More days in Italy

It's been almost 3 full days and I have a feeling that if I don't write this post now, I will forget all the little details which are the main ingredients here. Thank you guys for the comments and support; I will try today to add some pics (there will be more coming to facebook; I just need to find the time...). You might be laughing but now I have close to 600 pics from Italy and I've been here for 2 full days and 1 night (which did not include any pics). So I think you see the challenge :).

OK, on Wednesday I ventured in Milano on my own. You'd think that living in the US (and, by t

hat, I mostly mean that I went there completely unprepared) has gotten me ready for foreign lands, adventures and the unknown in general. Well, not really. Starting from getting lost in the metro, which by the way is just like the on

e

in DC -- yellow, green and red lines with signs everywhere -- to looking stupidly at people who talk to me in Italian....I have started saying a few words -- grazie, chao, prego -- the easy and usual stuff. Some

don't even do that so I'm advancing :).

I started with the Duomo which according to Wiki took 5 centuries to complete and is the fourth biggest cathedral in the world (found a website that said the third...). Hold you breath, here comes a pic! Really taking a long time....

details in the marble stones and seems to unbelievably huge that I kept thinking for hours: how is this possible?! As cliché as it might sound, every time I see some monumental work (esp if it was done centuries ago) I can't help but marvel at people's capabilities. Not sure if the pictures give it any justice -- it's best if you can come and check it out in person.Anyway, I discovered very soon that getting into the cathedral with my skirt and tank top is impossible -- have to get more dressed in the heat to be able to look at it from the inside. Was able though to get on the roof -- which might be even more breathtaking! The cathedral is like

nothing I've seen before. It has so many

We will come back later to the Duomo if I have any more words left. I sat at nice cafe and had cappuccino with a croissant -- felt so European! :) The birds here are very daring -- picture of the sparrow that almost took away my croissant. Walking in Milano is great!

The streets are small and covered with coble stones (good luck if you have even the smallest heels..); there are so many cute restaurants and cafes; so many cute buildings with nice façades. You get the picture why my camera died very early that day. In two words - visited some nice historic places, had a great salad for lunch, got very exhausted in the sun and around 7 or so was ready for apperitivo. Apperitivo here is something like a happy hour in US but better. You pay for a drink and then can eat some really good appetizers which are displayed on the bar! The appetizers are included and you can have as many as you want! When is this idea coming to DC?!
I'm wondering at this point if I should stop here and make some more entries as this one is getting very long....Maybe that's what I will do. Ah, some last words. Can't help but mention Italian men... Very bold and daring. No more comments here.