It’s hard to say what the best part
of Italy is. I suppose it is being in it! Beautiful landscapes, friendly
people, and absolutely delicious food have been what has defined the country
during my time here so far.
I
have eaten better in the last 3 days than I may have at any point prior in life…although
I just can’t bring myself to bring the gastronomy of Deutschland down from its
position on top. In order to avoid any disputes, we will just say that the
cuisine of Italy and Germany are both the best and each has its own
circumstances for successful satisfying and sating of desire.
Even
though it seems my last entry was weeks ago, I realize it hasn’t even been a
week. The last 4 days have been completely packed with fun activities and
amazing sights. Mackenzie and I leisurely explored Milan the day after arrival.
It turns out there is not a ton to see in Milan, but the sites there are
certainly are worth the trip! You can expect the first sharp inhale as you walk
into the train station, Stazione Centrale. The station is cavernous. The white
glass ceiling is easily over a hundred feet about your head as you become lost
in the vast expanse of the station. You are quickly reminded how insignificant
you are and how significant humanity is.
Your breath will be lost again upon
reaching the top of the metro stairs at the “Duomo” stop. The Milano Duomo, or
cathedral, is enormous and hugely gothic. It is made different than others by
its white stone, straying from the more common gray stone. There is also the
possibility of entering the duomo and/or ascending to the top of the roof,
which offers an unmatched view of the city. Words fail where pictures are
needed.
The final site we visited was the
Galleria Vittoria Manuele. This is one of the most expensive shopping malls in
the world, with multiple Prada stores, Louie Vuitton stores, and other shops of
similar caliber and renown. Milan is known as one of the fashion capitals of
the world and is therefore a perfect destination for shopping and other
expensive interests. For sightseeing it has far less to offer than other of Italy’s
many destinations.
 |
| You know you're fancy when you can use an entire display for a single purse |
Some
other big news is that Nathaniel and Curtis (who missed the first flight of
their trip to Europe) finally arrived in Milan and joined us for a day and a
half. We attended the Milano Expo 2015 with them and gave them a flash tour of
the city. I have been told that the big international expo happens once every 5
years and was the same event that saw the construction of the Eiffel Tower in
Paris when it was held there. The event’s theme this year was food production
and distribution. It was an impressive event, with 57 countries represented by
their respective pavilions there. We ended the day at the expo by attending a
Cirque du Soleil performance that was held on the grounds.
 |
| The covered walkway was close to a mile long |
 |
| Each country's pavilion had displays and information about the country with relation to the theme of the expo |
 |
| Good ol 'merica |
 |
| Cirque du Soleil |
The
next day we took a train to Genova (Genoa) to meet up with the parents, who had
flew into Paris, rented a car, and were on their way down to Lucca, Italy. Lucca,
a gorgeous walled town, is a fantastic place and we have enjoyed our daily
excursions to nearby sites…all of which shall be revealed in due course.
 |
| Cool little device to speak with people on different floors |
 |
| My first Italian pizza |
 |
| Interesting new trend in toilets |
 |
| Milan was an interesting blend of new and old |
 |
| Nutella heaven |
 |
| Brazil pavilion |
 |
| The Tree of Life was one of the main attraction at the expo |
 |
| Lunch on travel day |
 |
| ...we were all a little tired on the train ride |
 |
| Bathroom break |
 |
| Finally reunited with the full family #successfulselfie |
