On to Italy

October 16-17, 2015

View from the train to Italy

 

On to Italy

Yesterday, we left Leissigen, went to Speiz, Switzerland via a local train, and then caught an international train to Milan. We arrived in Milan around 4:30 pm and walked to where we would be staying. It wasn’t too difficult to find and then came the five flights of stairs, but we made it, bags and all. The building is old but the room where we stayed had been redone with a brick wall and the rest very modern. It looked like something out of HGTV.  

On the way up 5 flights

We knew that we wouldn’t have time to do much in Milan but we did have time to walk to see the Duomo. It is Milan’s main huge, elaborate, showpiece cathedral. We got there right before closing but were able to go inside and look around. There was also going to be a concert so part of it was closed off. Anyway, it was built in the gothic style and is loaded with arches and spires and is marble from top to bottom. They started building it in 1396 and the finishing touches weren’t put on until 1965 . . . talk about slow. Anyway, it’s eye-popping. Immediately, outside the Duomo is a huge piazza where everyone congregates, including the pigeons. It is also surrounded by some very exclusive shopping areas, where we felt a little out of our league.

Duomo in Milan

This morning we left Milan via train and came to Venice. We tried buying our tickets online and got a really good deal. So we were pretty happy about that.  We’ll try it again on the next leg of the trip.

We are staying in Venezia Mestre, like a little suburb of the real thing and across the bridge. You get the drift . . .cheaper. We found our Airbnb place with a little asking and got settled in. It’s again a very nice contemporary apartment in an older building.  We even get breakfast in the morning which doesn’t always come with the price.



Grand Canal in Venice

After getting money exchanged and buying bus tickets, we left for Venice. We took a boat trip up the Grand Canal and then started exploring the island until it got dark. We will be here tomorrow, also, so we have some time to explore more deeply tomorrow. We did stop at St. Marco piazza, saw many gondolas, churches, bridges, kayakers on the grand canal, a cruise ship and scores of people from all over the world. I can’t imagine what this place is like during tourist season.

In some of the back alleys we got a piece of thin crusted pizza and some veggies with polenta. Everything was very tasty.



In front of San Marcos

 On the way back to where we are staying, we stopped at a local grocery and picked up a few things to take with us tomorrow. My feet ache and I’m ready for bed. See you tomorrow.