At least it was Milan. If anything could have improved my last minute disappointment at being barred from Turkey, it was being in Italy. From the moment I stepped up to the window at customs and greeted the officer in easy Italian, my whole body relaxed. This was familiar. I could do this. Even missing the validation box on the train platform didn't phase me. (I had looked. I later realized it was by the up ramp, not the down. Go figure)
I arrived late, but could walk to the hotel from the train station. In the morning (breakfast included!) I walked to the metro and set off for my first destination: Sforza Castle. I knew exactly what I wanted to see in Milan, and top of the list was Michelagelo. I'd stopped at Sforza castle seven years ago, but didn't know the Rondinini Pieta was there! Getting to go back and see it was a real treat, and checked one more statue off of my life list of Michelagelos. Only two more to go. Beyond that, the castle was fun to explore, with diverse displays and just knowing the famous people who roamed the halls made it exciting. I'm sure Da Vince once looked out the same windows.
Second on my list was the La Brera Pinacoteca, Milan's greatest art museum. Their Mantegna collection was phenomenal. I got the last audio guide and really enjoyed wandering through the paintings.
After that, I indulged in a delicious pizza and Pelligrino lunch, then just wandered through the Brera neighborhood for the afternoon. Before returning to the hotel, I bought a train ticket for the next day.
Because Sunday, folks. Sunday was for Florence. There was no way I was going to be that close and not go. No way. And it was worth every ridiculous penny I spent in the ticket. My dome welcomed me to the city I think of as a second home.
The new Museo della Opera del Duomo is spectacular. I loved the layout, the touch panels, the video interspersed with the exhibits. It was closed two years ago and I am just so impressed with the renovation. I walked from there to the Bargello, for a quick visit with a few masterpieces, then ate lunch nearby. Pizza and wine, yum. It wss so nice to walk freely, no maps or directions, just memory. I went to Piazza della Signoria, then got in line for the Uffizi. Oh, Uffizi. I missed you. The renovated Botticelli room was great, though I miss the benches. The 16th century rooms are wonderful, and the da Vinci restoration was eye-opening. I'm glad I could see the special exhibit.
The only thing left was gelato (Neri!) and free time to wander. From the Arno banks to the Leather Markets, the city had changed a little. You couldn't sit on the steps of the Duomo any longer (so sad, it was my favorite way to spend an evening) and the big flower pots were lovely in the street, disguising ptotection from runaway trucks. But it was still teeming with life and tourists and art everywhere. Leaving was hard, but my energy had returned from a day in my favorite place. On to Israel.
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