Working hard? Hardly working.

This morning I woke at my usual hour I think, but fell back to sleep because I was feeling really sluggish.  I ended up sleeping in quite a bit so squashed my plans to go to the gaol as I had been told on my first day here that I should get there early.  So I made my way out to breakfast, which, guess what?  Consisted of a flat white and an almond croissant.  I just can't help myself!  It was from a French patisserie and it was delicious of course!

Then I walked to Trinity College, and just made it in time for the 11.45 student tour.  I had done one of these when I went to Harvard University at Boston a couple of years ago, and it was fantastic.  Today I was lucky enough to be escorted through the grounds by the gorgeous Henry, who will be going to Oxford to do an MBA in Criminal Science.  But it was lucky I heard anything Henry said, given how good looking he was!

Trinity College houses two out of the four 'Book of Kells'.  But I was more keen to see the library itself.  Henry told us that the Trinity College old library is the largest 'single chamber' library in the world.  That the library gets one of every book published in Ireland and the UK, and that for this reason, most books are kept in storage off site.  This means that when students want a book, that they have to request it and it has to get retrieved.  But the most amazing thing is that the books in the old library aren't arranged by any logical order, like, gee, the alphabet... no, they're arranged, wait for it... by size! 

After seeing the Book of Kells and enjoying wandering through the old library I went and had some lunch which was just a soup!  Then I started the hop on, hop off tour.  I did the whole circuit without getting off so I can work out what I want to see tomorrow (another taxi driver recommendation right there).

Molly Malone (or more affectionately known as the tart with the cart):

Somewhere during the day I bought myself a ticket to see 'Riverdance'.  And for dinner I just had an antipasto plate and a great glass of wine - a 2011 Baron de Badassiere (I can only read that as as being a bad-ass wine), Sauvignon Blanc from Languedoc, France.

It made me laugh at dinner when someone walked by and chatted to my waitress and asked 'working hard?', and without blinking an eyelid the waitress replied, 'hardly working'.

This was a sign on the restaurant window.

I got to the Riverdance show and took my seat, and it turns out Ross Noble's twin brother was sitting in the seat in front of me.  Tall as shit, and hair that would make any female jealous.  I had to move seats to see anything.

The ceiling of the hall:

Riverdance was amazing.  They dance so tall and straight, but their legs are going at the rate of knots.  Really incredible and impressive.  The physicality of it is astounding, but it is so well put together, and I really love the sound of ancient Ireland, I just love the music.  And when there are a stack of dancers all on stage together, their feet moving in total unison with the rhythm of the music, it is simply superb!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Hello Ireland

Yesterday I left Milan.  Nothing exciting to report about the whole departure, other than usual poor service at the airport.  My bag weighed in at 20.1 kgs.  And breakfast consisted of an Italian style doughnut (with a hole in the middle) and an espresso.  The flight was delayed by about an hour but it didn't really bother me.

Flying into Dublin, the could immediately see green everywhere, beautiful luscious green.  Outside of the airport were also great patches of green lawn.  So much more comforting than concrete!

I was looking forward to a taxi ride so I didn't catch the transfer bus to the city, even though it would have been much cheaper and taken me straight to my hotel in Temple Bar.  And I'm glad.  I got a great driver (although I expected nothing less), he chatted all the way giving me excellent recommendations for my drive itinerary, and also recommendations for around Dublin.  I took notes and reckon I will take him up on most of it and have already started the processes.

I checked into my hotel and settled in before heading out to explore Temple Bar.  I walked around a bit before settling for an afternoon lunch/dinner at the Elephant and something.  Steak sandwich, and a home made ginger ale.  Very nice.  Wandering around there were buskers you could listen too, but first impressions of Dublin weren't that great.  I went into a tourist office (you see them everywhere here, unlike in Milan where, despite the distances I trekked, didn't see one), and got some information and purchased a ticket for the hop on hop off bus (the green one, as per my taxi driver's recommendation).  

Then I wandered through another section of the city, and this is where I started to see what I was expecting!  I went into a Vodafone store and now have access to Wireless wherever I go!  I feel connected now.  Haha.  

Her right boob was hit by a bullet in 1916 :(

I explored a bit more of the city, but after having a couple of late nights in a row and early mornings, I was feeling in need of a rest and went back to the hotel again.  At around 7.00 I decided I was going to hit the pub - the one that the taxi driver recommended (are you starting to see a theme here), and I'm glad I did.  Grabbed a drink (not a guinness...that will happen...) and scored a stool in front of two guys with guitars.  They were great.  Some random dude from the audience started dancing in front of them with some fancy foot moves.  The crowd seemed to love him, but I just thought he was a dick.   I listened to the band for about an hour before another band came on.  There were three of them, violin, guitar and some sort of rhythm box that the dude played with his hands.  They were technically excellent, but no vocals so after about 30 mins, I just went to the pub next door and listened to some more live music.  Oh this is the Ireland I've dreamed of!  

Arriverdeci Milano

I forgot to tell you a something from Monday.  As I was waiting at the San Donato train station waiting for my cousin (as he was waiting for me downstairs).  A woman (and Mormon I think) came by wanting to hand me some religious leaflet, she asked if I would read it.  I just looked at her blankly and said, "I don't speak Italian".  She looked confused then walked away.   Bahahahaha  I've done that a couple times now, in Milan you get hassled a lot, people wanting to sell you things.  I love knowing exactly what they're doing and getting one over them!  Suckers.  The strange thing is that English sounds strange, even to me here.

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Yesterday morning I woke up early and once again made my way to the Duomo.  I wanted to go in when it wasn't full of tourists.  I walked straight in (no waiting in line), and I had the place to myself except for a few people there to pray.  What an amazing, beautiful and grand building it is.  So spectacular.  Mesmerising and jaw-dropping.

Then it was time for my usual calazione (breakfast), which once again consisted of espresso and a cornetto (chocolate this time).  I figure I won't be having these sorts of breakfasts in Ireland, so I'm going to eat them while I can.

I decided that I really needed to do something about the weight of my luggage as now I had purchased some things for myself and others, and I really didn't need it with me.  So I went back to my room and organised a pile of things to send home to myself.  I figured that if I had to pay for excess luggage, or pay for a package home then I would be better off.  I then found the post office, and that's when the debacle began!  I won't bore you with the detail, but you know those times when things happen it makes your blood boil, and you just want to scream at someone, but you know it's the system, and not the messenger....  yeah that.  But to give you the short of it, I was in the right place, got sent to the wrong place, told to go back to the right place, then get a ticket and wait for an hour (this is just to do the first step of actually buying a box mind you), only to be told I had to go over to the store (in the same building), and be served instantly.  What made it worse was that I knew I was running out of time, because, hell, we wouldn't want the Italians to work beyond 1.30 now would we!  And I also knew that it was a combination of not understanding Italian, as well as not asking enough/right questions.  Plus, I still had to go back and pack the box and come back again.

Anyway, I got there in the end and it was a relief, both in physical weight (unloaded 4kgs), and a metaphorical weight lifted from my shoulders now that the ordeal was over.

The good thing to come out of it was that I had now explored another corner of Milan central, and what a corner it was!  It seems I had stumbled upon the gourmet food area!  By this time I needed lunch and I struggled to make a decision on where I should eat.  But then I found a bakery, that was so full of people, that I just knew I had to eat there.  I squeezed in the place and saw a bench full of baked sweets, then a bread/pizza area, then a salad/pasta area.  I decided on pizza, this one had tomato, feta and olives, and when I ate it, it reminded of a the flavour of my mum's pizza.  It was amazing!  I'm so going to miss Italian food.  But not one to resist temptation, I then went for dessert and ordered the most amazing piece of chocolate cake.  Fantastico!

The baker at the rear of the bakery with his wood fired oven:

After the stress of the morning and then stuffing my face, I needed to have a siesta.  I was so tired that I slept heavily for about an hour.  I felt really groggy when I woke up, that I decided the best way to deal with that was to do a bit of physical exercise, and I was determined to climb the stairs of the Duomo before I left Milan (I hadn't gone up to the top of the Duomo on my first visit to Milan in 1996). From there I was going to make my way to Nadia and Fabio's house for dinner. 

At the Duomo, I again realised the importance of asking the right questions.  I went to one entry point, got told to go to a second (the correct one for me if I wanted to walk up), get to that one and the guy assumed I was like the people in front of me who wanted to take the lift up to the top and so went to a third entry point.  Was in line for a while before being told I needed to go back to the place I just came from.

Anyhow... I went up the stairs preparing myself for a physically harrowing experience (250 stairs), but it turned out it was actually quite easy!

From the top of the Duomo I could see the entire skyline of Milan, and more of the beauty of the Duomo itself.  Once again making me in awe of the architecture and design and what a feat of labour it would have been for the times.  Amazing.

After spending some time on the roof of the Duomo (half of it was closed off for maintenance), I started to make my way for dinner.  I planned to walk and take a route that Nadia had recommended to me the day before when I had met with her.

The first area to see was the 'Brera' district.  Superb!  An alternative area with funky shops and restaurants.  Lots of spots for 'Happy Hour' where you pay a price and get nibbles included.  There weren't many tourists around this area either.  Then I found another branch of the bakery I had been to that very day for lunch.  It was at this point that the storm arrived (again).  That afternoon as I had headed out, I had looked at my umbrella and thought, "I don't need that anymore", as well as the disposable raincoat!  What a complete idiot!!!  So, what the heck, I just decided to have happy hour there!  I ordered a glass of white wine and grabbed some munchies and found a spot under cover.  It really poured down too, and the biggest crack of thunder and lightning scared the hell out of everyone at one point.  

My view at happy hour, note in the background you can see the 'modern' area of Milan

I passed the National Library on my walked:

The wine wasn't that great so when the rain subsided I started walking again.  I had with me one of those bags that roll up to nothing, so I protected my head with that.  I'm sure I looked exactly like the beautiful people of Milan, not out of place at all...

I walked past a shoe shop and partly to get out of the rain I looked in there and then decided to try on a pair of boots.  They were a short boot, and were great, but thankfully they didn't have my size!

I continued on, and mostly managed to stay dry, but at one point I had to cross a main road, and I was in the medium strip when this car flew past and his tyres went through the huge puddle of water near me.  You don't need me to tell you what happened.  Needless to say, after the day I had, the 'c' word escaped my lips out loud.   Then I just laughed, what more was there to do after all.

Apparently you can even park on the kerb in Italy!

Nadia made the first healthy meal I have had since I've been on my travels  Quinoa and vegetables stir fried.  It was absolutely delicious, and a couple of glass of red to go with it, as well as some cheeses and Sardinian bread for starters meant that I tried some really new and amazingly good food.

My favourite part of the night though was when Nadia and Fabio started imitating their Italian speaking friends from English speaking countries.  They imitated the Irish, the English and the American, and they had me in complete fits.  Nadia, don't you dare imitate me now in my terrible Aussie accent, with my butchered mix of Dialect and Italian!

Nadia lived in Ireland for 18 months, so at the end of the night I was writing down all these places to haunt and eat at in Dublin.  She has got me very excited to be going there!  But I am quietly devastated at having to leave Milan.

To get back to my apartment, I simply had to catch the Tram which stops right outside their apartment, and dropped me about 50 meters from my apartment.  I had no problem getting home at all.  I followed the tram route home on my map, and when we reached the Duomo, I even knew when to press the stop button.

I feel like I have only just begun to scratch the surface of Milan, and I haven't done as much as I wanted to in Italy.  I haven't got to Lake Como like I planned.  I haven't eaten enough.  I haven't explored enough.  No, seriously, I haven't eaten enough!  I haven't had enough gelati, pizza, pasta, cornetti.  I haven't even eaten one canoli  WTF!   I haven't had enough coffee and I need more Shakeratas.  I haven't had one plate of antipasto which I love. I haven't eaten enough fruit or drunk enough chinotto.

But, I have breathed in Milan and it's beauty.  It is stunning.  I love the ancient architecture.  And I love Milan.  

Shakerata

For two days I had been wandering around the city of Milan without a map.  I now had one, and my first order of the day yesterday was to find the Australian Embassy so that I could cast my vote in the Election.  When ex PM Julia Gillard had called the election, I had worked out that I wouldn't be able to vote given my travel dates.  Now that the election has been brought forward, and I am fortuitous enough to be in a city that hosts an Embassy when voting is open, I'll darn well try my hardest to have my say. 

From what I could tell, the Embassy was fairly close, so I made my way towards via Borgogna.  On the way I stopped and had a coffee and cornetto of course, it was delicious of course!  Finding the street proved a bit difficult, but I got there eventually.  I was a bit disappointed, I was expecting a grand building, but the Embassy is just hosted on a few floors in a stock standard building.  Security was tight, people were only allowed in one at a time, going through a scanner, bags checked etc.

The process itself was a bit slow, and whilst I was in the voting room I overheard a young girl tell a story of how, upon her arrival in Milan, on a bus, she had her passport and other things stolen.  When I walked out I spoke to her to check she was ok, she was crying, but there was nothing I could do for her.  She was in the right spot.

I then wandered around the area looking for the Milan Google offices as I was set to meet Nadia there for lunch.  In my roamings I wandered down via Montenapoleone, the fashion street of Milan.  You name the name, their store is there.  It is mind boggling how much money must be spent on this street alone.  I didn't even bother going into the stores, only to be disappointed about not being able to have a Prada bag...

This street is not Montenapoleone...

However, if you're going to be rich, and look like this, I'd rather be poor:

I did some shopping for the kids back home, then at 1.00 I made my way to Google.  I had lunch on Google, then Nadia showed me around.  She then took me for coffee to the top floor of the Renascente building.  (Not unlike our DJs back home.)  I didn't feel like a hot drink, but I did feel like coffee so Nadia recommended I have a Caffe Shakerata.  Which was a cold coffee, shaken like a cocktail, but I think it had a flavouring or a liquor in it.  It was simply delicious.  I might go back there again today!  We lost track of time so then Nadia had to rush back to work.  I stuck around and browsed through the store.

Inside this truck is a phone.  It's a phone booth!

I went back to the apartment and called my cousin Daniele again.  He lives just outside Milan in a small town of Lido, so he instructed me what train I needed and what stop I needed to get off at and we arranged a meeting time of 6.30.  I ended up getting there early, but I had mis-understood him.  He had told me to wait in the station, but I had exited as I thought that's what he had told me.  By 7.00 I was in a bit of a panic, and at 7.10 I went down to the station again to find a phone to call him again.  And that's when I saw him!

He took me back to his place which was 17ks from the station.  Then we went out for pizza with his family.  It is strange hearing a 7 year old talking better Italian than you!  Whilst we were having dinner, once again a storm rolled in, but this time it started to piss down.  I had just, literally, 3 hours earlier taken my umbrella out of my bag, as well as my 'emergency' raincoat.  Just when I needed them the most!

Daniele and Anna were contemplating driving me all the way into Milan, but I wouldn't let them, and then they wanted that I at least take their umbrella.  But given they would never see it again, I wouldn't allow that either.  So they drove me back to the train station and I made my way back to the city.  By the time I got out at the Duomo it was about 11.30, and it was raining (but at least not pissing down in a torrential downpour).  I contemplated grabbing a taxi back to the apartment and even started to walk towards them, and then thought that was stupid and walked back to the apartment.  I was looking like a drowned rat by the time I got in.  But at least I was home safely.  The whole situation had actually been quite harrowing!

The Last Supper

This morning I was up bright and early and out the door at around 7.20am.  I had an appointment with Leonardo.  Not wanting any unexpected delays I decided to grab a taxi to Santa Maria Della Grazie and get the Metro back.

I grabbed an espresso at a bar, then made my way through Piazza Duomo where I started wondering where everyone was, I mean, I wasn't expecting to see any tourists at that hour, but I was expecting to see the Milanese making their way to work.  It wasn't til a couple hours later that I realised that it was Sunday.  One of the joys of travel is losing track of what day it is.  Ahhhh.

I took a few photos this time.  When you travel folks, get up early!  Two reasons.  1.  Is you'll get the best light for photos, and 2.  The tourists are still asleep.  I actually have a photo of The Duomo with very few people out the front!

At The Last Supper I was glad that I had an early morning appointment.  They only let 30 people in at a time, and only for 15mins at a time.  In my group there was only 9 of us.  On entry, they lock one door behind you before opening the next.  They tell you loud and clear, no photos, and there are signs everywhere that cameras are not allowed.  So I was a little annoyed when some clown took a photo, but the photo police nabbed him, and made him delete the photo!

After 15 mins, out the other door we went.  I decided to use their toilets (sorry, another toilet story) because surely it would be clean.  But I got in there and the previous female had peed on the toilet seat.  Sit on the toilet and aim straight bitch!

Then I went across the road to grab my breakfast, cornetto of course.  Delicious of course.  Then I thought I should try and find a metro entry point.  I was guided by some signs, but soon realised that I was following 'no parking' signs.  Never mind, something will turn up, I thought.  I followed my gut instinct for where the Duomo should be, and happened across a couple of key historical sites.  The first was one of six ancient 'gates to the city'.  I kept wandering and found myself at the Basilica Sant Ambrogio (construction started in 370).

Milan (or should I say Italy) has some of the most beautiful churches.  The art and sculptures are magnificent, and the architecture astounding.  It's enough to turn even a cynic like me back to Catholicism.  Almost.

Then I stumbled across Piazza Borromeo, then Piazza San Sepolcro.  By this time, I was close enough to the Duomo that there were signs pointing in the direction.  So I just walked the rest of the way in.

After doing a spot of shopping at Zara (I don't normally shop at Zara, but I found a couple of classic pieces, a black deep v back dress and a red jacket, all for 109€), I went back to the apartment.  Skyped Todd then had a power nap.

Then I went back to Central Milan and grabbed a foccacia for lunch and did some window shopping.  After wandering around for a while I found some phone boxes and decided to call my cousin Daniele.  He told me he was working but I will call him again tomorrow and try and catch up with him tomorrow night.  As I walked away from the telephone box I had to cross the road.  I was at a pedestrian crossing, was fairly sure it was safe to cross and as I was in the middle of the road this dude in a white car came screaming around the corner.  He was going so fast, I actually thought I was going to be critically wounded (ok, those weren't my exactly thoughts, but I nearly shit my pants ok!), he wound down his window and apologised profusely.  I was too stunned to reply.  I just looked at him like an idiot.

After that I found my way to the chocolate shop I saw yesterday.  I tried to order waffles with chocolate and strawberry, but they had run out of waffles.  So I had to settle for the crepes.  What a shame.  I have just finished eating them, and I am so full...  Todd, I am going to come back fat!

I have found a shady spot and am writing this outside the Galleria.  I have the Galleria to my right, Statue of Leonardo to my left.  I am sitting under a tree.  Definition of happiness right there.

This photo is of the Galleria, also taken early morning when there was not a soul about.

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After relaxing for a while, I went and had a second date with Leonardo.  There was an exhibition actually right at the end of the Galleria - if you look at the above photo, at the end on the left.  The exhibition was exhibiting new interpretations of his work.  There were models of drawings he had in his folios, as well as digital imaging of the folios, and descriptions of the lengths scholars and the like have gone into to try and put it all together and understand his thinking.  What a genius.

After that I just walked and walked and walked.  Just generally either window shopping or admiring the buildings, taking photos, breathing Milan in.  Made it to Castello Sforzesco which I think now houses museums but I didn't go in.  By this time I was thinking I needed to get back to the apartment.  As I was heading back, that storm from last night decided to reappear again at pretty much the same time too.  I got back to the apartment and was knackered so had another nanna nap...  Have woken up just in time for bed time.

I seriously love this city.  So so so beautiful.

Tomorrow I'm planning on heading to the Australian Embassy, which by the looks is nearby, so I can vote!  Yay!  Then I'm going to head to Via Montenapoleone which is Milan's shopping district.  Then we'll see where the day takes me.

Bombolone, life is good.

Just a few notes:

I found out that the custard filled doughnut I ate yesterday is called a Bombolone.  I found that out because I went back to the same cafe this morning for a final 'cornetto', and someone in front of me ordered one.  

I have to say I am loving ordering food in Italian and getting what I want.  It boosts the ego.  Although, knowing a bit of Italian can also be a curse because I start a conversation in Italian, and then the response comes in proper and fast Italian, and I realise I have got my knickers in a knot and understood...well...nothing!  Haha, that'll teach me for being a smartarse!

Yesterday when I was in Riomaggiore, I was just having a relaxing moment watching people walk by when I saw a female tourist struggling with her luggage up the steep incline of the Main Street.  She had to stop and wipe the sweat off her brow.  I nearly laughed out loud because I had the thought that maybe there were lots of lifts scattered around the place, and that the locals took great pleasure in directing tourists via the hardest, longest route possible, all the while having a good ol' laugh at us.

Out of the five towns I think Monterosso is probably the 'least steep'.  So if you're planning on coming, there's a tip for you.  Or at least book a hotel right near your arrival point.  I also think it is my favourite, but that could simply be because I have stayed here and explored it the most.

I am currently at the train station waiting for my train.  I sit here with a very heavy heart!  Raffaela said before I left that I should be happy as I'll be going to Ireland (after Milan - she doesn't like Milan).  Also that it was going to rain for the next two nights.  Perfect timing!  And so I should (be happy)!  Also huge shout out to Jon who carried my bag down the stairs.  I'm going to have to do something about that excess luggage.

Arriverderci Cinque Terre.

xx

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I'm on the train now and on my way to Milano.  What a debacle with my luggage.  First, no lift (that I could see) so I had to haul my ~22+ kg luggage up 2 flights of stairs, then when the train arrived I needed carriage 4, but as I was making my way down the platform (running by the end), all the carriages seemed to say 1..then 2..  I saw an actual official train guy (the first one I have spotted to date), and he told me I was at 7.  So I then had to trace my steps, running again.  I had been reading the wrong number.  Doh!

Any how, the real story is, I finally got my seat on the train and the young guy next to me immediately started chatting.  Within minutes he was chatting me up.  No, seriously he was, I kid you not!  I don't have tickets on myself, but I know what was going on...   Then came the killer question, "do you have a boyfriend?".  Bahahahaha.  Yes I said, and then wondered how the conversation would have ensued had I lied.  Then he asked "how is life in Australia?", and just to rub salt in the wound, I responded with "bellissima!".

A few stops later he got off, and I was quietly relieved.  

A family of three then got on and next thing I know curtains are being drawn, and the buxom lady is getting changed in the cabin - skirt off, sitting in her knickers.  Then a struggle to get the jeans on, then top off, top on, no... that won't do, top off again, another top on.   Ahh we are settled now... Lets see how the rest of this train ride unfolds.  This is turning out to be quite an eye opening trip!

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Back again, and still on the train.  The little boy from the family of three is watching me do my sudoku puzzle on my iPad.  He is about 4 yo I reckon, and he is so cute and funny.  He keeps looking over and as I complete the puzzle I am getting all these oohs and ahs, it's all very cute and has the whole cabin laughing.  The family has also started talking to the other girls in the cabin.  I'm the only one who doesn't understand.  I think they're talking a German language.  Although, I did hear them say the word Lindt, then the mother describing a souvenir Lindt chocolate you could buy.  I understood that! Chocolate, the universal language it seems.

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Another update from the train.  It seems the mother is still having clothing issues.  I think she is hot and sweaty.  The other two girls in the cabin have got off at a stop and two men replaced them.  Apparently this doesn't deter this woman.  Under her tshirt she takes off her bra and replaces it with her bikini top.  Quite an amazing feat. But she has an audience, outside the cabin, a man is ogling her the whole time.

Then I needed to make a trip to the loo (again, sorry for the loo stories), but that was a task within itself.   This train is completely 'choccas'.  Besides all of the cabins being full, there are fold down seats in the aisle (all occupied), as well as a multitude of people standing in the aisle.  I don't know how Italian rail gets away with it!  On top of that the food trolley is in the middle blocking any hope of passing through!

All good, got there in the end.

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So I arrived at Milan Central, another loo story which I won't bore you with.  Seriously, I must have the bladder the size of a pea.  Any way I decided, given the luggage situation that I would just grab a taxi to my apartment even though I figured it wasn't to far from Milan Central, it just wasn't worth the hassle struggling with luggage on the Metro.  Glad I made that decision because the taxi ride only came to 9€.  I successfully managed the interactions with the taxi driver entirely in Italian.

After I settled into the Apartment, I decided to go for a wander and grab a bite to eat.  By this time it was about 4.30 and I hadn't had any lunch.  I left the apartment, and about 200 meters later I realised I didn't have my document with me that had the name and address of the apartment.  I figured though, that I had my bearings ok from the taxi ride, as long as I could get back to The Duomo.  I quickly made a note in my iPhone, from memory, what I thought the name and address was.

I then found a spot for a snack and ordered a bruschetta (classica), and a chinotto (I know, I'm so predictable).  It was all ok, but at one stage the owner of the restaurant started absolutely yelling at one of the staff.  Now sure, it wasn'lt peak hour, but there were a few customers outside and it was really inappropriate.  What a bitch!  

The meal, plus chinotto, plus bottled water (water had been free at all the restaurants I had eaten at until now), cost me 19€.  Whoa...Time to watch the pennies in a big city!

I think got to the square, decided NOT to take a photo of the Duomo, as the it was right in the middle of the day, and decided I would get up early one morning instead to try and get a better photo, and also to try and avoid the hoardes of tourists.

I wandered to the Galleria, and I think this building is just beautiful by the way.  I almost prefer it to the Duomo, then found La Scala, then got a bit lost.  Saw a `Magnum' shop (yes Magnum icecreams), and I think you could 'make your own' (in terms of toppings I think), but there were so many people in the store I could barely walk in.  Then I saw a chocolate store, which, well I'm not quite sure what it sold, but people were walking out with icecream cones, and again there was some sort of make your own thing going on, but again, so many people I didn't bother.  But I think I will go back to that one!

Any way, most Italians you talk to that don't live in Milan, don't actually like Milan.  Raffaela was saying she didn't like it because it was a working city, and everyone is busy.  So I think it is a lifestyle thing.  But as I was walking around, I just fell in love with it, even more than my first visit.  It is just so so beautiful.  Every building is worth looking up for.  As I was wandering I literally didn't know which street to take because each one looked amazing, but then what if I missed out on something down one of the other streets?  I did get a bit lost because down one street, I just wanted to explore another, then another.  I kept my bearings ok though and made it back to the Duomo.

This is Leonardo:

But I only decided to head back, because a storm was rolling in.  The clouds looked threatening, and the weather had started to change.  You could feel the air change around you.  I wasn't dressed appropriately for a storm, so I thought I better get back to the Apartment.  It was a thunderous storm, but it didn't last long, but by the time it all settled, I was settled too...

Tomorrow morning I am booked in to go see "The Last Supper".

Portovenere

This morning I was up quite early and had breakfast at the B&B again, then I found the post office and paid 10€ to post four postcards to Australia.  I don't think I'll be posting too many of those going forward!  People will just have to content themselves with updates on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Blog....!

Then, even though I had eaten breakfast, I went to a local cafe/bar where the other day I had seen the most magnificent pastries being fresh delivered.  I ordered a cafe latte (flat white) and one of the doughnuts that were filled with vanilla custard.  The doughnuts (no hole in the middle) were not dense at all, rather, almost 'empty', and there wasn't too much custard in the middle.  It was bellissima!

The plan for today was to get a ticket for a scenic boat tour to Portovenere.  It is a large boat that travels between all five towns of Cinque Terre and then goes on to Portovenere, and there is also an option to take a smaller boat to three nearby islands.

I got on the boat and took a seat downstairs because upstairs looked full, but I sat on the bench on the side of the boat so that I was facing into the seats in the middle of the boat.  People watching is one of my favourite pastimes after all.  The boat was filling up quickly, and imagine my delight when four strapping young dark haired men walked on, and the seats immediately in front of me were vacant.  Alas, they walked on by and settled elsewhere.  However, you can then imagine my elation when the fattest woman on the boat, (wearing only a bikini I might add) parked her fat arse in that very seat!  Managgia la miseria!

But I digress... I had never heard of Portovenere before now but it appears you could throw a dart at the map of Italy and you wouldn't be disappointed.  Once again I was delighted at the rows of colourful apartments lining the esplanade on arrival.

(Note how blue the waters are.)

Now I know you don't care to know every time I have to go to the toilet, but I have to tell you that when we docked in Portovenere I found the first 'pristine' public toilet I have ever seen in Italy.  Most have been nothing short of disgusting.  I had to pay 0.50€ for the privilege, but I gladly would have paid more!  It was as clean as my own toilet at home!  A pleasant, pleasant surprise.

Then I made my way to the castle ruins, but I didn't follow the crowds of tourists on the slow incline up, I chose another more scenic route, up about 150 stairs.  So pretty.  The castle was nothing short of spectacular, and looking around you just have to wonder what poor bastards had to slave away to build it, and how, and also how the darn thing was engineered in the first place.  Amazing.  

The castle sits at the peak of a bay, and so from most corners of the castle you have spectacular views of the ocean, nearby islands and Portovenere itself.  Obviously that was by design, in order to have good visibility of the enemy approaching, but by golly gosh what a sight for travellers to enjoy!

After exploring the castle, I made my way to the little church at the peak of the bay, then wandered back into town.  I stopped for lunch in a little authentic restaurant, and enjoyed a hearty plate of spaghetti con pesto.  The flavours in this pesto were fantastic.  I savoured every bite.  It is a great thing knowing that you can literally go into any restaurant in these little towns and be assured you're going to get the real deal.  (I rarely eat at Italian restaurants in Australia, because you can usually be guaranteed a better meal at home.)  At the end of the meal they gave me a complimentary dessert wine with biscuit.  Winning.

I ended up spending so much time in Portovenere that I missed the boats to the three islands.

It was such a pleasure to stumble upon this little delight today.  Usually when I travel I know what I'm going to be doing when.  But I had no plans for Portovenere, so I think that makes this little gem all the more stunning.

On the boat back, I decided to stop at Riomaggiore again, just to remind myself of the place.  And then I got the next boat back direct to Monterosso.  I made my way back to the B&B and showered and rested (because I've clearly exhausted myself on this trip so far), before stepping out for a quick light meal.  After today's spaghetti, I didn't want too much, so I just had an Insalata Caprese.  It wasn't as good as the one from yesterday, not too mention that about four flies wanted to be my friend and share my food.  I spent most of the meal waving my hands about... I think the least the staff could do was wave a palm leaf over me... Jaysus...

I then went into a shop and finally purchased a leather bag I had eyed off when I first got here.  And managed to get 5€ off the price.  Is that good?

Tonight is my last night in Cinque Terre, and I am so very sad to have to leave in the morning.  I can feel my heart breaking.  I even had fleeting thoughts of re-organising my travels so I could stay longer, but that would mean missing out on something else.  So I must leave.