SEIZE THE DAY : Trip to Italy 29 Nov - 14 Dec 2023 (Day 1 and 2)

This is a short online diary of our year end trip to Italy last December from 29th Nov till 14th December. It was lengthened by 1 day owing to the theft of my backpack on the 12th December in the train heading back from Venice to Milan.

That shocking incident notwithstanding, the trip was a very memorable and happy one for us. Here are some short posts of the days from the start to the finish. This is personal to me and I hope to read it when I am old and grey (hopefully) in the distant future and look back at the sweet memories which were created by us in December 2023.

Pointed Steeples of Il Duomo

AY 132 Finnair ; Singapore Changi to Helsinki. Its a 13 hour flight with a 2 hour layover in Helsinki. Uneventful, and I even had a nap of 6 hours. Upon arrival in dreary Helsinki, its -5C and snowing. We board the connecting flight AY 1751 to Milan Malpensa airport.

Funnily enough, I always prepare mentally myself whenever I travel with May to be on my guard. Its been ingrained in me for close to 40 years of travelling b9e it for work or leisure,that while there are fun times, we MUST always be guarded against 'unknown unknowns' and the Western Europe we have been visiting (for me anyway) on a regular basis since 1990 (over 34 years) has changed tremendously in form, diversity and safety in major cities and even cuisine. When I first travelled to Germany by myself in 1989, I drove from town to town by car and was viewed as an oddity or even perhaps a novelty.

In the '80s Asians made up only a small minority of visitors and were even lesser inhabitants in many Western European cities.

Now in the early 21st century, Asians are in every nook and corner of Western Europe. They are working at all levels, as cooks, waiters, bellhops, middle management, to the high ranking professionals such as doctors, venture capitalists and even senior management in European firms. They are part of the new Europe. Although small in percentage, their presence is significant

As far as tourists go, Asians form the largest bulk of guided tours during June, October, September and December period. Purchasing power wise, well, lets say some of these folks spend A LOT on branded goods so much so all the major boutiques in Paris, Milan and London have Asian or Chinese sales personnel serving these customers.

Gargoyles on the side of the Church

Day 1 Milan (3 - 4 C Overcast) 30 Nov 2023

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Arrive at Malpensa airport. Took the bus to the main train and bus station in town. There was a train strike that day (30th Nov). Had lunch at the station restaurant. Took the taxi to Duomo Hotel and Apartments (4 minutes walk to the Duomo Cathedral).

4.15 pm Took taxi to Piaza Santa Maria die Grazie. The church there houses the magnificent fresco of the Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci. (See below)

Leonardo Da Vinci's Last Supper

From L to R

Bartholomew, James son of Alpheus, Andrew, Peter, Judas Iscariot, John, Jesus, Thomas, James the Greater, Philip, Matthew, Jude Thaddeus and Simon.

The fresco is magnificent and awe inspiring. It is housed in the main hall of the Santa Maria die Grazie Church. The legend has it that the Allied Bombers knew roughly where this painting was during the second world war and spared the worst of the bombing around this section of the city. Nonetheless the building was damaged and the fresco was left to the elements for several months till the Allied Victory.

It took several decades to restore the fresco to its former glory and I am utterly privileged to have viewed this 2. times in the last 7 years.

After the viewing, I walked back to the hotel in slightly drizzly weather.

We had Panini sandwiches at the shop just beside our hotel which were AWESOME. I had the sandwich with Parma Ham Brie Cheese and Rocket salad made by the sandwich artist.

At the Panini Shop ordering sandwiches

Day 2 Milan ( 6 - 8 C Slightly Sunny) 1 Dec 2023

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Weather is rather overcast this morning, we have a brunch at the Panini shop beside the hotel. I had the same sandwich as the night before. As dessert, we tried the tiramisu which was decent although a little soft.

I recce'd the meet point for the afternoon tour of the Duomo. Its outside a coffee shop along Piazza Duomo and there is a Christmas market set up along 3 sides of the Duomo.

The street scene of Milan

Christmas Market

Tour of Duomo with rooftop access.

In short, for the next 3 hours, we were treated to a history lesson and were paired with a threesome family from USA. First lesson of the day. The Duomo is Gothic inspired and the second largest only after the Notre Dame in Paris. 4 distinct aspects of Gothic architecture.

a) Flying Buttresses

b) Gargoyles

c) Stained Glass Panels

d) Pointed Church Arches

The most famous Gothic church in Europe is Notre Dame but the Duomo in Milan is the earliest design.Gargoyles are designed into the church's facade to ward off evil spirits coming into the church !

Marble Complete Panel

The floor of the church is made painstakingly from marble sent from Lugano, Como and Verona. There used to be a system of canals 600 years ago for the barges to ship them inland from the factories up north.

Stained Glass at Side of Church

We took the elevator to the top and what a sight it was ! We were very fortunate that today 1st December was a rather cold and overcast day that there were much less tourists. So we more or less had the roof ourselves There were only 20 - 30 people today, whereas on any summer's day, there would literally be hundreds. After taking the obligatory photographs, we walked down the 197 steps.

At the top of the Duomo with Flying Buttresses behind

Anyway, the Gothic design of the church was a reaction to the Enlightenment era's emphasis on rationality and classicism. The Gothic design came after the Romantic Movement, which emphasized emotion, imagination, and individualism. So it was Gothic, Romantic and then Gothic again in that order during the Enlightenment era from 1400s - 1700s.