Milano

We arrived in Milan tied but excited for our last holiday adventure, in Italy. After two trains and a one kilometre walk down some back narrow streets we found our hotel. The hotel is just off Corso Buenos Aires, one of the main local shopping streets near the Centrale Stazione. We walked up and down exploring part of the corso, bought a few snaks then went back to the hotel to catch on about fourteen hours sleep.
A beautiful breakfast then off to the Duomo. This is the largest Gothic cathedral in Italy and made out of marble. It sits at one end of the very large Piazza Duomo that seemed to be the meeting place for many of the citizens of Milano. We had a look through this overwhelming building that took five hundred years to finish. A lift to the rooftop, which is also made of marble, gave us a 360o view of smogy Milano. When back in the piazza Karen insisted on a photograph with the Carbinenari, the exquisitely dressed and groomed police. A walk around the area, 'window' shoping in most of the shops including the original Prada.
We then had a short train trip to see the 'Last Supper' by Leonardo da Vinci. Unfortuantly when we got to Santa Maria delle Grazie we were informed that we needed to make a reservation two months in advance. This was a real disappointment, however we now have a reason to come back to Malino. We went back to Piazza Duomo and had a meal of authentic Milanese pasta, wine and the best coffee of the trip so far. Adjacent to the Duomo is a large brand name fashion store. A large crowd out the front with photographers drew our attention. We followed the crowd into the store and I ended up on the second floor balcony with the press photographers and security shooting pictures of Elizabeth Hurley, the 'face' of Estee Lauder. The day was not all a disappointment.
An early night to catch an early train to Torino and San Mauro in the morning.