Milano + Soverato

MILANO

Upon first impression, the city is small and sweet with a multitude of small cafes, bars, restaurants, bakeries.

However, the real seduction comes in the language, the food and the people. On my first night I spent time with an Italian friend. We had pasta, a delicously sweet wine and gelato while we walked along the Nirlvi; a small river in the center of Milan where there are again many cafes, restaurants, and bars.

We had Gelato in four different flavours: Chocolate, Hazelnut, Strawberry and Coconut. I'm in love.

SOVERATO

A small, seaside town in the area of Calabria. The waters are crystal clear and the beach is peaceful and serene.

Gelato is a daily indulgence, made even more seducing when paired with a sweet wine. New flavours: Nuchiolla & Pistachio.

The coffee is small but strong. Panini replaces street-meat (Canada) and Kebab (Turkey).

The night is hot with a cool breeze. The discos are on the beach. Palm trees, couches, house music, lights, and waves lapping at the shore.

As the night grows old, the water maintains its warmth and becomes still and clear in the light of the moon. The stars meet the dark and very black horizon.

Yea, it's a beautiful place.

Back to Milano

A day spent well is generally one where I am able to explore the city and be spontaneous. I visited Castello Sforzesco and of course Duomo, the central part of the city with the immense church. It's so beautiful to just walk: the architecture is of the old style, there are scooters and motorcycles everywhere, gelaterias, pizzerias, and of course fashionable shops.

The evening was also wonderful with gelato (twice), wine and great company. The city is so beautifully lit at night as well and it is simply a pleasure to again just walk and explore the area.

Goodbye Milano

It is a homey city, which I've explored from many angles and seen from many perspectives. Daily gelato, midnight walks, midnight gelato =), pizza, coffee, and so on.

Duomo is fabulous. There were nights of drinking wine in front of the church, and others of being ripped off by men with seeds to feed the pigeons (they are quite used to people and claw at your arms, scrambling to get to the seeds in your palm).

COMO

Lake Como is beautiful, mainly because it is surrounded by mountains with little houses on the hills. The lake also has a harbour and a fabulous view of the charming city. Narrow streets, scooters, and gelaterias are typical of Italy, and they were certainly not lacking in Como.