As our gift to each other for Christmas, Ralph & I decided to take a trip to Milan. Like many cities, Milan is very crowded, graffiti-filled and traffic congested but, its history, architecture and art remains exquisite – unparalleled by any other city. Literally, Milan fuses the fascinating ancient history and the buzzing 21st century.
The Cenacolo Vinciano houses Da Vinci’s perpetual and controversial Last Supper. Before entering the main museum, there was a few minutes wait in a cramped lobby with full-glass benches and a tidbit of history all written in Italian.(Reservations are required and limited (max: 20 people). Empty slots do not come very often). Upon entering, a heavy cage door and three other automatic sliding doors block the main room. Security was real tight paradoxical to the mainroom - a huge, almost empty museum. Only but a few black steel benches satscrewed facing Da Vinci’s painting, the Last Supper painted on the right wall and Montorfano’sThe Crucifixion painted on the left. The excitement level I had went down a bit but Da Vinci immediately made up for it. Dissimilar to the million imprints of the Last Supper in ink jet colors, its real beauty took us aback. The real thing was very light and airy, more like pastel in color. Leonardo’s vanishing point drew us in the picture itself. Each hand movement and body movement perfectly conveyed the apostles’ commotion after Jesus’ announcement of His betrayal. Unfortunately, cameras were forbidden and a strict lady guard was watching everyone’s move. Our only option then was to take a mental picture of the whole thing(*wink*).
For lunch, we went to find a good Italian restaurant. After about four blocks, we finally found a good, sit-down ristorante, “Loubawern” (I think that was how it was spelled). The Italian eating tradition requires about four to five meals in one sitting but much to our relief, one still have the liberty of taking only two or more.
First, we were served with an antipasto - starter bread. Then, ordered two “Il Primo” (first course) – Spaghetti alla Carbonara and Spaghetti alla Spagnolli. We also ordered two main courses (Il Secondo) – grilled chicken and fries, and grilled beef with fresh rosemary and balsamic vinegar. Lastly, we got a quarter of theDella Casa Vinno Rosso, which we both shared. Yes, it was actually my first wine ever! Generally, wines are cheaper than coke and bottled water here, so it is more practical to just get a good glass of wine. The food was of course, very delicious. Eating in that Italian restaurant was an experience to itself, to me at least. Served in a white, Victorian-patterned porcelain plates, Ralph’s seafood spaghetti is incomparable even to that of Capricciosas. Both the spagnolli and the carbonara was uber good. Both just had enough sauce but plenty of taste. We actually recognized the spaghetti this time, instead of just a commercialized bowl of noodles bathed in tomato sauce we were both used to. Ralph also taught me how to drink wine the right way???, as he had learned in a wine-tasting class here. It smelled good but personally, I still prefer coke. Not much of awine/alcohol fan, I guess I just have to spend a couple more euros.
Our next major stop was the Piazza Duomo, the ever-so glorious Milan Cathedral. The Piazza is the center of Milan. Here, boutiques and the high-end shops thrive and scammers too! Across from it were a huge statue and a huge Christmas tree. Inside the Duomo, vast and various art surrounds the whole cathedral. It is a museum in itself. A long array of candles for prayer and petitions lined the left hall. There was an old baptismal tub confined by thick, black railings, medieval paintings of Bishop Charles hanging on the tall, the Duomo’s Gothic towers, the Baroque styled main altar, a very ancient crypt, stained glass windows, marbled floors, and a lot of statues, sculptures and religious figures. Just see the pictures for yourself.
Last stop was the Castello Sforzesco. We were supposed to go on a guided tour here, but we lost our way back so we decided to go straight to Piazza Duomo. So we’ve seen only bits and parts of the Castle. However, when we arrived at the castle, there was a sort of light show, which was very interesting to watch. Outside the castle was also a huge fountain where we took pictures and stuff. As we entered the castle, it was very much like the castles I have seen in the movies! There was the arena which I could not stop thinking of a scene in Knight’s Tale and the huge castle towers with the royal family’s insignia. Today, the castle is a museum of renaissance art and knight’s armor, etc.
The Cenacolo Vinciano houses Da Vinci’s perpetual and controversial Last Supper. Before entering the main museum, there was a few minutes wait in a cramped lobby with full-glass benches and a tidbit of history all written in Italian.(Reservations are required and limited (max: 20 people). Empty slots do not come very often). Upon entering, a heavy cage door and three other automatic sliding doors block the main room. Security was real tight paradoxical to the mainroom - a huge, almost empty museum. Only but a few black steel benches satscrewed facing Da Vinci’s painting, the Last Supper painted on the right wall and Montorfano’sThe Crucifixion painted on the left. The excitement level I had went down a bit but Da Vinci immediately made up for it. Dissimilar to the million imprints of the Last Supper in ink jet colors, its real beauty took us aback. The real thing was very light and airy, more like pastel in color. Leonardo’s vanishing point drew us in the picture itself. Each hand movement and body movement perfectly conveyed the apostles’ commotion after Jesus’ announcement of His betrayal. Unfortunately, cameras were forbidden and a strict lady guard was watching everyone’s move. Our only option then was to take a mental picture of the whole thing(*wink*).
For lunch, we went to find a good Italian restaurant. After about four blocks, we finally found a good, sit-down ristorante, “Loubawern” (I think that was how it was spelled). The Italian eating tradition requires about four to five meals in one sitting but much to our relief, one still have the liberty of taking only two or more.
First, we were served with an antipasto - starter bread. Then, ordered two “Il Primo” (first course) – Spaghetti alla Carbonara and Spaghetti alla Spagnolli. We also ordered two main courses (Il Secondo) – grilled chicken and fries, and grilled beef with fresh rosemary and balsamic vinegar. Lastly, we got a quarter of theDella Casa Vinno Rosso, which we both shared. Yes, it was actually my first wine ever! Generally, wines are cheaper than coke and bottled water here, so it is more practical to just get a good glass of wine. The food was of course, very delicious. Eating in that Italian restaurant was an experience to itself, to me at least. Served in a white, Victorian-patterned porcelain plates, Ralph’s seafood spaghetti is incomparable even to that of Capricciosas. Both the spagnolli and the carbonara was uber good. Both just had enough sauce but plenty of taste. We actually recognized the spaghetti this time, instead of just a commercialized bowl of noodles bathed in tomato sauce we were both used to. Ralph also taught me how to drink wine the right way???, as he had learned in a wine-tasting class here. It smelled good but personally, I still prefer coke. Not much of awine/alcohol fan, I guess I just have to spend a couple more euros.
Our next major stop was the Piazza Duomo, the ever-so glorious Milan Cathedral. The Piazza is the center of Milan. Here, boutiques and the high-end shops thrive and scammers too! Across from it were a huge statue and a huge Christmas tree. Inside the Duomo, vast and various art surrounds the whole cathedral. It is a museum in itself. A long array of candles for prayer and petitions lined the left hall. There was an old baptismal tub confined by thick, black railings, medieval paintings of Bishop Charles hanging on the tall, the Duomo’s Gothic towers, the Baroque styled main altar, a very ancient crypt, stained glass windows, marbled floors, and a lot of statues, sculptures and religious figures. Just see the pictures for yourself.
Last stop was the Castello Sforzesco. We were supposed to go on a guided tour here, but we lost our way back so we decided to go straight to Piazza Duomo. So we’ve seen only bits and parts of the Castle. However, when we arrived at the castle, there was a sort of light show, which was very interesting to watch. Outside the castle was also a huge fountain where we took pictures and stuff. As we entered the castle, it was very much like the castles I have seen in the movies! There was the arena which I could not stop thinking of a scene in Knight’s Tale and the huge castle towers with the royal family’s insignia. Today, the castle is a museum of renaissance art and knight’s armor, etc.
RSS Feed
