Mercoledì, XXV Aprile, 2018
Today was a festive holiday in Italia for two reasons.
First, on a personal level, I was celebrating Day
Living in the greater
Venegono Superiore megalopolis!
On a much more national level, today was an important day historically.
It was the 73rd Anniversary
of Italian Liberation Day
On April 25, 1945, Italian insurrectionists in Italy's major cities aided by the advancing Britsh and American armed forces finally forced the last of the occupying Nazis out of the country and also ended Italy's Fascist regime under Benito Mussolini.
We decided to take advantage of the balmy weather and head into Milano once again.
Venegono Inferiore's cemetery
was honoring their WWII fallen
For a small village like this,
the casualties were devastating
We checked out the Sforza Castle
again in search of some kind of
Liberation Day specific celebration
Nope.
We were told that this day was one used to celebrate the arrival of Spring and get together with friends and do some grilling.
Again.
Just outside the Sforza Castle walls
we found a Theremin player
You don't see one of these
every day in Milano I'll tell you
Doesn't Dr. Sheldon Cooper on the Big Bang Theory TV show play one of these?
One of my favorite spots for
coffee in all of Milano
It has been open since 1824 for goodness sakes!
Laurie liked both the ceiling and . . .
. . . the Cappuccino
See, 1824 right there on the cup.
Laure with Nelson Mandela
in front of Milano's
South African Consulate
We were headed to San Maurizio al Monasterio so that Laurie could gape at the amazing Bernardino Luini frescoes that have given this spot the nickname "The Sistine Chapel of Milano."
Its artwork pleasantly assaults your
senses as you enter
John the Baptist
Laurie awe struck
Jesus in the good times . . .
. . . and the not so good times
The Judas Kiss scene on Holy Thursday with St. Peter whacking off a servants ear for good measure.
Speaking of not so good times . . .
Sant'Agata holding her two breasts on a platter after a Roman official ordered a soldier to make her pay the price of her Christian insolence.
Another not so good day for Jesus
but an important day for Christians
nonetheless
Laurie in the choir room
of the Hall of Nuns
The Baby Jesus zooming towards
Mary during the Annunciation
This is a must see church when visiting Milan to be sure, both for the amazing artwork and the lack of an admission fee.
Milano's WWII Casualties Memorial
was all decked out on this
Liberation Day Holiday
Lunch time at one of my favorite
out of the way spots in Milano,
Simon's Ristorante - Pizzeria
Their Menu dello Chef lunch special consisting of excellent lasagna, a tasty chicken cutlet, out of this world herb encrusted potatoes, water and a café for a mere 10 Euros was too good a bargain to pass up.
We tied up our horses here
Laurie liked the architecture
of this huge apartment building
Santa Maria delle Grazie
where . . .
. . . we will view Leonardo di Vinci's
"Last Supper" a week from today
The Duomo with Tram power lines
in plain view
While Laurie loves her cherries . . .
. . . I'm all about the gelato
#53 Massino's Ice Cream
Be seduced by Bronte's pistachios
We were alerted to this gelateria, a perfect spot on a hot day, by my "111 Places in Milan that You Must Not Miss" book.
The Massimo del Gelato is overwhelming by Italian gelateria standards with an unheard of 32 flavors to pick from when you enter.
OH MY!
We both got a cup and tasted each other's choices of limone, mandorla, orange and stracciatella.
DAMN!
New gelateria ranking come out next Monday, the Massimo del Gelato will be in the Top Three I'm sure.
A loooooong ago Rio Mesa H.S.
prank involved the sweet tasting
but FOUL smelling Asian delicacy,
durian
It is too long a story for this blog but if you ask Brian FitzGerald or Bill Garner . . .
Last up on this Liberation Day was a visit to a free statuary art museum, the Cimitero Monumentale.
Yes, I was returning to Milano's
famed cemetery but it was Laurie's
first visit to this amazing spot
Near the entrance
The inside of the same building
Honoring the War Dead . . .
. . . was a common theme
As was bringing back heart
warming memories of loved ones
Power Cleaning without the
Olympic bar?
How did they make the lace
look so incredibly real?
Muses?
On her deathbed
Let me think about it . . .
A chance for families to
show off their wealth one last time
Another fallen soldier
Ten Nuns . . .
. . . in mourning
I thought that he would:
1. Be a lot older than this,
and
2. Be buried in the
Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris
Who knew?
A WWI death
Painful
A Tribute to the Military . . .
. . . and another
We were done for today but not before a walk through shady, cool Parco Sempione.
Lots of Milanese enjoy the Parco Sempione's
perfect weather on Italian Liberation Day
It was indeed a great day to be with Laurie sharing this wonderful day!
Living La Bellavita!
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