Milan and Switzerland

Milan

Our 5 days in Milan were spent in multiple museums, a tour of the Duomo, a visit to Le Scala, and the highest end shopping center in the world! Most of this done while dodging rain, rain, and more rain.  

The 3 hour tour of the Duomo was eye crossingly  maticulously detailed.  I actually can't remember being in a church for 3 hours at any time in my entire life.  The information was quite fascinating.  The tour included with an elevator ride to the roof and a walk around the perimeter.  It was breathtaking and a little terrifying, and a little wet, and a little slippery. Wouldn't have missed this tour for anything. 

A visit to Alla Scala now gives us boasting rights to having been in the most famous opera house in the world. We were thrilled to have our self-guided tour scheduled at the same time as cast and crew were rehearsing for the coming week's opera.  We got a two-for-one on this as there was no way we could have attended an actual opera.  The dress for attending the opera is well, let's just say, EXTREMELY formal.  Anyone knowing Cheech and I, knows WE would have never made it past the front door. Enough said! 

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele shopping is the hallmark of high-end designer malls in Milan.  The shopping center itself is a major city attraction.  I suspect  at least partially because it was out of the rain. For me it was quite an education.  I didn't even know it was possible to spend $800.00 on a pair of socks.  I tried on a few outfits but ultimately decided there was no room in my suitcase. 

During a rare break in the rain we were able to walk Milan's canal area.  It's filled with charm, bars, and restaurants.  It's the"hip" place to go in the evenings.  The mere fact that I labeled it as"hip" suggests how uncool I am.  We had a drink and a lovely walk in the "not raining".  

The result of 5 days of being wet and cold and packed into buses, trams, and museums with other cold, wet and presumably sick tourists was for me, a nasty upper respiratory infection.  I can only give a brief synopsis of our 4 days in Switzerland as I spent all 4 in bed in our hotel🥴.  

Getting To Switzerland

The Bernina Express train ride through the Alps was our primary reason for visiting Switzerland.  The glass-domed rail cars gives passengers a panoramic view.  The 4 hour rail ride crosses 196 bridges and chugs through 55 tunnels.  It climbs 7,500 above above sea level, giving us astounding views of valleys, mountains, and alpine villages.  It's very popular and rare to be in a set of seats by yourselfs.  Cheech and I were, could have been that my hacking cough scared other passengers away.  None the less, we had a cozy and private ride on the famous Beyond Express.

Heads up for those planning a Switzerland trip.  The cost of living in Switzerland is 40% higher than the U.S. The one meal I was able to have in Chur (at a casual outdoor pub) included a $38.00 hamburger.  Expect sticker shock in Switzerland. 

Back to Italy off to Terrincina, a sea side village an hour south of Rome.