4-10-24 - AFTER ALMOST 20 YEARS THE MEMORIES OF ITALY NEVER LEAVE MY HEAD OR MY SOUL

In 2005, we took our first  

trip ever to the continent. I wrote in 2012 about our trip to the land that invented romance. As Mark Twain said - "The Creator made Italy by designs from Michelangelo". Nothing truer was ever said. So, today's post is a remembrance of our first trip to the amazing, beautiful, grand country of Italy. If you have never been to Italy, and you want to travel to Europe, Italy is the first place you should go. Our experiences traveling there for three weeks changed my opinions, perceptions, and thoughts about the world. It is my hope that today's post will motivate you to Just Go! Take a look at some recent posts before this one for some tips on planning any trip, using your own Bucket Lists and desire for things yet unseen and experienced. And the most amazing thing, after a lot of research on current day hotels, restaurants, spas, and things to do and see, IMHO, the prices in The Most Romantic Place In The World are still reasonable.

Milan - Leonardo & Armani Slept Here - Life Imitates Art & Vice Versa

Planes, Trains & The Last Supper

As we settled into our seats at Tampa International for the nine-hour flight to one of the world's great fashion centers, Milan, we had read all the books, listened to the Italian language CDs for hours on end, researched late into many nights and planned our first trip abroad at a level of detail exceeded only by the Allied Invasion on D-Day. The excitement I felt was like Christmas morning, my first real date and seeing The Beatles in concert in '64 all rolled into one. Even my fellow Nomad and wife, Susie, demure though she may be, was unusually talkative and animated as she began to realize that we were actually doing something we had dreamed about for years.

As Americans traveling to the country that gave us opera, the Lamborghini, and Spaghetti, we had committed ourselves early on to learn everything we could about the history, traditions, and people of one of the great cultural building blocks of western civilization. Italy's architecture, music, art, and culinary contributions to the civilized world are well documented. But we were now taxiing to lift off to experience firsthand all of the things we had only read about in travel and history books, seen in Italian films, or heard on a Pavarotti recording.

No discussion of travel to Europe would be complete without the mandatory acknowledgement that flying for nine hours, even to Italy, is simply one of the least enjoyable experiences any human being willingly agrees to subject himself or herself to. There is no component of air travel, particularly to Europe, which can be described as pleasant, tolerable, or even slightly uncomfortable. In a word - it sucks! From the ergonomically masochistic design of the seating to the bland microwaved food to the C movies provided to help get your mind off your misery, flying on any commercial airliner for nine hours is proof positive that they just don't like you or care about you in any way. But in a world which is growing increasingly less civil by the day, it's the price one must pay to experience the joys of travel to the continent. And without hesitation, I can say it was worth every uncomfortable second spent with Delta to experience one of the truly great cultures of the western world.
 

After our uneventful flight  & arrival at Milan's Malpensa Airport, we made our way through customs and boarded a quick train to Cordona Station. As per travel guru Rick Steves, we planned to store our luggage in a locker at the train station as we had reservations to view one of the great paintings of Leonardo Da Vinci, The Last Supper, which was within walking distance of Cordona Station. Alas, this was not to be, as the lockers were closed for repairs. Since there was no plan B, we headed out for Santa Maria Delle Grazie Church with our luggage in tow. Then we got lost. As strangers in a strange land, we were at the mercy of various people on the street to give us directions to the church. After finally finding our destination late, the very nice English-speaking docent allowed us to view the great painting with the next reserved group.

 

With our luggage still in tow, exhausted from a nine-hour flight, we stood in awe of one of the most compelling works of art ever created. As we studied the great mural created by the original Renaissance Man, the first sparks of the paradigm shift hit us. We knew we were in a different time and in the presence of divine inspiration from another time at this place. Davinci painted The Last Supper around 1495. As with all great ancient paintings, the painting suffered extreme deterioration over five centuries. Fortunately for weary pilgrims and art lovers alike, the painting went through a major restoration started in 1978 and completed in 1999. Because of the popularity of this priceless 

work of art, viewing is only allowed by small groups 

in fifteen-minute intervals.

Just as Leonardo himself was obsessed with his mode of dress (many historians consider him to be the first real fashion conscience genius), any account of a visit to Milan would not be complete without a discussion of its position as one of the fashion centers of the world. Armani, Versace, Chanel, Prada and Gucci are just a few on the endless roster of world renown and less famous designers who have boutiques all over The City of Fashion. They even have outlet malls. And you thought outlet malls were only on I-75 between Atlanta and Tampa. No sir. Milan is the place for fashion conscience shopaholics, rich and fiscally challenged alike.

Pizza, Coca Cola, and The Duomo

 

Upon leaving The Last Supper and the Santa Maria Delle Grazie with our first real memory of Italy, we headed for the famed Piazzo del Duomo, the main city square of Milan. Getting more exhausted by the minute, we snagged an outside table at a small cafe right on the piazza, ordered pizza and a coke (cut me some slack, it's my first day) and marveled at the most important work of Gothic architecture in Italy, the Cathedral Duomo. This majestic work of art took over five centuries to build. At over 500 feet in length, 300 feet in width and 350 feet in height, this massive church features five naves constructed of white Candoglia marble. Though thoroughly exhausted from our flight and first day activities, we enjoyed our first meal in Italy in plain view of one of the greatest works of religious architecture ever created. As we sat and took in the beautiful day in our new temporary home, we gathered up our luggage and headed to the train station for a connecting train to Lake Como and a little hotel on a mountain.

LAKE COMO

After settling into our first-class seats for about $90 Euro for two, we headed out for the three-hour train ride to the small resort town of Varenna on Lake Como and The Hotel Eremo Gaudio, a small boutique number in a re-purposed former monastery built on the side of a mountain in the 1400's. One note - Sadly - The Eremo Gaudio is now closed. However, there are countless other reasonably priced hotels and AIRBNB's on the shores of Lake Como and other nearby villages.  As we began to speedily make our way through the countryside to Lake Como, I thought to myself, these Italians have this train thing down. We were traveling the way human beings were meant to travel in what has to be one of the most amazing countries on earth. And we had only been there a few short hours. As we emerged from a long tunnel, the train sped around a curve and Lake Como came into view. I gently squeezed my favorite Nomad's hand and smiled. Sorpreddente (Surprising)! Next up, Varenna and Lake Como. 

So, get busy. Find places to stay and things to see and do in this great land of romance and beauty. As Giuseppe Verdi said - "You may have the universe if I may have Italy". 

Italy - you'll never forget it if you go!

D.L.Stafford
thenomadARCHITECT

Travel Quote of The Week. "A man who has not been in Italy, is always conscious of an inferiority, from his not having seen what is expected a man should see". Samuel Johnson 

Video Artists of The Week.  Even if you are not an opera fan, you will be moved by this classic - The Three Tenors performing O Sole Mio 1994.