Lazy day

We didn't have a tour scheduled today, so we thought we'd sleep in a bit.  10:30...not quite sure how that happened, but now I'm pretty sure I'm over my jet lag.

Starting out late does have it's merits, though...beer for "breakfast"...

Next on the agenda was to check out Sforza castle.  A quick walk through the Galleria, past La Scala, and down Via Dante - an amazing street of shopping brought us to the castle.  Okay, I admit it...there was nothing quick about that walk.  Built by Francesco Sforza just after he became the Duke of Milan, it's one of the largest castles in Europe. 

Most of the castle taken up by smaller museums.  We just walked through the free part and then out the back toward one of the prettiest parks in the city.  Lovely trees, green space, and duck ponds abound.

Mark/Karen, what is that?

There was also a pretty little restaurant where we stopped for del acqua a una bierra.  From there we back tracked toward the Duomo.  

The Milan Cathedral, or Duomo took 600 years to build.  It started off in the Gothic style, has some Renaissance elements, then is finished in neo-Gothic.  That's a lot of Gothic.  

My favorite story about the Duomo is the one where Napoleon was about to be crowned King of Italy in 1805.  He wanted the coronation to take place in front of the Cathedral, but it wasn't finished yet.  He ordered it to be completed and promised that France would pay back the additional funds it would take to do so.  The people of Milan are still waiting.

A forest of spires.

All marble taken from the church-owned quarries northwest of Milan.

We went up on the roof.

Dizzying.

The Madonna looking down over all.

Beautiful light.

As our day drew to a close, we headed for an outdoor cafe for our final meal in Milano.  Tomorrow we board a morning train and head to Bologna.  I hear food calling.