Friday, July 20, 2018

Arrivederci Italia! Return Journey Home!

Saturday, July 7, 2018
Arrivederci Italia…Return Journey Home

            We were down in the lobby of Hotel Nettuno at 5.00 am where our cabbie was waiting for us. He dropped us off to the train station at Piazza Cadorna from where Delyse, Nafisa and I took the Malpensa Express which dropped us off to Malpensa airport in about an hour.
            At the airport, as Nafisa was leaving first, we saw her through her check-in formalities. Then, we proceeded to get our check-in done. When we all had our boarding passes, we said goodbye to Nafisa who was flying on to Paris for another three days in the City of Light.
            Delyse and I found a McDonalds and had a bit of breakfast before we boarded our direct flight back to the US. We managed to get a fellow-passenger to exchange his seat with Delyse and sitting side and side and talking nineteen to the dozen, we watched a couple of movies and made our way back home. When I next opened the blinds on the window, we were right above the islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, just off the coast of Massachusetts. A few minutes later, Block Island came into sight.  It was a perfectly cloudless day along the East Coast of the USA and we could see so much before Howard Beach in Queens with its sunbathers and the skyscrapers of downtown Manhattan could be seen.  We were home! 
            Delyse’s daughters, Natalie and Dani, were waiting to pick us up and drive us home.  Needless to say, we regaled them with stories about the great, funny, irritating, stressful, absent-minded moments we’d had. And then, they were pulling up into my driveway and Llew was opening the door to us.
            Our travels in Italy were well and truly done and we had come home to roost—to Rochelle’s Roost, my blog in which, I hope, you are reading this post. 
            Thanks for armchair-traveling with me. May the road always rise up to meet you…    

Luxuriating on Lake Como: Bellagio, Varenna, Tremezzo and Como.

Friday, July 6, 2018
Luxuriating on the Banks of Lovely Lake Como

            We left our Hotel Nettuno early to get to the train station at Piazza Cadorna for our train to Lake Como. We picked up coffee and croissants from a small café at the station and without losing any time raced off to the platform to board our train. It was only an hour’s journey—by 10.00 am, we were on the bank of lovely Lake Como.
            Lake Como is of three lakes that comprise what is known as Italy’s Lake District—the other two lakes are Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore. Of the three, Lake Como is the most glamorous in terms of its gorgeous scenery—you can see the snow-covered Dolomites from its shores—as well as in terms of the small towns that have mushroomed on its banks. Finally, recent celebrities like George Clooney and his lawyer wife, Amal, have put this place on the fame map. 
Lake Como also lends itself to the name of the main town—Como. This town can boast a big main piazza which sports a grand Cathedral (the Duomo) as well as a good local bus and tram transportation service. There is also a funicular train that whisks visitors up to the top of the tallest mountain that overlooks the lake for some arresting views of the area.  We did not have the time to take the train—or else it would have been a great excursion. 
The way to get from one little lake-shore town to the next is through the ferry system. Indeed visitors can board slow-rowing ferries that ply up and down the lake as well as from side to side as they skirt the banks picking up and dropping passengers off. The ferry is the only way to get across the lake and unless one drives around its periphery, there is really no other way to get around.

On The Ferry to Bellagio:
            We decided not to waste much time in Como as there were many more picturesque places to be seen. Besides, the crowd at the little ferry dock grew rapidly as the hour for its departure drew near.  We bought our tickets to Varenna—a town way in the northern reaches of the lake, which is Y-shaped at the lower end. We then boarded it with a huge horde of people—most were Europeans from neighboring countries out for a few days in the Lake District.
            The sun was hot and it grew quiet uncomfortable to sit on the deck—we, therefore, took turns to step inside in the shade and stand by a window where a cool breeze played off the lake. The ferry made frequent stops all along the shores.  People got on and off; but the bulk stayed on—obviously with the same final destination in mind. As we bobbed across the water, we took in the sight of lovely classical villas in uniformly warm hues--of orange, brown, russet, yellow, saffron, orche, even pink. Gardens, viewed from the ferry, promised rambles among Italianate topiaries, tall cypresses and elegant statuary. All these towns on the lake-shore sported red tiled roofs. Occasionally, we spied the spire of a church reaching out of the warren of lanes towards the heavens. There were villas everywhere and not a building in sight to spoil the visual glory.  With the ice-capped mountains and the lapping lake waves, these scenes wherever the eye turned, were idyllic. There was so much to catch the eye and capture the camera’s lens—I simply did not know when to stop. 
About two…yes, two…whole hours later, we arrived at a major stop—it turned out to be Bellagio and almost the entire boat seemed to empty of humanity. We thought we would carry on towards Varenna, but we were mistaken.  This was the last stop and we had no choice but to get off.

Bella Bellagio:
            Bellagio does not have its reputation for nothing! It is simply glorious! In fact, I am amazed that the Clooneys do not live here.  As we made our way from the ferry port up the steep flights of stairs that led, tier after cobbled tier, to the wide open spaces above, we passed by fancy eateries, upscale shops and beautiful little lodgings that seemed to come out of a fairy-tale. In Bellagio’s main square, we shopped for silk scarves—as the town is the center of Italy’s silk-weaving industry. There were souvenir stores, of course, offering magnets, postcards and the like and we bought a few. 
            Then, feeling famished, we decided to look for lunch. Little wayside eateries presented themselves but we could not linger long as we had our eye on the clock—we needed to get the next ferry heading to Varenna. Accordingly, Delyse and I picked up prosciutto and fontina cheese sandwiches from a deli and found them to be most delicious.  Truly, even the simplest ingredients in Italy are so flavorful that no matter what one sets out to concoct, it tastes superlative. 
   
Waltzing in Varenna:
            With our sandwiches in hand, we found our way back to the ferry spot. Boarding the next ferry leaving for Varenna, we were dropped off just fifteen minutes later, at our next destination. Less glamorous than Bellagio, Varenna is, nevertheless, every bit as appealing, for it too is filled with glorious villas that form a backdrop for the little beaches and pebbly coves that are a part of the town. At Varenna, after a long hike uphill, we actually dipped our feet into the cooling waters of the lake and took innumerable pictures because every nook and cranny offered the most scenic vistas.  I truly wish we could have spent more time in Lake Como, but, overall, I was simply glad that we had a chance to explore it.

Tantalizing Tremezzo:
            From Varenna, we boarded the ferry once again and made our way to yet another town: Tremezzo. This little place is famous for Villa Carlotta, a sprawling estate that has a grand villa and many acres of formal classical gardens—as well as its own chapel. Sadly, the premises were out of bounds to tourists as there was a private event going on.  All we could do was stand outside the wrought-iron gates of the villa and take pictures. 
            And then, after we had sauntered a bit longer on the shores of Lake Como and taken in the fancy cars that were whizzing in and out of the mountain roads, it was time for us to board the final ferry that would take us back to Como.  This ride seemed a bit shorter—the sun had dipped down and a cool breeze was playing. It made the return journey back far more pleasant. 
       
A Quick Stroll Around Como:
        Back at the ferry port at Como, we ventured out into its main square and encircled its huge Duomo. However, it was closed for the day and we could not get inside. The tourist frenzy of the morning had subsided and we seemed to have the town to ourselves. Very slowly, we made our way back to the train station on foot for our return ride to Milan.
            Our travels had finally come to an end—as all good things must! It did not end with a bang—just with the gentle sailing on the waters of a placid lake that offered frequent glimpses of the lower Alps and the verdant green sides of mountains that dipped down to kiss the waves of the shores.  After the hectic sightseeing of over a week, it was the nicest way to end our stay in Italy and all of us were grateful that we were concluding on a quiet, relaxed and very rejuvenating note. 

Back in Milan for our Last Dinner:
            Night had fallen by the time we arrived in Milan. We were famished and ready to eat a nice dinner—it was going to be our last one, after all. But Piazza Cadorna was almost deserted and in the darkness, it was so hard to find a suitable restaurant at which we could eat.  We did manage to find a convenience store that had a particular hand soap that I was seeking and find it we did!
            Then, it was time to look for dinner and while we searched high and low for a suitable Italian restaurant for our last meal in Italy, every single one seemed to be closing for the night. Left with little choice, we were really pleased to come upon Zakuro, a Japanese restaurant not too far from Piazza Cadorna and it was there that we treated ourselves to our last really amazing meal.  We ordered ramen soup and a noodles dish filled with shrimp that was so flavorful and such a welcome change from all the pasta and pizza and gelato on which we had gorged for a whole two weeks.  The service was excellent and, to my enormous surprise, my friends decided to treat me to the meal—not just because it was going to be my birthday in the next couple of days but also because they wished to say Thank-you to me for inviting them on this ride and for planning it with the kind of attention to detail with which all my travel itineraries are crafted. It was a happy group that raised glasses in a toast to the end of our journey and the hope of more happy travels in the years to come.

Conclusion:
            We’d had long and very adventurous travels in Italy—that was for sure.  But if I were to pick out the highlights of the trip for me, these are the moments that stick out in my mind:

1.    Having the city of Florence all to myself at dawn for two days in a row during which time I enjoying photographing it without shadows in the soft light of morning.
2.    Looking out the window during my conference at NYU and for three days seeing nothing but undulating gardens, olive groves, lemon and orange trees, topiaries and moss-covered sculpture at Villa La Pietra just outside Florence.
3.    Shopping for a hat in Florence with my friend Tim in La Borsalino—a shop into which I would never have ventured.
4.    Becoming introduced to the magnificent frescoes of Fra Angelico at the Convent of San Marco in Florence.
5.    Meeting my college classmate Vanessa after more than 35 years in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence and having dinner with her.
6.    Being a participant in Il Palio—the annual horse-race--in Sienna.
7.    Gasping at the marble mosaics on the floor of the Duomo in Sienna.
8.    The four fabulous Bernini sculptures in the Chapel of Santa Maria della Vota in the Duomo in Sienna.
9.    The Piccolomini Library in Sienna.
10. Seeing the real head and teeth of St. Catherine in the Basilica of St. Dominic in Sienna. 
11. The man dressed as St. Francis on the cobbled streets of Assisi (who fooled Delyse into thinking he was a statue).
12. Lunch with the Brigidine nuns at Suore Brigidine in Assisi.
13. The Pinocoteca Nationale in Bologna with its collection of altarpieces.
14. The Mausoleum of Galla Placidia with its glowing mosaics in Ravenna.
15. The delicious meal of pork chops and grilled vegetables that Delyse and I shared at La Gardela Restaurant in Ravenna.
16. Seeing The Last Supperby Leonardo da Vinci in Milan
17. Attending a performance of Beethoven’s only opera Fidelioat La Scala in Milan.
18. Dipping our toes in Lake Como while on the pebbly shores of Varenna.    

There were a lot of images that saw us off to sleep on our final night in Italy.  Early the next morning, Delyse, Nafisa and I would be taking a train from the Cadorna station to Milan’s Malpensa Airport. Accordingly, we called a cab at 5.00 pm and fell asleep on a tired note.

      Until tomorrow, arrivederci…

The Magic of Milan--The Last Supper, Sforza Castle, The Duomo, The Galleria and La Scala

           
Thursday, July 5, 2018
Making the Most of a Day in Milan:

            We were most excited about arriving in Milan as it offered one of the highlights of our trip—a chance to glimpse one of the most famous art works in the world: Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper.  Only I knew how much effort it had taken us to get tickets. I had tried for weeks to obtain them through the museum itself—but, in the end, I was a victim of scalpers who corner all the tickets and then re-sell them through the internet for a premium. To bait in buyers, they include walking tours of Milan in the price—68 euros!--and with no choice but to take one of these, that was exactly what we had signed up for: A Walking Tour of Milan that included a Visit to the Church that holds da Vinci’s Last Supper
However, while we were prepared for that excursion, none of us had any inkling that our day would end with another enormous surprise for which we had not bargained. For we snagged tickets to see Fidelio, Beethoven’s only opera, in none other than La Scala, the most popular and famous opera house in the world. Truly, we were fast ticking items off my Bucket List: two masterpieces in one day—da Vinci and Beethoven! The Last Supperand Fidelioat La Scala!! It was an embarrassment of riches!
Breakfast at a Local Café:
            But, first things first. We needed to eat well to provide us with the energy we would need for a three and a half hour long walking tour. I always eat a substantial breakfast and I made sure I had a decaff Americano and two croissants from a café before we left—so that I would not need to worry about a meal until lunch-time.
            Of course, as our rotten luck would have it, it was raining—the only rain we would see on our entire trip had to occur on the day we had booked a walking tour!!! What were the odds? Still, we decided to make the most of the day and set off attired well against the rain.  
            After breakfast at the café, a lady patron called a cab for us and about ten minutes later, we were at the piazza attached to the Church of Santa Maria della Grazie—the Church of our Lady of Gratitude--for it is in its refectory that Leonardo painted the scene for which he attained global fame. 
As it turned out, we arrived at the church earlier than required. This gave us a chance to enter it and take in its interior. In a corner chapel, Mass was being said and both Delyse and I decided to join in eagerly.  This also gave us the chance to receive Communion: how thrilled we were that we actually heard Mass and received Communion in the Church that Leonardo made so famous. Our chapel was small, constructed and decorated in the Baroque style. The portrait of Santa Maria della Grazie was placed as the main altarpiece. After Mass, we spent a few more minutes in silent prayer and then found our way back to the main square where we were supposed to meet our tour guide for the start of our tour of Milan.

A Walking Tour of Milan:
              It was not long before we met our tour guide Donatella, a very sweet and chic woman with fluent English--much to my relief. Having just returned from South America where the guides speaking English were barely intelligible, I found it great to have one who did a really competent job. After she had taken roll call, she presented us with portable microphones that enabled us to hear her even when she was far away. 
            She explained that the first item on our agenda would be a visit to the Church to see The Last Supper and, accordingly, instructed us to place our bags in a locker to be retrieved after this portion of the tour was done.

Visiting the Refectory to see The Last Supper:
            Unlike his Mona Lisain the Louvre in Paris that disappoints most viewers by its tiny size, Leonardo’s Last Supperhas just the opposite effect. Most people do not know what to expect and they are overwhelmed when they realize that an entire wall of a huge dining hall (refectory) of a monastery contains this fresco. Furthermore, because of the number of visitors who wish to see this work and the impact that their breath has upon the wall, no more than 25 visitors are permitted to enter the refectory at a time and no more than 15 minutes is allotted to them.
            Once we passed by the cloister leading to the fresco, we found ourselves inside a dimly-lit, climate-controlled space. The painting dominates one wall of the hall and, of course, our eyes remained riveted to it. Donatella knew that the first thing everyone would want to do would be to take selfies with the painting—so she requested us to refrain from doing so and assured us that she would give us adequate time for such intentions.  Instead she began her commentary on the painting and explained that the reason it is so striking is because it reveals the expressions of the Apostles at the very moment when Christ, who is hosting them at supper, tells them that he is aware that one of them will betray him.  Going from left towards the right, she then went on to comment upon each apostle and the reaction that the announcement has on him. I found it quite fascinating as I had never looked on this painting in that light before.           
                Accomplished between 1495 and 1498, this fresco is notorious because it took so long to complete. Usually in a fresco, paint is applied quickly—before the freshly-applied plaster dries.  To make any changes to the fresco after the plaster has dried involves actually breaking the plaster down and starting to re-plaster the wall again from scratch.  No artist wants to do this—hence, they work quickly.  Leonardo, on the other hand, worked at snail’s pace, oftentimes merely staring at his handiwork of the previous day before leaving and returning a whole day later—much to the annoyance of his patron, the Dominican monk, who needed the premises for the monks’ meals. 
            Furthermore, Leonardo was also experimenting with new materials—instead of using just oils, he worked with oil and tempura (egg white). This provided the fresco with the lovely glaze that he desired, but being biodegradable, it also deteriorates very quickly.  By the time the three years had passed by which time he finished the work, it had already begun to deteriorate.  Today, it is seen in a very advanced state of decomposition.  Many scholarly efforts have been made to preserve it and, to a large extent, they have been successful.  But there is no guessing how long it will last and for how long it will remain open to the public. I considered ourselves very fortunate indeed to have been able to see this amazing work. Apart from Christ and the Apostles themselves, I was very struck by the ceiling, the windows that flank the room on each side in the painting and the blue skies outside the window.
            When Donatella finished her commentary, we did have time to take our own pictures and then we trooped out of the room to make way for the next group of visitors. Outside in the cloister of the church, she told us a little about the history of the church and its Dominican roots.     

Our Walking Tour Continues—Piazza Cadorna:
            It was still drizzling when we piled out of the church and made our way alongside its exterior walls to take note of the iconographic panels that decorate its sides. Then, we were crossing through various streets and arriving at Piazza Cadorna, a busy intersection and site of the station through which passengers can travel to places like the Lakes as well as Malpensa airport. This intersection is interesting because you get your first glimpse of Sforza Castle—the hulking old stone-walled structure that dominates the city. Plus, it has its modern sculpture. In the center of the traffic island is a modernist sculpture by Claes Oldenberg and Joosje van Bruggen called Needle, Thread and Knot. It is made of stainless steel and plastics and is said to represent Milan’s role in the world fashion industry. Painted in red, yellow and green, it features thread being pulled through the eye of a needle with a knot on the other side of the street anchoring the attempt.     

Inside Sforza Castle:
            We headed next towards Sforza Castle that is named after Francesco Sforza, Duke of Milan in the 14thcentury. It was added on extensively until the 18thcentury and, today, houses significant art collections including The Last Pieta, an unfinished sculptural work by Michelangelo. This Pieta by Michelangelo, known as the Rondanini, is very different from the other world-famous one that is located in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome in which a seated Mary cradles her beloved son in her lap after his deposition from the cross. This one is a standing Pieta in which Mary helps to hold up her dead son who is slipping from her arms.  
Apart from Michelangelo, many big-name artists have contributed their talents to the interior of the castle such as Leonardo and Bramante. And, it is, of course, possible to take tours of the inside. But, on this walking tour, we did not have much time except to assess its bulk from the outside, to take note of its ramparts, its watch towers, the brick work and complex decoration of its façade and its wide moat. Over the centuries, this massive complex of buildings has served as a fortification for the city, as a Ducal Palace (hence, its wealth of striking interior decoration, in keeping with the Ducal Palaces in Florence) and as a monument of tourist interest. One of the main towers encases a clock that gives it distinction. There is also a great deal of sculpture in bas-reliefof historical dignitaries that overlook the main squares of the city including one with a pretty modern fountain.
For our tour group, Sforza Castle provided a place to take a break and have a welcome coffee. Thankfully, the rain had subsided by this time and we were able to walk without hoods or umbrellas.  We sat in the cozy confines of the coffee shop and sipped coffee and a pastry before we were back on our feet again in 20 minutes, trekking through the city to move on to its next important sight—The Duomo.

The Duomo of Milan:
            The Duomo of Milan is a visual stunner. Unlike its slimmer sisters in Florence and Sienna, this Duomo spreads itself out wider. And unlike its counterparts elsewhere, it has a plethora of what look like spikes rising up from the roof to give it a very delicate appearance. Plus it is entirely encased in white marble—which, in moonlight, makes it glow. 
            Our first view of this church left us stopping in our tracks. On closer inspection, we found it to be studded with sculptures of saints standing cheek by jowl with figures from classical mythology. In fact, in the figure of a woman draped in Grecian garments and bearing a torch Bartholdi is said to have found inspiration for his creation of the Statue of Liberty! I found this very interesting. The Cathedral has seen much cleaning and refurbishing over a long period of time and most of the façade now glows brilliantly. It is dedicated to Our Lady of the Nativity and there is one tall spire that is topped with a statue of the Virgin surrounded by a halo in glittering metal. Construction began in 1386 but like all European cathedrals of this heft, it took many centuries to complete—through which time the Gothic elements that dominated gave way to the grandeur of the Baroque.
            
The Vittorio Emmanuel Galleria:
But we did not linger long outside the Duomo as the walking tour continued. This time we made our way towards the side of the square to enter the vast space known as the Galleria that is named for Vittorio Emmanuelle II, one of Italy’s greatest heroes.  It reminded me a little bit of the posh shopping arcades in Piccadilly in London known as the Royal Arcade, the Burlington Arcade, etc. These are long passages, lined on both sides by fancy-schmancy shops and one-of-a-kind boutiques. The passages usually have glass ceilings to let in light. 
Well, this one was similar but constructed on a far grander scale in terms of dimensions and interior decoration. It is really four spokes of a wheel--each spoke of which contains designer showrooms that open on to a circular space just below a dome. The floor of this central portion is covered with marble mosaics one of which is especially popular. It features a bull with prominent testicles.  It is customary to place your heel on them and spin around as many times as you can for luck! Needless to say, there was a queue of people waiting to participate with just as many looking on or taking their pictures. These, I suppose, are some of the quaint local customs in which foreigners feel compelled to participate—or maybe it is just a manifestation of the foolishness of succumbing to the mob mentality!
            Anyhoo…we walked along the beautiful shopping space from which people were emerging with bags carrying prestigious labels—you know the kind…Gucci, Prada, Ferragamo, etc. All the Italian designers were featured here under one stupendous, glorious, impressive glass roof. It was quite a fascinating space.
  
And on to La Scala:
            Our walking tour continued as Donatella led us outside the Galleria into a charming town square that was dominated by a sculpture of Leonardo da Vinci—Milan is truly his city in the same way that Florence honors Michelangelo and Rome honors Bernini. Donatella circumnavigated the sculpture to point out the significance of the other figures carved around the base—all of them played a major role in Leonardo’s life as patrons or mentors. This truly Renaissance Man who functioned as a draftsman, engineer, scientist, artist, painter, landscape designer and gardener, has left his mark indelibly on the city of Milan.
            And what’s more, this square sits right in the heart of the world’s most famous opera house—La Scala which opened to the public at the end of the 1700s. Some of Italy’s best-known composers such as Verdi, Rossini and Puccini had their operas debuted on this stage and every one of the world’s best-known opera singers vies for a chance to perform here.  In fact, I was so keen on seeing a performance at La Scala that I had spent weeks scouring the Box Office on the internet and had drawn a blank—for the same reason that it was impossible to get tickets to see The Last Supperdirectly from the museum that sells them—scalpers! They buy huge blocks of the opera house and then sub-contract agencies to sell them at a premium price.  Hence, the cheapest 20 euro-tickets were selling for 98 euros on the internet when I looked for them.  The night we were in Milan, there was to be a performance of Beethoven’s Fidelio, the only opera he ever wrote.  It is quite rarely seen in performance (which made tickets to see it even more coveted). 
            As Donatella took us towards La Scala, we also discovered that her tour did not take us inside—it merely showed us the exterior which, by the way, was far from impressive.  The opera houses in other parts of Europe (Paris, Budapest, Vienna, for instance) are far more massive, ornate and attractive. We took the exterior in, however, before bidding goodbye to Donatella who took her leave of us after what had been a very comprehensive walking tour of the city.

Snagging Tickets for Fidelio:     
            It was while we were hanging about La Scala to take in more of its rarified ambience that we were approached by a man who called himself Paolo.  He offered us tickets for that night’s performance of Fideliofor 50 euros each—these tickets were usually sold for 20 euros (so we would be paying a premium of 30 euros). My first reaction was to jump on them immediately. After all, I’d found nothing on the internet for under 98 euros—double the price he was asking. However, I decided to exert a bit more caution.  Were his tickets authentic? I was not about to part with any money until I had established that they were genuine. I, therefore, asked him if he would go with me to the Box Office so that the clerk there could authenticate them—which he did without any hesitation.  When this was confirmed, I told my companions that I intended to attend—and that I would be quite happy to go alone if need be (as I could always take a taxi back to our hotel when the opera ended). I did not want to have my friends confronted with the sudden and expected expense of 50 euros if they did not feel comfortable about splurging on the tickets. 
            To my astonishment, all my friends decided to go for it—it was too great an opportunity to miss. To see Beethoven’s Fidelioat La Scala, as my friend Delyse put it, would give us bragging rights! Hence, we took the decision to purchase the tickets. And for the rest of the day, I had a huge smile on my face as I simply could not believe our good fortune in having snagged tickets to see an opera in this prestigious space. 
              
Off to see Milan’s Design Side:
            With that matter all sorted, we could turn to another item on Nafisa’s agenda (aside from going to the beach in Ravenna)—visiting the interior designer showrooms of the city as Milan is the interior design Mecca of the world and Nafisa is a top-notch interior design, trained in Singapore and practicing in Bombay. Hence, thanks to her, I ventured into showrooms that would not otherwise have been on my To-Do List. We went in and out of places like Kartell where we saw items such as the Ghost Chair designed by none other than Phillip Stark and from then on to a number of showrooms that were all in the same row—ending with Richard Ginori of whose porcelain pieces I have always been a huge fan. 

A Most Memorable Lunch: 
            Our forays into Milan’s design work had whetted our appetites and we were ready to tuck into lunch. We strayed into a quaint cobbled district that had many pavement-eateries spread around it and found ourselves attracted to a particular one that offered large pizzas and foccacias that we felt we could sample.
            It turned out, however, to be a very unpleasant experience as we were saddled by a particular surly waiter who did not have the time of day for us.  Long story short, although the meal was good, we had a bit of a tiff with him that inadvertently involved a kind woman at the neighboring table who intervened to bat on our behalf. Overall, we left the restaurant with a very bad taste in our mouths!      

Entering the Duomo for a Quick Visit:
            On our way back towards the Duomo Square, we decided to see if we would be permitted to make a prayerful (not a tourist) visit. To go in as tourists would involve buying tickets and we did not want to spend too much time inside. Hence, we found a side entrance that was manned heavily by security guards that permitted us brief entry into the cathedral. I have never found my possessions more thoroughly frisked than at this point. It was truly startling.
            And what a cathedral it was! I mean all Gothic cathedrals are imposing and all of them leave you dwarfed by their dimensions and their scale.  But this one simply overwhelmed me.  Its columns were so thick and so high and unlike any other cathedral I have seen before, were topped by sculptural figures that encircled them at the top.  The Cathedral is also the final resting place of the saint known as Charles Borromeo and his tomb is very well-visited. Once again, we noticed that stark Gothic elements had made way for Baroque ones—the extravagance of the 18thcentury was played out in much ornamentation. We also noticed that the cleaning of the interior of the cathedral is being undertaken in stages—at a cost of millions of dollars. The difference between those walls and columns that have been cleaned and those that still wear the effects of centuries of dirt, dust, candle smoke and incense soot is quite remarkable indeed.
            After about ten prayerful minutes, we were out in the bright sunshine feeling the full effects of a hot summer’s day in Italy.    
  
Back Home for Naps and a Rest:
Given that we had a late-evening show to attend and had been quite drained off our feet by the walking tour of the morning, the consensus was that we should return to our hotel for afternoon naps and a rest before setting off again—all dolled up—for our evening at La Scala. 

Out for an Evening at the Opera:
            All dressed up and ready for our evening at La Scala, we hailed a cab to get us there. Because we were early, we decided to get a bite to eat and because our tour guide of the morning had pointed us to a narrow lane that sold an interesting item called a panzerotti that was a cross between a calzone and a pizza in a pizzeria called Luini’s, that was where we headed. It was not long before we were clutching these hearty pockets of dough filled with a tomato-cheese mixture that was pretty tasty. I washed it down with a bottle of mineral water. We perched on a bench just by the Leonardo Fountain and people-watched: there was so much to see. Those heading into La Scala were dressed to the nines in Italian up-market designer style.  I loved it! Seeing their dresses, shoes, bags and jewelry was such a treat. 
            Not much later, we decided to get into the opera house and, with great excitement, we climbed the stairs that led us to the tier where our seats were located.  We were presented with a program that also served as a fan—because with hot air rising, it got uncomfortable up there. The seats were in bright red velvet with touches of glamorous gold, great sparkling crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling and lit up the place.  In front of us were the mini personal screens that provided an English translation of the lyrics, for, as it turned out, Beethoven wrote Fidelioin German. Delyse and I sat down together in our seats and just a couple of seats away in the same row, were Nafisa and Shahida. It was a first time for the two of them in an opera house—so they were really excited about the whole experience. 
Ushers dressed smartly in black suits sporting medallions around their necks led us to our seats. We were seated next to two beautiful young Oxonians, both from Queens’ College—one of them was studying Musicology and hoped to become an opera singer herself. She was as excited to be there as we were.  Her friend was reading History at the same college. It was a real pleasure speaking to them and telling them about my own Oxford connections. Meanwhile, Delyse entered into conversation with the man at the side of her who was seeing the opera for the second time as he said that the end was so stirring that he simply had to come back. We knew we had a treat in store.
            And then the music began with a fabulous overture and we lost ourselves in the grand Baroque music of Beethoven. I was pleased that I had my opera glasses with me for we were rather high up. The singing was good, especially the soprano (Jacquelyn Wagner) who played the main role of Fidelio (a double role that partly involved disguise as a man). In the woman playing a man, there were Shakespearean overtones to the plot. During the intermission, Delyse and I decided to stretch our legs a bit and walked around the periphery of the gallery and took pictures of the poster of the opera so that we could remember our experience for all time.  
At the end of the show, which was predictably stirring, we trooped down with all the other patrons and took in the splendor of the first floor where marble portraits of great composers and conductors such as Verdi and Toscanini were on display.  Many other first-time opera-goers were also taking pictures and I must say that the staff were very indulgent towards us. 
            So how was our evening at La Scala? Well, suffice it to say that it was one of the highlights of our trip—like bagging tickets to see an opera in the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden in London or at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Of course, we were excited at the very prospect and the performance, while it was certainly not the best opera I have seen, was certainly worth the 50 euros we paid for our tickets. I would have preferred to see more interesting sets, more lavish costumes and overall better singing. But some of the performers were quite wonderful indeed. 

Milan By Night:
            Of course, we simply had to spend some time enjoying Milan at night—most nights we were simply too exhausted to step out for an after-dinner walk. But, on this night, we were ready to step out and enjoy the monuments while they were illuminated. Besides, La Scala was so well located that just a few feet away lay the Galleria. We walked through it, this time enjoying its late-evening ambience. A little later, we emerged into Duomo Square and were completely struck by the sight of the Duomo in the moonlight—it simply shone in the soft light.  Once again, we could not resist taking pictures of the entire place.
            Then, because there was a gelateria across the road, we stepped in to get some. And because we had not yet enjoyed a tram ride, we found our way to the tram stop with the idea of taking one of the antiquated No. 1 trams that runs through the historical part of Milan.  Only we discovered that we could not buy our tickets on the tram and would have had to do so from a tabacchi. Well, we were too late for we had already boarded one.  We could only hope that we would not be caught by an inspector for playing truant. 
            One of the passengers then told us where to get off when we told him that we would like to go near Milan’s main train station. We got off and then, using our map, found our way back to our hotel. It was a beautiful night, the moon was out, few people lingered on the road, the great hulking mass of Milan train station stared down at us as we slowly walked through near-silent streets and found our way to our hotel.
            It had been one of the most eventful and exciting day of our travels and we were riding on a huge high as we made our way to our rooms to bed down for the night. In the morning, we would be heading off to Lake Como and we simply could not wait…
            Until tomorrow, arrivederci…     

Ravishing Ravenna--Seat of Glorious Byzantine Mosaics

Wednesday, July 4, 2018
In Ravishing Ravenna

            Breakfast in the lobby of our hotel in Ravenna was truly fit for a king.  The dining room was filled with academics who would soon leave for their conference on Lord Byron. I had to take a call from my Italian friend Annalisa who, sadly, I would not see on this trip. We spent a great deal of time catching up on the phone—which meant I lost breakfast time.  Still, I managed to fill up on rolls, cheese, salami and ham, muesli with hot milk, fruit and a decaff Americano. This served us well for the day of sightseeing that lay ahead. It was not long before we left our hotel and headed out to take in the marvels of the city. 
            Ravenna is noted for its Byzantine mosaics that were done in the early centuries when Christians and Christian artists around the area of Rome were being persecuted for their depictions of Biblical scenes.  Many of the artists fled to Ravenna where their talents found full expression in the many churches, mausoleums and burial tombs that marked the lives of the wealthy who also patronized these artists.
            Accordingly, we set out to discover their work. Most of them are confined to about 6 monuments that are sprinkled around the city—with two of them to be found at a further distance that requires transport to reach.  We decided to confine ourselves to the ones that could be reached on foot. There is a ticket one can buy for 15 euros that permits entry into five of the monuments that are walking distance away from each other. 
But before we used our map to get to the Ticket Office, we took in the delights of Piazza Byron which reminded me very much of the main piazza in Vicenza in the Veneto.  This great city of Andrea Palladio sports twin columns that rise up high to feature well-known icons in the religious pantheon.  Here too, in Piazza Byron, I found the same concept. The wide, classical square had twin columns that gave it character and was ringed by grand official buildings that today hide eateries, restaurants and shops. We took a few pictures in this area and then began our walking route to the first couple of churches.

The Mausoleum of Galla Placidia:
            The very first building we entered, as we passed by the atmospheric Cathedral of St. Vitale was a mausoleum to a first century noblewoman known as Galla Placidia. It is a circular monument—very much in the style of the Rotunda that Andrea Palladio would later popularize. Lighting was dim in this space, but when we entered we were absolutely awed by the ceiling that was created by using tesserae(tiny pieces of stone in varied colors) that are then pieced together to form a massive jigsaw puzzle that ends up creating a pattern. On this ceiling, there were rondels that resembled flowers. Further into the space, we saw a ceiling of golden stars. Since a great many of the mosaic pieces were in gold, they actually glowed softly in the darkness--the effect was simply astonishing. On the four sides of the tomb were semi-circular vignettes that formed scenes from the Bible.  They were so intricately created as to take our breath away. Once our eyes got used to the semi-darkness, we were able to see the ancient sarcophagus of Galla Placidia as well as another one of her contemporaries. They are buried in simple stone coffins that, being indoors, have stood the effect of the elements rather well. It is truly impossible to try to describe exactly what we saw as words cannot do the scenes and the talents of these artisans the justice they deserve.

The Church of Saint Vitale:            
Right by the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia is the Basilica of St. Vitale. We crossed a well-definite path to get there and admired, in the process, the ancient stone buttressing that provided stability and carried part of the weight of the massive church. In this church too, which has a Baroque-style painted dome, the walls (particularly on one side) are simply covered with mosaics depicting heavenly hosts, angels, a string of profiles of saints and all manner of smaller iconography. The floor is also covered with carpet-like marble mosaics in geometric designs (as might have covered the floors of Pompeii). 
Looking up on all this grandeur, we could only gasp and hope that our cameras would capture some of the impact that these exquisite man-made creations had on us.  But, when I look at my pictures now, although they jerk my memory, they do not come close to communicating how awesome these works were and what sort of an impact they had on us. In fact, this church offered a strange mixture of Byzantine mosaics and Baroque décor which indicated to us how interior decoration of ecclesiastical spaces changed through the centuries.  I realized when I saw the interiors of these churches why visitors come to Ravenna and what it is that they write home about.
     
The Church of Saint Appollonaire Nuovo:
            The next place to which our rambles led us was the Church of Saint Apollonaire Nuovo whose design, once more, reminded me of the early churches we had seen in Israel. Built on an arched base, the dome and a bell-tower arise in this space—somewhere they reminded me of Islamic mosque design (similar to the domes and minarets of a mosque). 
At the entrance to each church, we had to show our ticket which we had purchased at the beginning of our tour. These were punched as we entered and visited each church. Inside, this church, we were completely struck by the long procession of saints on one side of the walls marching towards Christ.  On the other side was a similar procession of vestal virgins making their way to the Virgin Mary.  Each one of the characters on these walls had their names clearly spelled out in Roman letters so that we could read them very easily. The detail was uncanny as was the definition of their features. Mind you, all of this was achieved through the use of millions of pieces of tiny stones of the same size to create whole walls and carpets of mosaic. And even though the principle was basically the same and we were actually seeing the same technique over and over, we did not get bored or feel as if we were looking at the same thing.  This is because the subjects executed are different as is the style of depiction. On top of the procession of personages were vignettes from the Bible. Delyse managed to spy the one we had seen, two months ago, in the Walsh Art Gallery at Fairfield University where a picture of one of the vignettes had clearly been labelled as being from this church.  We decided to see if we could spot it—it featured a shepherd surrounded by his sheep.  Delyse said that she merely looked for sheep and she was able to spy it—much to her delight.  
            As if all this eye-candy were inadequate, we were completely taken by the Baroque grandeur of the altar area that was thickly decorated with marble sculptures and statues, marble columns and painted ceilings. This helped us realize how much the interior decoration of a church changed or was influenced by the style of the different eras through which it has stood. 

In Search of Dante…but first the Cistern in the Church of St. Francis:
            We had come to Ravenna specially to see its mosaics. Little did we dream that we would also find Dante. For Italy’s best-known poet was hounded out of the city of his birth, Florence, by his critics. In an attempt to escape, he settled in Ravenna, where he eventually died.  His remains are very reverently regarded in this city and millions of visitors come here each year to pay him homage. 
            Following in their footsteps, we set out to find Dante’s remains. But en route, we passed by the Church of St. Francis.  Inside, it was a very simple and stark church indeed with not much to commend it except for one unique feature—it concealed a cistern beneath the main altar.  This sight would have been completely startling to me had not I seen a similar sight in Istanbul, Turkey, in what is known as the Basilica Cistern—a large underground space that was built by the Emperor Justinian in the first century AD and in which you can actually see fish. Well, it was the same here.  We actually saw fat goldfish swimming in this cistern that had a vast mosaic floor with lettering on it that appeared like a magical carpet every time a light went on—which one had to pay to switch on. This was the most unique feature amongst all the churches we visited on this trip.
     
Dante’s Mausoleum:
Finally, we arrived at the venue of Dante’s mausoleum—a simple but very elegant tomb that contains a symbolic sarcophagus that is lit by a single oil lamp.  Oil for this lamp is sent by the people of Florence to Ravenna as a form of penance for the unjust manner in which they had treated their national poet.  You climb up a few steps and find yourself in a little marble space that is both solemn and evocative of the hostile world in which Dante lived. Right in front is a bas-reliefdepicting the poet contemplating pages on a desk-stand.
            Right by the mausoleum is a small garden-cum-cemetery.  Here, there is an ivy-clad mound that has a square marble tombstone attached to it. In Italian, it declares to the viewer that Dante’s bones lie buried under it—in a sort of ossuary.  There is also a bell-tower in the garden whose bell is rung daily at the time of day when Dante passed away. Large numbers of visitors come to this spot to pay their respects.   
                    
The Baptisterio Neonniano (the Neri Baptistry):
            As we moved away from the area associated with Dante, we passed the beautifully -maintained palazzo where the Byron Conference was being held. We saw the conference delegates seated in the courtyard of the palazzo listening to a live music concert and we too paused to listen for a few minutes.
            Further on, following our map, we arrived at the octagonal Baptistry Neri into which we entered by showing our tickets.  This space is dominated by a vast octagonal Baptismal font which, no doubt, served exactly this purpose, many centuries ago.  The central dome is covered with a mosaic of Jesus in the River Jordan being baptized by St. John the Baptist. The sides and walls of this dramatic interior is also covered with mosaics that feature a large number of saints marching around the interior. There is a small white marble altar that dates back to the early centuries of Christianity and contribute to the sanctity of the space.    

The National Museum and the Chapel of St. Andrew:
                Literally next door to the Baptistry is the National Museum which one can also enter on the ticket we had bought.  Inside, on the upper storey, we were treated to all sorts of architectural fragments from varied classical monuments all over Ravenna that have fallen over time due to many earthquakes. Known as the Museo Arcivescoville, it is known for its beautifully concealed small chapel of St. Andrew which is also covered with the most exquisite mosaics. Once again, we spent time taking pictures and trying to capture the minute detail of the subjects and the backgrounds against which they have been portrayed. 
            The museum is also notable for a fabulous ivory throne or chair that depicts scenes in bas-relieffrom the life of Christ.  It belonged to one of the more noteworthy prelates of the early church.  Although some of the panels have been lost, the overall remains are quite marvelous for the depth of detail.  
            Another noteworthy item in the museum’s collection is an Easter Calendar that was intricately created in marble and engraved in order to point out the dates on which Easter would fall each year. I found its conception and execution quite ingenious indeed—especially for its time.
            And with that we had gone through all five items on the ticket that we could see without having to venture too far away.

Off to the Beach—The Marina di Ravenna:
            Since Ravenna was not too far from the coast, Nafisa was eager to make an excursion to the beach. I am not sure exactly what she hoped to find there but when we made inquiries, we discovered that the easiest way to get there, when time was short, was by a taxi. Accordingly, we hailed one outside the museum and told him to take us to the Marina di Ravenna and off he sped.
            The ride took us way out of the precincts of the city of Ravenna and way out into its more industrial parts. Finally, when we did arrive at the beach, he dropped us off at the marina and left us to make our way across the sands.
            The sun was mercilessly hot and by his time it was about 3.00 pm—so you can imagine how uncomfortable it was to walk on the burning sands towards the water.  Still, we soldiered on, hoping to find a small patch of shade somewhere under which we could park.  Alas, there was none to be found except for the small rings of shade thrown by the beach umbrellas of the hotels on the waterfront. We appropriated the use of a small table ourselves and as we dipped our toes into the soothingly cool waters of the Adriatic Sea, we also posed for some pictures. If Nafisa expected to find a very pretty coastline, I think she might have been mistaken.  This beach had nothing to say for itself except its width. It was a broad beach with fine whitish sand. It could also boast a fine marina for we could see dozens of sailboats anchored by the water’s edge. 
            Still, although there isn’t anything special to say about the Marina di Ravenna, Nafisa had her wish fulfilled and we were offered a change of scene from the antique roads through which we had trawled through our long travels.
       More adventure presented itself as we tried to find the bus stop to get back to Ravenna.  The heat of a cruel sun did nothing much to raise our spirits as we walked listlessly along the cross streets, stopping for a snack of fruit and ham and cheese rolls saved over from our breakfasts. A little later, we attempted to find the bus stop again and were overjoyed when we saw a bus sail past. We tried to flag the driver down, but he pointed us in the direction of the bus-stop to which we raced like teenagers! Long story short, we got the bus and away we went along the highway to Ravenna—this time paying only 3 euros each for our ticket!   

Off to Milan:
            Back in Ravenna, we had a couple of relaxed hours ahead of us. From the train station where the bus dropped us off, we walked to our hotel stopping en routeto poke our heads into some interesting shops. We explored Piazza Byron some more, Nafisa went again into the halal shop and ordered food for dinner for us all—delicious kebabs with salad and naans. And I found an Italian patisseriefrom where I purchased some wonderful Italian cookies. We bid goodbye to our hotel, picked up our cases, hopped into a cab and off we went by train towards the next lap of our travels—to Milan.  
However, we had to go from Ravenna by a slow train to Bologna and it was only when we reached Bologna station and the Rapido train platforms way underground that we realized that we had tickets for a train that would be leaving a whole hour later than we thought. Not to be daunted, we sat calmly and ate our kebab dinner which was indeed very delicious and got ourselves some coffee from a local stand. An hour later, we were on the Rapido train speeding off to Milan.
            When we arrived at Milan train station, I was completely struck by its hulking size.  It is a humongous space and reminded me immediately of Grand Central Station in New York City or Union Station in Washington DC. It has a soaring ceiling, massive lions that flank its entrance and all the trappings of the 19thcentury train station that made them temples of transportation. Our hotel in Milan was called Hotel Nettuno. It was located in a busy part of downtown. We took a taxi that sped us off to our hotel which was not far away as the crow flies—but again, having baggage puts a different construction on things.
            As we had already eaten dinner, we merely readied ourselves for bed and hoped to rest well as the next day had many more delights to offer.
            Until tomorrow, arrivederci…