Saw this site long ago and it reappeared this morning and still cracked me up--AND I am a rabbit lover from way back (RIP Br'er)
The Japanese must have booked the early gondola appointments today- looks like they lugged out extra boats and striped shirts for the misty ride- they were stacked 6 in a boat, all with video cameras running. The gondoliers were a singing in hoarse voices- a little early for them I guess.
This was our last photo-op so we took the #82 vaporetto, dragging our bags, the long way around the canal to the train station
where we had to haul them up the steps and figure out which train to board. We had reserved seats but for some reason the whole car was empty except for 6 of us in each of 3 cabinets (or whatever you call them). So we spread out and all had lots of room for awhile- as we got nearer to Milan it filled up and we had to again rearrange ourselves and the unwieldy bags.
As we were going up to our room at the Carleton Baglioni (which is a version of Versache does Bavaria on acid) we saw the Duomo out the hall window so decided to walk over before it closed and investigate, plus we were in the mood for a trot after being so cramped in the boat, the train, then the cab. Looks like a friggin' sand castle with dripped towers all around! We went through the inside and I lit some candles for my mom and MIL while Ralph took pictures. Then we went outside to climb up to the catwalk around the top. The stairs were closed but the lift was open- because, like peeing, you have to pay AND be practically strip searched. The first section after exiting the lift was heavily screened, but as you navigate around the top of the roof, you are suddenly just there as long as you have on non-skid shoes! I could NOT go around. There was a sign asking parents to please hand-hold their children- yeah, right. I stayed in one place and took some pictures but Ralph continued around and even found a stair to the very top- his pictures are better than mine from up there- when I look at mine I can feel the fear!
Afterward we finally descended to earth again we walked back through Emanuelle, the oldest 'mall' with an impressive glass dome and roof with some nice shops all through it. We had to go through a very chic neighborhood of all designer stores to get back to the hotel in time for the vodka tonic of the day.
Dinner was a Milanese trattoria that the hotel suggested and it was wonderful. We both plan on going back there for our last dinner. For my Appetizer I had a plate of the most luxurious procuitto with a simple olive oil dressing, then a veal chop that was pounded thin, like a scallopini, but with the bone still attached, then dipped in flour, egg, and crumbs. I didn't need my knife. We also had an excellent red wine that didn't make me itch (!) and a memorable time.
Weird thing with the hotel keys: you get two, one opens the door as usual, then the other gets put into a keyhole by the door and left there as it turns on the electricity to the room. When you leave the room, you turn off the lights when you pull out the key. Ah, the things one learns when traveling.
God, it is so good to get away from Murano glass everywhere.
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