Milan, But Not Really

We went to Milan, but not really.  We drove from Lucca to the outskirts of Milan to spend time hanging out with cousins.  Adrianne and Alessio, live on the outer edge of Milan with their adorable children and we were excited to spend time with family and have an insider's view.  We spent a lovely weekend sharing meals, hanging out, and asking all the questions we had stored up in our first 10 days in Italy.  For example, what is the deal with Italians and digestion?  There were so many instructions in guide books about what to eat when and with what, and instructions about bathrooms and toilets.  We wanted to understand more.  The time went quickly, the big cousins (my kids) settling into the comfort and ease of being with people you know.  Being far from home, the chance to be in the home of family was a rare treat and one that we all appreciated.  It was also so great to see Adrianne and Alessio in their space, since we usually see them in Canada.  While together there was one epic pasta night.  Sol made pasta, this time in the inviting kitchen of Adrianne and Alessio, while cousins played in the background and the grownups chatted.  What a delight! 

  

Cousins hanging out

On a drizzly Saturday we loaded up and drove to the town of Angera, on the shores of Lake  Maggiore. There we visited the grocer to get supplies for a picnic lunch.  That stop provided a wonderful glimpse of regular Italian life. We had read that of utmost importance in Italian culture is to take time to visit with the people you interact with during your daily life. Getting groceries seemed to be an example of such.  The interaction at the deli counter was one of the longest we've observed while getting meats and cheeses from a store.  But it was not annoying or due to incompetence, but rather due to a lovely rhythm of chatting and discussion.  Sol commented with a grin that indeed the guidebook seemed to be correct when they described the importance of having a visit with those you interact with during your day.  I suppose if you were in a rush to get somewhere it might be annoying, but maybe that is the secret, to not worry about where you are going to next, and instead enjoy the moment you are in, whether it is savoring a delicious meal, taking a stroll after dinner, or interacting with your butcher.  Perhaps the Italians have a few things figured out!

Tailgating Italian style.

After our delicious picnic we headed to the gates of the Rocca di Angera.

The castle, also known as the Borromeo Castle, was built before the 13th century, and features huge halls with old tapestries and paintings alongside rooms housing modern art.  There were expansive views of the surrounding lakes and towns, a beautiful medieval garden, and a creepy doll museum.  We had a great time walking around the property, playing hide and seek in the cavernous halls, NOT touching the "art" on display and fiercely guarded by Italian women on staff, chuckling over what "counts" as art and enjoying the fresh air and beauty of the gardens.

"Hmmmm, this is art?" 

Modern Art.
Cool juxtaposition against the crumbling remnants of ancient art.

 

  

Hide and Seek in a medieval hall. Amazing.

 

  

The doll museum was a completely incongruous part of the Castle.  The doll museum was created at the wish of a princess in 1988 and displays over a thousand dolls from the 18th century through modern day.  We decided it was creepy, but then got the giggles.  It was fun in its oddness.

"WHAT is this place? (said with a visible cringe)"

See the fingers as a gun... yup that was his way of dealing with the creepy factor...

After the doll museum the fresh air and green space felt like liberation.  Okay, that is a bit of an exaggeration, but we were all happy to wander the grounds and appreciate the beauty of the gardens under the grey skies. The flowers were vibrant and the greenery was lush.   We took note of different designs of arbors  and trellis with dreams off bringing a piece of  an Italian medieval garden back home to the farm. 

This sweet moment is not to be underestimated. 
Being able to touch or cuddle a pet while away from home is a rarity. For a little boy who misses his cat desperately, being able to pet a friendly cat is a quiet moment of contentedness and tactile comfort. 

Our time with our cousins was a highlight of our time in Italy and we were so thankful to have a chance to get to know this lovely family on their home turf.  What a treat!

The time between hanging out with cousins was a funny mix of suburban life and random tourist activities.  The weather was pretty grey and drizzly most of the time and we hadn't made many plans beyond "come hang out with family."  On the day we thought we might go into Milan proper we decided instead to hit the road and drive into Switzerland.  Yup, just to say we did.  It was a fun.  On the way we drove past lake Como, and with memories of our misadventure visiting St Tropez on a rainy day still fresh in our minds, we elected to simply gaze at the lake from the high road.  I tried to get the crew excited about going on a ferry to gawk at villas from the water, but there were no takers.  I was okay with that. 

That's Lake Como

Our jaunt into Switzerland was marred by a couple of factors. One was the drizzly rain literally obscured our view, two it was a holiday so everything was closed (who knew) and three we somehow got ourselves onto a highway that you needed an expensive pass to drive on.  We were given the option to drive a different route at the checkpoint entering the country (we chose the free route), but on the way back we mistakenly made our way towards the metered road.  We realized our mistake on the on-ramp, but by then we could see a Swiss police car doing checks within sight of us.  That was a life lesson for the kids: "don't do a U-turn in sight of a police car."  But another life lesson was, "don't stop within sight of a police car, it looks suspicious, and when you finally roll up to them they are going to want to know why you stopped."  The stern policeman offered us a "deal" that we could pay him on the spot for a pass at a lower rate or risk a ticket for hundreds of dollars.  We were in a genuine conundrum as we did not have any Euros on us (but plenty of plastic).  He was not pleased but ultimately let us go on with a stern lecture about always carrying cash. Was that a bribe gone awry? We don't think so, but it did all feel very tenuous.  Life lessons abounded in the car as we dissected and analyzed what had happened.  Ah Switzerland, you were not the land of chocolate and order we thought you might be.

Switzerland through the windshield.

In true intrepid cultural explorer form, we retreated from the rain one afternoon to the unknown world of Italian McDonalds. Oh man, they even do McDonald's right in Italy. Real coffee drinks in actual cups, beer with fries.  We were happy to hang out for a bit, being warm, and dry and silly.  Sometimes that is the perfect afternoon.

We loved Italy.  It wasn't on our "list" when we left Canada, but we all enjoyed our time there.  The food, the ancient sights, the natural beauty, visiting family, the pace of  life.  It  was a highlight and a destination we will return to.

And we are off  to Greece.