Milan Duomo

This Gothic church is beautiful. The stones have stripes of orange, green and gray in them.  It looks sometimes like it is made of glass. In the morning, I was on top of the church, in the evening I was in the square sketching it. This was when Max Toscano (a leader here with the Movimento 5 Stelle) approached me, we conversed and he bought me a drink.

Sienna

I loved Sienna, the day was rainy, we entered the city down a narrow passageway where the most wonderful smells greeted us. Inside the Duomo they had a beautiful room with extra windows, and bright vibrant paintings which have not needed restoration work (because of the lack of candles). There were the 4 of 15 sculptures that Michelangelo had been commissioned to do when he took off to sculpt David, never finishing the project.

When we came out the bells were chiming and the sun was out. To the side of the church we climbed a tower that was built to expand the church (first picture), in competition with Florence. Traces of pillars are left in the ground that is now a parking lot. Then the plague hit and it was left as it stands.  We saw the square where they do the horse races around the city every year. That was exciting as I had seen a program on TV about the race.

Remembering . Reading . Revitalizing

I am gathering knowledge about this place.  This is what I love most about travelling, is that you have thoughts and impressions you would only get there, in the very veins. 

So "remember" is used a lot in the scriptures, used to remind people of what God has done for their fathers in hopes of bringing people to repentance, to gratitude, and back to God.  So I wonder what it is like to live surrounded on every side with remembrances of the past. To have history every where you look.

After wandering through the forum in Rome, in and out of churches, museums, and through the streets they built for small chariots, I have been hungry for some good reading material to enlighten me  - to help me remember.  Here is what is on my book list (thankfully being supplied by the bookcase in this house):

1. Pride and Prejudice. This was the first time reading it. I have tried to read in the past but couldn't get much past the first page. Now my intellect was ready to receive it. I voraciously ate it up until I was in the heart of Tuscany and found...
2. "Michelangelo Biography of a Genius" by Bruno Nardini in the reading loft of Poggiacolle (the farm house in San Gimmangno). I was seeing David and soon to see the Sistine Chapel and was passing through all the cities that set the story in the first few pages of the book. 
3. Next I found Virginia Woolf's To The Lighthouse, and have always wanted to read her, but I have been sidetracked with a pull to learn more about architecture. So in a bookstore I picked up...
4. John Ruskin's- The Stones of Venice.  Even though I have to re-read everything twice, it is so dense, it is satisfying my urge. 
5. The book I found today, all 1031 pages, "A World Without End" by Ken Follet is something that will help me to appreciate what life was like back in the days.  I walk through these old Medieval cities and castles and wish it could magically transform to show me what it was like.  I need to start a movie list that will help me understand. Any suggestions?
6. One more, I discovered how to download books from the library to my Ipod "A Year of Wonders- A novel of the Plague" by Geraldine Brooks

I think I am good  with books for a bit.

For the last "R" in my title I want to write about my "condition".  I have been resting up still and trying to get my fluids/electrolytes in balance again. So reading has been helpful, I have been going out on excursions in the morning and in the evening. I have found shopping to be less strenuous:)  A couple new outfits and nice leather sandals will have to fit in my suitcase.  I have yet to go to Via Monte Napoleone where the expensive/famous stores are- since Milan is a fashion capital. I think it will just be window shopping and managing my jaw dropping at shoes priced over 1000 Euros.  I am feeling better though for the next items on my agenda - summer!  The seaside is calling my name. 

lastly...those of you following this blog, where's the conversation?  Leave me your thoughts :)

Florence

My pictures called out that they had missed their chance at stardom 

  

View from the top of the tower, left of the big dome in pic above.
I climed so many stairs for this

Bonnie Kay, me, Aunt Carol, Uncle Jack, Marsha, Stan, Mont

Experimenting

Milan at night.

Just a house in the country

Now use your imagination, picture in your mind a house in the countryside of Milan. Outside of the city and up in the hills.  Carola talked about going there every weekend when the children were little, and going up for Christmas with the whole family.  What do you picture? 

In my mind it was a little cottage or cabin up in the mountains, quaint and rustic.  Well just imagine my surprise when we drove up to this...

Look at the house, now back to the picture in your mind, now back to the house...

 

 

What!!!!  Seriously???? I can't even fit the garage and balcony in the picture.

 

 

This house has been in Carola's in-laws family since before the 1700’s. You could feel the history seeping from the walls, voices echoing in every room that I lost track of counting.  Would you like a tour? 

The middle section of the house has long open rooms, Giacomo and Thomas are playing ping pong on the 1st floor, the fancier is on the 2nd floor.  There are "apartments" on the sides of these rooms each with 2 bedrooms, a bathroom, kitchen and sitting area. The top floor is where the servants would live

attic bedroom

Sitting room on the 1st floor

top floor hallway

Carola, Blues and I

And now, do you want an extended tour of the vineyard and church on the property? They have miles of grapevines which they harvest and make 8 kinds of wine. They winery is on the property attached to the church. It used to be a monastery for monks. They have left the building as it was.  Stay tuned for the tour of the cellar where they store the wine. 

A Papal audience

With the sound of swarming helicopters and a city shut down, The Pope himself came to Milan. I decided I needed to see this.