Friday, 29, March, 2019
I had not been to Milano in over a month, so today that streak just had to end!
After doing a load of laundry and some work on my trusty MacBook Air computer, I was off at midday for the C line bus ride to the Varese Nord train station and the commuter train into Milano's Cadorna station.
I knew that I would be early to the train station in Varese, so I got off the bus a four stops before the train station so as to walk through town and eat up a little time while having a café and a brioche along the way.
Danger loomed but I stuck to
my dietary guns
A pleasant, sunny day to be
walking on Varese's main
pedestrian thoroughfare
A well-appointed Varese men's
store that has no XXL clothing
Once in Milano, I boarded the Red line Metro for the ride out to Milano's horse racetrack, the Ippodromo Snai San Siro.
Before I got to the Ippodromo, I stumbled upon . . .
. . . this place
It is a multi-sports facility dating back to the 1920s.
It had interesting entryway art
It is next to the Ippodromo so
the horse is most appropriate
The Ippodromo's outer wall is the
subject of an obviously well organized
graffiti art project
This reminded me of our
granddaughter Mary
The Milano Marathon is
next weekend and I am definitely
NOT entering it this year
I just liked the orange cross
Our son Michael is bringing his
copious mustache to Milano
TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY!
"LEAPING LIZARDS!"
Finally, I'd reached the Ippodromo's front gate and saw what I came to see . . .
Leonardo's Horse
It is the world's largest equestrian sculpture. Cast in bronze, it was inspired by the drawings of Leonardo da Vinci.
The original project was conceived in 1482 and was commissioned by Ludovico Sforza, the Duke of Milano.
The original horse sculpture never saw the light of day as Leonardo's perfectionism dragged out the preparation of the mould. This delay met head on with the French invasion of the Duchy of Este thus ensuring that the tons of bronze originally slated for the Leonardo's horse were instead used to make much needed cannons to repel the French invaders.
The French eventually took over the city forcing both the Duke and Leonardo to flee Milano. The French soldiers promptly set about destroying the casts that Leonardo had prepared for his horse.
In 1977, American Charles Dent, who was fascinated with the story of Leonardo's unfinished horse, started a successful fund raising effort to complete Leonardo's work albeit about 500 years after the original design.
Leonardo's Horse is
MASSIVE!
A BIG hoof
Leonardo's Horse was impressive and well worth the long walk from the Metro stop to the Ippodromo's entrance.
The Ippodromo's Equestrian School
The Ippodromo is directly across the street from the Stadio San Siro, home of both the AC Milan and InterMilan calcio teams.
I headed towards the Stadio to catch a tram back into Milano's city center and stopped into a café bar for a refreshment where I saw this poster.
Calcio (soccer) can be an extremely
dramatic Opera/Passion Play
at times in Italy
Stadio San Siro on a balmy day
The studio's real name is Stadio Giuseppe Meazza but it is commonly simply called San Siro.
The #16 tram took me back into the bustling downtown area of Lombardia's capital city in no time at all.
The Eyes have it!
I walked by the Chiesa di San Maurizio and realized that I had not entered it even once this year.
It was time to visit some of
San Maurizio's famed murals while
I gathered information on their
upcoming classical music concerts
There will be three concerts in May and June that Laurie and I could see.
We had fun when we attended one last year in an impressive setting to say the least.
All of the following murals were painted by Venetian artist Simone Peterzano in 1572 and 1573.
All of the following murals were painted by Venetian artist Simone Peterzano in 1572 and 1573.
The Return of the Prodigal Son
The Benediction of Jacob
One of the Fat Baby Jesus' playmates
The Resurrection
The Purification of the Temple
Moses Breaking the Tablets of the Law
The Chiesa di San Maurizio is definitely one of Milano's somewhat hidden art treasures.
I needed another macchiato.
A nice Audi parked in front
of one of my favorite spots,
the Pasticceria Marchesi serving
Milano since 1824!
of one of my favorite spots,
the Pasticceria Marchesi serving
Milano since 1824!
Marchesi is ready for Easter
Marchesi has dolci for ALL occasions
Onwards to the Duomo . . .
I always like seeing this building
that houses a large insurance concern
that houses a large insurance concern
The Duomo is still standing
despite my long neglect!
despite my long neglect!
A student on Piazza Duomo who
has successfully passed his exams
has successfully passed his exams
Three southern belles from Alabama
on holiday, shared in the posing,
directing and finally taking of this photo
ROLL TIDE!
on holiday, shared in the posing,
directing and finally taking of this photo
ROLL TIDE!
The Duomo was spectacular
in the Spring sunshine
in the Spring sunshine
Never wrestle a lion,
NEVER!
NEVER!
The line to get into this Gelateria
went all the way into the street
went all the way into the street
Look but . . .
DO NOT EAT!
DO NOT EAT!
BATTLE!
Milano's beautiful
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
Love that Galleria Dome!
It is a late Friday afternoon on a
warm day, school is out and . . .
EVERYBODY GETS A GELATO!
warm day, school is out and . . .
EVERYBODY GETS A GELATO!
It was time to start heading back towards Varese, so I started walking back to Milano's Cadorna train station via the Sforza Castle.
Giuseppe Garibaldi
The leader of the Italian unification
movement of the mid-19th century
The leader of the Italian unification
movement of the mid-19th century
Inside Sforza Castle
Looking into Sforza Castle's
huge courtyard
huge courtyard
Long shadow's on a
Sforza Castle exit
Sforza Castle exit
It was a GREAT day in Milano,
Physical Fitness was a nice by-product
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