Food of the day: Marocchino - Anna thought it was funny when I described this as a "baby cappuccino", but that's what it is. A bit more milk than a piccolo latte, with the usual cap froth and chocolate. Nice to get that cappuccino effect without filling yourself up with milk.
Word of the day: Busto Arsizio - well I must admit we both laughed when the train announced that this would be the next stop.
We stayed at Eleonora's new place, and once we'd settled in, walked over the canal with Ellie and Anna to catch the tram into the city.
In the piazza in Milan, the reverent spires of the Duomo direct our attention towards an almighty creator; adjacent stands Mussolini, attempting brazenly to appropriate classical virtues. Outside the cathedral, heathen and penitents wait, gazing upwards as the architect intended; across the paving, modern artists ask questions that Mussolini may not have permitted.
Meanwhile, in the royal palace is an exhibition on Giuseppe Arcimboldo, "a 16th century Italian painter best known for creating imaginative portrait heads made entirely of such objects as fruits, vegetables, flowers, fish and books" (Wikipedia)
Around the corner, a small voice from the south interjects to remind us of la dolce vita; its promise is sweet.
In Vigaveno, we walk the square with Annamaria, Beppe, and Grazia. They are generous and excited to show us their old town. By 9pm we are seated in the soft, warm evening. It is still light and the restaurants are full with Vigavenesi and Milanesi, talking in their animated way. We sit outside and watch and listen to dogs on leashes being encouraged to meet each other. This may be a lovely idea if you are interested in the social development of your dog. However, most people are not interested in the social development of other people's dogs.
After pizza I eat a Sicilian cannolo. I have internalised la dolce vita, for these few minutes at least.
