Martini Time in Milano.

I was surprised by the lack of street art in both Greece and Italy. Tags everywhere, but almost no actual art. 

Then I saw this in Milan.

Milan has a different vibe than either Rome or Florence. To me, Rome is sort of hang-loose, but in a semi-arrogant way that reflects its power, past and present. "I'm the center of the Italian universe, so I don't need to sweat the small stuff." Florence has a much more artistic feeling. "I'm the center of arts and culture. You can admire my beauty if you like."

Milan is all business. "Those other cities can bask in their pretensions, I get shit done."

Central Milan is centered around the huge, elaborate Duomo.

It has many spires, on which various saints are precariously perched.

And, of course, there are gargoyles.

And then there's the Wall of Dolls. It's a tribute to Italian women victimized by misogynistic violence. 

La Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Milan's extremely upscale shopping mall, has inspired malls around the world.

It's also known as Milan's drawing room. 

Built between 1865 and 1877, it hosts most of the world's most prestigious name brands, as well as several classic Milano eateries, some of which have been open since the place was built.

Luciya wanted to go to the ossuary in Milan. We hadn't had time to visit the catacombs in either Rome or Paris, so this was her last chance to satisfy her bones jones.

The Church of San Bernardino alle Ossa was built around an older church and cemetery. The cemetery dates to 1145. In 1210, the boneyard ran out of room for bones, so an ossuary was built to house the overflow. A church was attached in 1269, destroyed by fire in 1712, and the present church was constructed in 1776.

There are thousands of bones stacked willy-nilly in huge bins. Some have been used for decoration.

Definitely Luciya's kind of place.

Also Luciya's kind of place: Starbucks. She wanted to visit a Starbucks in every country. I know, I know, friends don't let friends go to Starbucks, but I'm sure there's a granddaughter exception, especially since she doesn't often drink coffee, and didn't in any of the locations we visited.

So she was especially excited to see there was a Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Milan. There are only six in the world: New York, Chicago, Tokyo, Shanghai, Milan, and of course Seattle.

The Milan branch is huge and shiny. The whole place smells delightfully of roasting coffee beans.

There's even a full bar upstairs for cocktails and snacks, so we were forced to stop and refresh ourselves with well-made martinis.

Because even the no-nonsense Milanese know when it's martini time.

We rose at 3:30 am to catch a cab to the airport. The sun was just rising as we boarded our plane to Paris.

We stayed in Paris one night, then flew to Seattle, and thence home to Boise. Luciya's first European adventure was over. We are so grateful that we got to spend a month with her discovering Greece and Italy. 

P.

In Firenze with Il Porcellino.

Firenze (Florence) is a beautiful city with a complex history. Our AirB&B was across the Arno from downtown in a quiet neighborhood with few tourists. The building was well over 150 years old, but our apartment was nicely renovated with plenty of room for all of us. The only drawback was that we were on the third floor (fourth in American terms) and there was no elevator.

We tried to pack as lightly as possible, but two months in both hot and cool climates meant we were carrying a couple of heavy suitcases. Still, we managed.

The weather had cooled delightfully since we left Rome--mid-seventies with occasional drizzle. Perfect for walking. And with the main tourist areas only a 25-minute walk away, we put in a lot of steps.

The center of town was packed with tourists. We took in the Duomo and the statue of David.

In the same museum, there was a large collection of pre-Renaissance religious art. I like this early art better than that of the famous Renaissance painters.

And I'm amused by the amount of side-eye being slung by the minor figures. They all look as it they are either plotting something or are suspicious of the others plotting against them.

And of course no journey to Firenze can be complete without a quick rub of the snout of Il Porcellino for good luck. 

The continually-changing cloudscapes over the river made for some great photos.

I discovered a new favorite gin, apparently made with the blessings of Il Porcellino himself.

Of course, Firenze's most famous contribution to cuisine isn't pork at all, but the massive Florentine steak. So we made reservations at Regina Bistecca, rated the 19th best steakhouse in the world.

The steak is cut from the sirloin of a steer or heifer of the Chianina breed. The smallest is a kilogram and is traditionally cooked rare with salt and pepper. Huge, simple, and delicious.

Served sliced for a minimum of two people, the flavor of the meat needs no additional condiments. 

And afterwards there's the view over the Arno to cap a short, but lovely visit.

P.