Train travel really is the best way to get around Italy. You can see glimpses of small towns and amazing terrain that you mightn’t otherwise. While on the train between Venice and Milan, I saw chickens pecking around beside the tracks. I theorised that the reason why we’ve seen so little ‘pollo’ on ristorante menu’s is, because the Italians consume so much pasta (28kg per person annually, to be exact), they do not eat their chickens but keep them to harvest their eggs. Hubby says that I have not been short of a theory on this trip. Mmm, too much idle time on trains to let my mind wander, I theorise.
Milan is well-known for its fashion and its shopping. Truth be told, there wasn’t much else that piqued our interest. Perhaps we were travel weary… We did see the odd beautiful gallery and majestic park, but after being spoiled by the beauty of Venice, it was a little underwhelming. It did, however, make us homesick — with its trams and mish-mash collection of old and modern buildings, it very much reminded us of home in Melbourne.
It was here, unfortunately, that we experienced the pushiest gypsies (be very careful in Piazza del Duomo) and the most exorbitantly expensive (and pathetically mediocre) meal of our trip. AUD$17 for a pot of beer. Damn.
There is some great shopping to be had though, and we spoiled ourselves rotten — the last splurge before heading on home (I had to sit on my suitcase to close it AND I had to sacrifice my pillow…sob).
I can’t imagine traveling half-way around the globe just for great shopping… though I just may be motivated by the world’s best gelato… see my first Italy post here. Though, upon web research, I’ve discovered that gelateria happens to have a number of stores in Paris. Righto, let’s start packing…