Today was our only full day in Milan and Corrado announced we were going to experience "Stefania's day in old Milan"
She'd planned it out so perfectly! Alessandra went with my mum's Aunt and Uncle for the day and the four of us hopped into the car.
They took us to a great little breakfast place where we could get pretty much anything! I think Corrado was so aware that the way we do breakfast is a little bit different. He was content each morning with some sweet biscuits and coffee!
Todd and I were super pumped to be back in Italy and drinking the coffee and eating the food!
We laughed all day about funny things Italian's do and funny things Australian's do. They found our big breakfasts absolutely bizarre and vice versa!
We then walked in to the centre of the old town and saw the Duomo. I had seen some photos of this before but far out in person it was pretty bloody impressive. Our friend Amy said when she and Liam went they were cleaning the front of the building so it was all covered up - but for us, it was completely clear and CLEAN. White marble. So impressive.
We walked inside and then up to the roof which had all of these gothic pillars with a different statue. Apparently they look down over the city to protect it.
It was nice to be able to see the city from a high view ... so very different to Rome, where there wasn't a crane in sight! ... to cranes everywhere in Milan.
We walked through a castello and then on to another church. We then hopped on the metro and took it to an area by the "little river". It was a really beautiful area with lots of bars, cafes and restaurants all looking out on to a river/canal with little bridges connecting them. It had a real Berlin vibe to it because of the grafitti and the hodge podge of cuisine.
We at Brazillian/Japanese fusion sushi! It as really delicious - and a nice change!
Corrado and Stefania then really wanted to find the vaffanculo statue which is in the financial district. Both of them cracked up laughing when they saw it!
We had told Corrado we wanted to take home a mokka pot from Italy so he took us to a design department store and declared that Bialetti is the only brand to buy. We were so pleased to get one ... a nice reminder of our family and our trip.
We made it home in time for a bit of a rest and then it was off to my great Uncle and Aunts - Tina and Peppino - for dinner!
Mum had told me Peppino looked a lot like her father, but very different in personality.
They welcomed us into their home in such a warm way. Peppino had cooked this delicious pasta for us (in the tinest kitchen I've ever seen!)
Alessandra is definitely the apple of everyone's eye and we had fun taking photos and video of her.
Tina and Peppino kept trying to speak to us in Italian and Corrado graciously kept interpreting for us.
The food kept coming out! The meat from the pasta sauce, then baked chicken with peppers, then espresso and rockmelon for sweets.
I really felt like I wasn't communicating with Peppino enough so I told Corrado to ask him if I could perhaps play some music with him.
Next thing you know he's dusting off his own compositions (a performer and composer in his own right ..) and asking me to play. I tried my best to sightread the music and he soon began to sing along.
I will really treasure that memory - and I'm so grateful Todd had the sense to film some of it.
