about Salzburg altogether.

Medieval Sforza Castle in Milan

Sforza Castle entrance

From the distance I caught sight of a medieval castle. It turned out to be the Sforza's family castle, where Leonardo stayed while in Milan. It had bricks all over, a gate stood above the ditch once filled with water, and the castle's entrance was marked by the family's coat-of-arms. Save for the castle structure, it was bare inside the castle. Hubby and I walked back to Piazza del Duomo, which by the time was crowded by football fans of Team A.C. Milan and visiting Team FC Bayern Munich distinguishable by the shirt (team) color they were wearing. The football fans were rallying chants as they held banners in one hand and a beer mug in the other. The police kept a close eye on them from the sidelines. Everybody in the square seemed to be in high spirits, because of the football game and Fashion Week. When one intoxicated football fan went straight up to the catwalk during the Triumph runway show, he got laughed at by the crowd as he was escorted out of the venue.

That busy intersection in Milan

Milan's own Lady Liberty

Up Duomo's facade was a lady statue which is said to have influenced the Frenchman's version of the Statue of Liberty. Inside the Duomo, there's a red light above the main altar, which is said to mark the spot where a nail from the cross of Jesus is kept - a relic brought to Milan by Emperor Constantine's mother. 

25-feb: Day trip to Verona... Link to>>> Journal Entry: Letters to Verona #italy #verona #winter2011

26-feb: Homebound Manila... While there may be a few things for us to see, or do in Milan, our pit stop Milan was necessary. It's where we'd catch the #SingaporeAir outbound flight home. Ciao, Italia!

oOo
PHOTOSTITCH

#Italy #Milan #winter2011

Arrived Milan...

Street rail joy ride...

At the Sforza Castle...

At the Milano Centrale station...

Check-out Brera apartment...