Milan - I Am Almost Done!

I am sitting in the bar of the Anderson Star Hotel recalling of the things that we have seen and done since we arrived in Milan on Saturday. Whew. Busy, but interesting distractions. Didn't go to Rome-too much happening there at the moment. Today we visited the Museum of La Scala. Inability to go to a performance was not too disappointing. We walked into one of the reserved boxes and immediately had a sense of the atmosphere when the theatre's seats were filled to capacity. I imagined that I could almost hear the chatter of the audience awaiting the performance and I expected the lights soon to dim. As we stood there gazing at the magnificient decor I thought about the costumes, the eyes of audience members casually searching the theatre for other bejewelled or elegently dressed patrons.The also imagined sounds eminating from the smartly dressed muscians warming up in the orchestra pit. The orchestra pit much smaller than I had thought yet the stage much larger than expected. Standing in that guilded box with red velvet chairs revealed more than anticipated. The items displayed in the museum allowed us to partake a little of the theatre's history. No photographs permitted inside. No happy snaps! Duomo also on the list of sights today and we actually entered the cathederal. Passed through the security check quickly and painlessly; just simple bag inspections. Still strong evidence of police presence in the square. Recent riots have left many in state of high alert. The enormity of the Duomo's structure grabs the casual tourist by surprise. We've seen big but the Duomo was not only large but most spectacular in architectural style. Next, we searched the streets beyond the Duomo. The glass ceiling of an infamous shopping district. I'll not mention any cliches. An ancient castle also presented itself. Then extensive gardens unfolded as we strolled for what seemed like kilometres. The gardens contained an enormous sporting arena. Not too far from the arena stood an arch of impressive porportions. A subsequent tram ride was yet another revelation for the day. So much happened all in the space of a few short hours. As exciting as it may have been for us to hire bikes that we saw; we resisted the urge to hire them as the local ambulance service was an unknown entity and one should not place themselves at too great a risk. Alternatively, the considerate tourist should not pose a threat to local residents either. When right is wrong and left is right it is all so confusing. Tram back to our temporary home for one last night. A night of reflections.