The Pseudo-Londoner: The Eighty-Second Day: Lake Como Part 2, Milan

Wednesday, April 30, 2014:

We woke up and wandered around Varenna a bit before we had to catch our train.

I found this scarf on our train to Lake Como. We were the first on the train, and it had been left by a previous passenger, so I claimed it! Haha. Luckily, our B&B in Varenna had a washing machine, so I could wash and wear it. Now I wear it anytime we fly because it's like a giant blanket. I love it.

Hurry and set the timer, and run. Then act super-casual. Haha. I'm good at that.

We decided we wanted to visit Villa Monastero, which is an Italian Villa and Botanical Garden. It was beautiful. They didn't allow photography inside the villa, but the gardens were nice.

I want there to be a wedding on these steps someday. Lovely.

After seeing the Villa, we had to head to the train station to catch our train to Milan.

This is the adorable train station in Varenna. Look at it! It looks like a Disneyland Ride Tunnel. Obsessed.

We got to Milan and immediately went to the cathedral, The Duomo di Milano. This is Chris's favourite cathedral in all of Europe. And once you see these photos, you'll know why. It's STUNNING.

Very first, we made sure we could get tickets for the rooftop tour and climbed up a million stairs to the top. The view was so worth it.

The cathedral is topped with TONS of spires, and each one has a different saint or apostle topping it.

See? Look at those spires? Each is unique. Absolutely amazing.

There are also lots of cool gargoyles.

It felt like we walked through a never-ending tunnel of stone arches. That's Chris down there, way far away from me. Haha.

See that glass dome in the distance? That's the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, a big shopping centre. You'll see an interior photo in a minute. Stunning.

The view of the square from atop the Duomo.

I'm sad that they were doing renovations. Half the cathedral was covered in scaffolding. Something about keeping it maintained for future generations, blah blah blah. ;)

Italy is so colorful!

That archway is the entrance to the Galleria.

Once we got onto the rooftop of the Duomo, there were even more and more stairs to climb. My fear of heights started kicking in, but at least I got a semi-cool shot out of it. I just wish it wasn't rainy, because it made the stone steps slick. Terrifying.

Oh hey, Chris!

I like her crown of needles that keeps pigeons from roosting there.

This street looked so cute! They were doing some kind of multi-cultural celebration. Hence all the flags.

Once we got off the rooftop, we went to the Galleria. Check out this ceiling. I love it so much.

Directly beneath the dome is a mosaic depicting the Savoy Family Coat of Arms, and four Italian cities are allegorically represented: a wolf for Rome, an iris for Florence, a bull for Turin, and a white flag with a red cross for Milan. Spinning around three times with the heel of your foot on the genitals of the bull is supposed to bring good luck, so it's no surprise that the mosaics have to be replaced pretty regularly. I definitely did the spin. Chris didn't. Haha.