We are on our way

Really tired even after sleeping a lot! Time for MANY movies on this flight, they just kept that screen buzzing.
Nice Italian guy next to me, returning to his Lake Como home. He works for a company that drills tunnels..for underground trains. Metro in New York and Vancouver, currently in Panama, near the Costa Rican border. His favorite city in the US is (drum roll) Las Vegas.

Wandered around the airport looking for a sim card and an ATM machine, finally went to find a train toward the Duomo. Told the very crisp Italian woman where I wanted to go and she collected my 11 Euros ...gazed at me a bit and the said "two minutes" ...I motored to the escalator...made the train.

The kind gentleman on the train told me ( in Italian) a lot about the nice ride, going underground for a "small time" , then only three stops to the DUOMO...easy
At the stop after the underground, it took me about three minutes...alone on the train...with the cleaning people ... to figure out that I had done THIS before and I grabbed my bags and went to find the linking train to get me those last three stops. Understanding a "little bit" of Italian can mess you up.
Found the Red line Metro, noticed I was the only passenger bothering folks with my suitcases...and soon found my self at the foot of the Duomo...only to be reminded of my age by having not one, but two, young guys offer to carry my bags up the 15 stairs to what I hoped to be a taxi stand.


I then walked completely around the church only to find the cabs all in a row...in front of the square. The friendly driver took my bags OUT of his trunk when I showed him my destination- a block away.

After trying in vain to pull the hotel door open an old lady sitting on a bench inside yelled "PUSH "it...and I did.

Sixth floor, as Spartan as you have seen, perfectly within walking distance of the sights and our tour. I walked. Spotted restaurants for Tom and I to choose from when he arrived and bought the phone sim card, having stood in line a half hour (these I Italians are pretty patient).

I must admit, I don't always enjoy walking around alone,and it is more fun when Tom and I arrive closer in time and we head out together. I had to have a little more sleep after only four hour on the plane.

None of my helpful emails left the iPad so Tom arrived, "unaided", to the room while I was out walking and admiring the DUOMO in the evening shadows...lovely.

We had a delicious meal on Via Dante then slept fitfully

Ciao


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Aitalia to Milan