Adventures of a Wandering Thirtysomething

Last night we arrived in Milan for our final Italian stop before we head north into the land of neutrality for our Switzerland adventures. It has proved to be the best way to end our time in Italy. Now nearly two weeks into our trip, we’re quite frankly getting sick of Italy. With day after day of Italian food, B&Bs with more character than we’d typically care for, and architecture and sites that are starting to all run together, we’ve loved our time in Italy but are ready to move on. But thank goodness for Milan. Back when we booked our hotels, the best price I could find in Milan was a Best Western. Begrudgingly, I booked it despite my disappointment at not finding something more authentic. Turns out, we have never been so excited to stay at a Best Western in our lives. From air conditioning to soft towels to comfy beds, tv and free internet, we had no idea how much we had been missing our American comforts until we had them again. Revived by our best night of rest in several days, we took on Milan early this morning, visiting the gothic-style Duomo, strolling by couture shops dotting the fashionable streets, taking in the decadence of the La Scala Opera House (recognized as the top opera house in the world), and touring Sforza Castle complete with a close-enough-to-touch view of Michaelangelo’s last piéta. Our only big miss of the day was Leonardo Da Vinci’s The Last Supper, which was completely booked for tours.

After our long morning of adventures, we opted to camp out in our air conditioned room for the rest of the day and just take a break. After much lively discussion of all the American foods we were missing (some that we almost never eat, but apparently lack of access makes the tummy grow fonder), Matt ventured out and managed to find potato chips, cookies, and Chinese food. None were exceptional, but with our taste buds begging for a break from the endless pasta and seafood that is true Italian food, we took what we could get and stuffed our faces. Mmmmmm, the processed MSG tastes of home.

Tomorrow we take on Switzerland. With a fresh culture, cuisine, language and currency, we’ll certainly be on our toes, but thrilled to try something new. But for tonight, we raise our glass of vino, or in our case acqua naturale, to the beautiful country of Italy for hosting us with grace, laughter and wonderful hospitality. Viva Italia!