ABF

Having just paid R 45 for a cup of coffee - a large one - combined with the decent sleep I had on the flight from Milan, I am perky and ready for the last leg to Jozi. The flight leaves at 10:15 and I should be home for supper.


I hope these posts have been interesting; thanks to everyone who read them and shared my 60th birthday with me.
Over and out!


- Posted by Neil

Arrivederci Italy

I love traveling but must admit that going there is much more exciting than going home. However, if I think about it a bit that isn't totally correct; the feeling of excitement when heading out on holiday is most probably because the drudgery of travel has been forgotten since the last time. The reason why the home coming doesn't seem so exciting is because, by now the gilt has worn off and all that I want to do is get home to the ones I love. Right now I wish that scientists would come up with an instant form of travel - just dial in the destination, climb into the capsule and press the button to end up anywhere in the world. It would be invaluable for return journeys.
Anyway, I am sitting in the departures hall at Malpensa waiting for check-in which will be in 2 hours time. Yippee, 2 hours in Malpensa; how will I fit in all the fun?
Apparently they offer 15 minutes free wi-fi so I will save that to chat to Rose and then post this to my blog. My supper options here are limited, but I see there is a large yellow M in the corner. I can hardly wait.
Italy is damned hot during August and they don't seem to concern themselves that there is no (working) air conditioning. On the train it was like a sauna, luckily the bus was OK but here at the airport I am back in the sauna. I pity the poor sod who has to sit next to me for 6 hours to Dubai. Maybe I can have a head-to-toe wash in the WC on the plane. It should be possible if joining the mile high club is. I'll let you know.


- Posted by Neil

Location:Malpensa Airport

The Last Supper - in Parma and Italy

Now that was a meal to remember Parma by!
Parma ham and Parmigiano Reggiano starter followed by a pizza with Rocket and wait for it - Parmigiano Reggiano shaved over the top. Most probably not an ideal diet plan for the longer term, but as a last supper it was really special. I skipped dessert and finished off with an espresso. Delightful!
Oh, and then I had some gelato on the way back to the hotel.


Before supper I took some quite interesting shots - I think, of some of the lovely old buildings with their colors and features highlighted by the late afternoon sun.


Parma has grown on me and is revealing itself slowly. A shy city that doesn't immediately reveal its best features. I have just part of tomorrow morning to see the rest before my train at 13:35 and hope I continue to be surprised.

- Posted by Neil

Location:Ristorante Al Corsaro,Parma,Italy

Parma - morning, day 2

My first stop this morning was at the Tourist Information office on Piazza Garibaldi to find out where there are wireless hot spots - they informed me that there are dozens of free spots around Parma. They gave me a map together with a username and password. Having got my blog posted I headed off to the market which is well concealed under the Piazza Ghiaia. There wasn't a lot of variety but I did find the shopkeepers very helpful. I asked if they spoke English and they were very apologetic that they couldn't speak my language but made every effort to help. I wanted to taste the proper Parma ham and Parmigiano, which they were quite happy to do and offered me a slice of ham and a corner of cheese. Both were lovely and I bought 3 slices of ham and a small piece of cheese to eat at lunch.


Right now I am sipping a cappuccino at Cafeteria Carducci planning my next move.


- Posted by Neil

Location:Cafeteria Carducci, ArtCafé, Viale Fratti, Parma

Parma - day 1

My first stop in Parma was to have lunch with Chris Barry who was at Clapham High in Pretoria, with me in 1965-9. We hadn't seen each other for 43 years but recognized one another quite easily and had a lot of catching up to do. Quite bizarre that we should both be in Italy at the same time when I live in SA and Chris lives in Melbourne, Australia.
After lunch I checked into my hotel and then went off on a walk in order to get my bearings. It turns out that most of Parma is chiuso per ferie, even more so than Rome and Bologna. On the map it shows that my hotel is close to the river with a park across on the other side, so I headed in that direction - the river is called Torrente Parma so I was expecting something impressive and just had to take a picture.


After crossing the torrent I went to the Parco Ducale where I found this huge pond that has turtles and huge fish in it, along with some very forward ducks. The park could be lovely, but like so much else in Italy is much in need of some care.


On the way back to the hotel I popped in at the Palazzo Della Pilotta which houses the national gallery, a theatre, the archeological museum and a few other places of interest. However, if I hadn't read this on the map I would have thought it was an abandoned building that was home only to pigeons that have a disgusting digestive disorder. It was late and I decided to leave that for tomorrow and maybe I will see it through fresh eyes in the morning.
By the way, my suitcase has had a dual blowout and is no longer a wheely bag but more like a draggy bag.


- Posted by Neil

Location:Hotel Torino, Parma,Italy

Madonna di San Luca

The legend dates back to the 12th century but the historic record dates from 1459. For background see here. Construction of the present sanctuary was started in 1678, but the famous arcades in the pictures below were started in 1674 and finished in 1739. There are 666 arches (interesting number) covering 3,8 km. On festival days like today which is Ferragosto or Assumption Day, hundreds of devoted Catholics walk up the hill praying all the way with rosaries in their hands. Some of the devoted are quite mature, going on downright old but they seem to find the energy to do it. It also seems to be a favorite running and cycling route. It was hot and sweaty but well worth the effort. I took these pictures at every turn in the path, so you can judge the distance.


Once up there the scene changes from city to rural with lovely views of the hills beyond Bologna opening up. There is a garden behind the sanctuary and some beautiful, privately owned villas up there too. While resting and rehydrating I sat and watched the locals and found them interesting. The joke about Italians not being able to speak if their hands are tied behind their backs is totally true. Gesticulation is ubiquitous and opinions seem to be proudly offered and valiantly defended. I just wish I understood more Italian.
There was an officious guy at the sanctuary who ordered me off the grass, or should I say patch of weeds, whose job it was to maintain order. He turned away a car that was carrying someone on crutches and insisted they park somewhere else. An onlooker intervened and with much loud discussion, fingers wagged in faces and posturing like before a heavyweight fight, it was agreed that they park a few meters away - but NOT where they wanted to. Everyone came out with their pride in tact.


- Posted by Neil

Location:Colle Della Guardia (Guardia Hill), Bologna

Chiuso in Ferie

I had read that August is holiday time in Italy but never expected as many places to be closed. The term used is CHIUSO IN FERIE and is written on any scrap of paper and then pasted on the door or window - sometimes the dates are given as well. I am sure the shopkeeper or restauranteur needs a break but it is a bit annoying when I have walked to a place of interest just to be greeted with "Chiuso in Ferie" once I get there.
My first point of call this morning was to have been the Pinacoteca which is a photo museum but it was either closed or has moved, because it wasn't where the map said it should be. (On closer examination using another map I see that I was looking on the wrong side of the road - maybe I will try again tomorrow)
My next adventure was to climb up the taller of the twin towers to enjoy the view. There is seismic equipment (not very neatly fitted) located at 2 points on the way up which does show that the authorities are monitoring the lean, but I wonder what would happen if the tower did start falling. It is a crazy feeling looking down and seeing nothing directly underneath you. It was a sweaty climb but well worth it to get a view of the town and surrounds.

I am sitting at the Bidibo Gran Caffé on the Piazza Maggiore now, enjoying an espresso and watching the passing tourists. Don't you like the waitresses hairstyle?

I am considering what to do in this heat and have decided to buy a 24 hour bus pass and investigate the suburbs. One of the things I want to do tomorrow is visit the Sanctuary of the Madonna Di San Luca so I took the bus
out that way to check out what sort of climb to expect. It is quite a climb, but what the hell, most of the way is covered in a walkway so it will be shady.

By the way, these covered walkways are all over Bologna and seem to be part of the town's basic design. It is very handy if you are plagued with skin cancer.

Off for a shower now and then it will be supper time. More later.
- Posted by Neil

Location:Piazza Maggiore, Bologna

Bologna - day 1

My first impression of Bologna is that it is deserted except for the tourists. I expect that is similar to Grahamstown during the holidays since Bologna is a university town and all the students are off somewhere bronzing themselves during their summer holidays. My second impression is that like the other Italian towns I have visited, Bologna could do with a good cleaning. There is just too much litter, doggy-do, chewing gum, graffiti and it is generally in need of some attention.

The guy at the front desk of my hotel advised me to go to The restaurant Il Rosso which he described as just around the corner and I suppose he was right except many of the streets on the way were unmarked. When I eventually got to the address on the card he gave me I was pretty tired and thirsty. The name "Il Rosso" was also not very clearly displayed - both Cora and Rosso were displayed - and I had to ask before I was certain. The food was good though and I needed a sit down by then and something to drink. I had their Tortellini with Sage Butter sauce which was delicious - I even soaked up all the sauce with bread before releasing my bowl to the waiter.


On the Way to the restaurant I had to stop and take a picture of the Le Due Torri - the twin towers - because I wasn't sure they would last till morning. They are leaning so badly that when you stand at the one tower's base the top of the tower is above your head.


- Posted by Neil

Location:Best Western Hotel, San Donata

Beautiful Old Lift

I am sitting at the Rome station waiting for my train to Bologna and I remembered that I wanted to show you the lovely old lift they have at 39 Lungotevere dei Mellini, Rome - the B&B we stayed in.



- Posted by Neil

Location:Piazza dei Cinquecento,,Italy

Last day in Rome

Five days to see Rome - how ridiculous to think that would be enough. Although we estimate that we have walked about 15 to 20 km per day we have just scratched the surface. On the positive side there will be plenty to do and see when we return.
Because we had to wait to see the Pantheon while a mass was being held it allowed us to take a very welcome rest. We took the opportunity to enjoy an espresso at Di Rienzos just around the corner and watched the thousands of tourists that invade Rome every summer walk by.
After the mass was over we joined a few thousand other camera carrying, kitbag lugging, running shoe wearing, smelly, sweaty tourists in the Pantheon. The Pantheon is a marvelous building when you consider it was built originally in about 25 AD and is still in pretty good condition. There have been various renovations over the years but it is basically as originally designed and built and it is used every day. Amazing workmanship.

We had a few sights that we wanted to tick off on our list before leaving Rome. These included the Teatro Marcello, Santa Maria in Cosmedin, Circus Maximus, Terme di Caracalla, the Pyramid and then we headed off to lunch.
Yesterday we noticed a place in Trastevere where they offered a 3 course meal at a set price so we decided to try that. The place is called Osteria Rugantino and turned out to be really worth it. We both had pasta as our first course (Amatricana 'a Rugantino for Scott and Strozzapreti 'a Gricia for me), a meat second course (Abbacchio 'a Scottadito for Scott and Spezzatino de Maiale 'a Rugantino for me) and then dessert (Panna Cotta for me and Creme Caramel for Scott). All of it delicious!

Now we must pack; our time in Rome is almost over but we do leave with a better appreciation for the beauty and history of this amazing city. Till next time - SPQR.
- Posted by Neil

Location:39 Lungotevere dei Mellini, Rome

Rome - day 4

We had an early start this morning to get to the Villa Borghese by 9 when the first wave of ticket holders are allowed in. The Villa Borghese houses some of the best artworks in Rome, so it warranted a visit even for an art ignoramus like me. Only about 200 tickets are sold for every 2 hour period to limit the crowds but even so, it was quite packed and some of the smaller rooms were rather busy. Some of the artworks are quite amazing and even I recognized a few of them. Scott found that the spotlights weren't all well placed and that the natural light from the windows sometimes made it difficult to avoid a reflection on the art. I wasn't bothered by that but wondered whether boob jobs were invented way back then or if the artists just had weightless imaginations. After our 2 hours were up we strolled through town passing the Fontane del Tritone and the Trevi Fountain before settling down for a doppio espresso in town at a little pavement cafe. It was there that we decided to set our course for the Trastevere district for lunch.

The Trastevere district is renowned for its typical Roman food. We were headed for a place called ai Marmi which we never did find, but we're told that it was closed for lunch and only opened again at 7:30. Since we had walked all that way and were hungry and thirsty we looked for another option and were rewarded when we found Sette Oche In Altalena Reclamavano La Cena - quite a name. The rough translation of the name is seven geese on a swing demand their dinner. Maybe it comes from an Italian nursery rhyme - whatever! For convenience we will talk about Sette Oche which turned out to be a delightful little ristorante even though there were only 2 other tourists sitting outside and we were the only guests inside. The prices were good and the food exceptional. Scott's pizza - Infernale - had hot salami or sausage on it but not as hot as he wanted. I ordered linguine gricia which was a simple pasta dish with pork or bacon, olive oil and garlic, all perfectly balanced and blended together. We followed this with cappuccinos and found it quite difficult to hit the road again. Luckily there was a gelataria just down the road that perked us up no end.

Tomorrow is our last day in Rome and we seem to have only scratched the surface, although we have explored the major areas that Raphaelle suggested. Apart from some gift shopping and packing we plan to go to the Pantheon tomorrow since we didn't fit that in as we had planned today.
Now that we have rested a bit we can hit the streets again; Scott to savour Rome's night life and me to get supper and then an early night.
- Posted by Neil

Location:39 Lungotevere dei Mellini, Rome

Do's & Don'ts

If you remember one thing when visiting Rome it should be not to eat at a restaurant named Ciro Ciro near the piazza Navona. Scott and I ate at different restaurants last night and his experience was the better one - nothing amazing but a decent All' Amatricana. He was ripped off on the drinks though but that seems normal. On the plus side we did have live entertainment.


At the Colosseum they were selling 340 ml of water for € 2.50 when the Spar sells a litre for € 0.85. Now we buy water at a Spar.

Today we are going to the Villa Borghese this morning and later to the Spanish steps, Trevino fountain, the Pantheon and whatever else seems like fun.


- Posted by Neil

Location:Rome

Supper last night - Baffetto 2

I know this is a bit late, in fact I am about to go out for tonight's supper, but it has been a long tiring day. We visited another of Raphaella's suggested restaurants and were not disappointed. She described Baffetto 2 as - exactly like the famous Baffetto but this one is run by the son. They specialize in pizzas and ordinary basic pastas.
The location is just a cordoned off area in a piazza where most of the guests sit with only a few tables indoors. We sat outside where it was vibey and noisy. We even had an impromptu conjurer entertain us while waiting for our meal.
Scott had their Baffetto special pizza and I had the rigatoni carbonara: both of them were excellent with the flavours excellently balanced. Not at all OTT like some SA pizza outlets, just enough to make it tasty. Good ingredients make good food!

By the way, I have discovered my dream car over here. What do you think?

- Posted by Neil

Location:Piazza del Teatro di Pompeo

Rome day 2 - the place is in ruins!

We took the 87 bus out to the Collosseum which saved our energy for the walk back. The size of the Collosseum is amazing and one can certainly see where architects get their ideas when designing modern day stadia. I wonder what the crowd capacity was? (google says 45,000 to 55,000).


It was exceptionally hot today and we went through 2 bottles of water plus we drank from the drinking fountains on the piazzas. Lunch was bought at a SPAR, yes just like at home, and we sat in a park eating it. Ciabata, pesto, ricotta, salami, fresh tomatoes and cheese - very tasty. While we enjoyed our lunch a group of homeless types us kept us entertained with their singing and general banter which we didn't understand. They seemed a better class of homeless person - the type that drinks Peroni beer.


We stopped at Grom on the way back to have THE best gelato in Rome. It really is very nice. Make a note to try it when you visit Rome.

Supper will be at Baffetto 2 which is another suggestion from Raphaelle, and she seems to know her stuff. Watch this space.

- Posted by Neil

Location:At B&B 39 Mellini, Rome

Rome - day 1

Thank heavens Trenitalia is consistent in their lateness. If it was only the train from Corniglia that was late and not the one from La Spezia as well then we would have missed our connection to Rome, but since both were late everything worked out.
The countryside between La Spezia and Rome seems terribly dry. The crops look parched and many of the rivers are low or even dry. I know it is a winter rainfall area, but it does look very dry.
The B&B we have chosen is really nice - air conditioner, TV and breakfast along with all the other basics. They also have an espresso machine which I hope we will be allowed to use. Raphaella is our host and seems very helpful. She showed us all the sights on a map and marked a few restaurants and other places of interest. But the interesting part is that she did this all in perfect handwriting - upside down. She says she has had a lot of practice.
We had supper at Polese, a small trattoria where they do excellent thin based pizzas. I had one with cured ham on it but Scott chose the Putenesca which, if I may say so didn't match up to the one I make. I didn't offer them any tips because they seemed busy at the time.

On the way back we saw this beautiful sight - the Castel Sant' Angelo - all lit up for the tourists.

- Posted by Neil

Location:39 Lungotevere dei Mellini, Rome

Manarola & Riomaggiore

Since the Olympics is on everyone's minds I will use a sports analogy and say that as far as food excellence goes I think we have peaked too early. With 11 days to go I would like to experience better and better dishes each day but I cannot believe that the meal we had at Trattoria Locanda il Porticciolo in Manarola can be beaten. We really splashed out and had a starter, main and dessert with an espresso to finish. I must mention that we had walked quite a few kilometers to get there, scaled up and down the slopes (cliffs?) of Manerola and had a swim in the sea in order to build up sufficient appetite. This is the restaurant that Scott's friend suggested we visit and she obviously has excellent taste.
The starter was shared between the 2 of us and was a small taste of all their seafood dishes - anchovies, salmon, prawns, mussels, tuna, pestos (green and brown), seafood filled cannelloni type pasta all accompanied by bread which was used to clean the plates of all trace of sauces.

The mains were even better. I had Trofie al Pesto which was like an explosion of taste and texture that is typical of this area on the Ligurian coast. Nick, the pesto is indeed very green and fresh and full of flavour, just like I had expected it to be. (Our homemade pesto is also excellent and I think would compete well against the Ligurian version.)
Scott had Spaghetti Porticciolo which was filled with mussels, prawns, langoustines and other things unknown and too many to remember. The overall effect of both our dishes on us though was like we were drugged and gave in to the waitress immediately she suggested we consider a dessert as well. A cannoli for Scott and a slice of lemon cake for me. This left us both feeling so full and ready for a snooze that we went back to the beach to relax for a while - Scott actually fell asleep on the rocks and woke up with half his body paralysed with pins and needles. Once we got our strength back we walked to Riomaggiore along the Via del Amore, so called because the young and in love in Italy have developed a habit - not just here but all over Italy - of inscribing a padlock with their names and then locking it to a public item - a fence, gate, or anything else that can hold a padlock. Some of the locks are inscribed properly by a jeweler, we assume these are committed couples while others just use a permanent marker which turns out to not be all that permanent and these we thought were the infatuated but not committed couples. This habit must be benefitting the lock manufacturers because they have even erected an advert along the walkway.

It turns out that Riomaggiore is a much larger town than Corniglia or Manarola, but nowhere near as appealing or characterful. An interesting feature of Riomaggiore is that they have installed a lift for the less athletic tourists to be able to get to the higher levels in the town. This lift looks like a glass tower erected near the side of a cliff but seems to lead nowhere. To top it all the entrance is boarded up and although brand new isn't being used at all. I can just imaging the town council meeting where the proposal was made that something needed to be done in order to give Riomaggiore a lift and the secretary misunderstood the context and minuted that a lift be installed at the earliest convenience in order to increase tourist traffic. I also think that the (ex)secretary is now working on the railways as a cleaner.

Talking about the railways, we were so exhausted and full that we decided to take the train back from Riomaggiore to Corniglia. After a shower we came down to Caffé Matteo (who also offers free wireless) in order to catch up with the developed world.
Snow in Jo'burg we hear - we turn our backs for a moment and look what happens. We could do with a bit of coolness here mind you.

- Posted by Neil

Location:Caffé Matteo, Corniglia

Cinque Terre

Access to wireless is not easy once you leave the bigger cities it seems. Only an occasional bar/coffee shop offers free wireless, but we are glad that Nunzio has seen fit to offer us this service. The only free wireless in Corniglia.
The trip from Milan to Genova was interesting. I was booked on coach 9, seat 62 which was OK except that the train only had 8 coaches. The conductor ushered me onto the 8th coach and said everything would be OK. He then allocated me another seat which was also occupied. Most of the next hour was taken up with much chatter, gesticulation and head shaking before we were all seated and satisfied. It seemed important to the conductor that we sit in a seat he had allocated, not just any seat! Italian precision I expect had a lot to do with that. Anyway, we arrived 15 minutes late in Genoa which didn't seem to bother the conductor. I wasn't in a hurry, so wasn't bothered either.

The plan for meeting Scott in Genoa was to SMS him and arranged a place to meet. That was a good plan but didn't allow for Scott's charger being on the blink and his phone being flat. We did eventually find each other and had a quick but great lunch at Trieste Ristorante before getting on the train to La Spezia - we had to get off in Monterossa and then take the local train to Corniglia. Arriving in Corniglia we found the station at sea level virtually and our B&B at about 3000 foot above sea level. There are steps and a winding road which we preferred. Much sweating later we reached Affitacamere Antonio Vernazzani. The room has a view of the sea and is totally adequate. We spent the afternoon swimming in the beautifully cool and clear Mediterranean sea. Sheer pleasure!

With my current form for choosing bad restaurants I decided to take Scott's lead when choosing a place for supper. The choice of places to eat in Corniglia is vast, but we chose Ristorante Camere a la Cecio and ate Risotto a la Elia - risotto made from Corniglia rice with calamari and gamberetti. A truly delightful meal served on the veranda of Ristorante Camere a la Cecio overlooking the sea was, I think, satisfactory compensation for the disappointments in Milan.

After finishing this post and another cup or 2 of coffee we intend to head to Manarola where Scott has heard of a really superb restaurant from friends in Finland. More later.
- Posted by Neil

Location:Bar Nunzio, Corniglia

The Last Supper (in Milan)

I did everything right; I asked a local for advice; I explained my love for Italian food; I stressed that I wanted to taste the essence of Milan and on all counts I was assured I would not be disappointed.
Maybe I should have realized when I saw the numbers "168" repeated above the door in Chinese. But after I had braved the rabbit warren of passages and escalators to get onto the Metro which was more like a sauna once I found the right line - the yellow one - to get there, I wasn't going to give up. Let's just say it was more like "Chinese meets Boston Barbecue".
In there favour though, there was more food than I could handle, but sadly, not what I was looking for. The closest I got to Italian food was the starters of olives, marinated mushrooms, prosciutto, etc. But I did leave there well fed and 24 Euros poorer. Maybe my first genuine Italian meal is still swimming in the sea off Corniglia or is still planted in the rich Roman soil - who knows?

- Posted by Neil

Location:168 - Viale Edoardo Jenner, Milan

Sunday in Milan

It's 1:30 and I am writing this sitting on the lawn under a tree in the Parco Sempione. It seems that going to the park, strolling, playing with the kids and of course some smooching is the Milanese habit on a hot summer Sunday afternoon. I've just had lunch and think I might have a little snooze, although that would be a waste so I won't. What did you eat? I hear you ask; nothing exciting actually, just 2 buns with a tin of Tuna. Yes, it is traditional Milanese food I assure you.

This morning I spent in the Castello Sforzesco which has some lovely exhibits of art, musical instruments and ancient artifacts. Gray, I think you would have loved the musical instruments which were quite amazing. How does one play a 14 string guitar?
My 24 hours use of BikeMi ends at 3:30 so I think I should head back to town now to avoid a very long walk home. Before I left the Duomo I noticed 2 opportunistic vendors selling scarves for Euro 5 each to the women going into the Duomo who must cover their shoulders to show respect (?) I also took a walk through a shopping centre where the floors were the most beautiful mosaic - at least it is beautiful in this context but I don't know whether it would look good at home.

It is 4:30 now, and I have handed the bike back and my 24 hours are up so no more cycling for the time being. The BikeMi stand was at the station so I decided to use their air conditioning at the caffe/bar and have a cappuccio (exactly the spelling on the bill) and a glass of water. I will be heading back to my hotel now to have a shower and a rest before looking for a typical Milanese restaurant for supper. I'm not holding my breath because most of the restaurants I cycled past were closed. I will remain positive though. I am rehearsing the phrase "conosce un buon ristorante?" (do you know a good restaurant?) and will be using it on a few strangers. I hope I don't get beaten up or have someone call the cops.
No need to risk arrest, Daniella (the hotel owner) has directed me to her favorite restaurant called "168" and I have decided to go even though it requires a trip on the Metro which will be a first for me in Milan. So much excitement.......
Off to bath now because I am beginning to pong.
- Posted by Neil

Location:Parco Sempione, Milan

The Duomo and other sights

Apparently the Duomo was black from soot and dirt until a few years back when the clean up started. Now it is clean and white, just like a set of teeth that have been buffed up or whitened. It seems that many of the important sites are also in the process of being cleaned because many of them are shrouded in scaffolding and netting - some with a picture of the building printed onto the screens to make it look as if it is still there.



Although the Duomo is less than 4 km from my hotel I was really feeling exhausted so I hired a bike for the return trip. I can use it for 24 hours, so tomorrow will be mostly on the bike. The heat in Milan is quite something. All I wanted when I got back to my hotel was a cold shower which I did have even though there was only a tiny hand towel to dry myself with. It seems as if I was supposed to bring my own towel. Two pictures show the hotel - No. 44 and then the interestingly named placed a few doors down "Lap Zeppelin." No prizes for knowing how they earn a living.







- Posted by Neil

Location:Central Hostel Milano

First coffee in Milan

I took the bus into town from Malpensa which was a rather slower option than the train but it did give me a good look at the place. Milan is pretty much an average big city; messy, busy, congested and graffiti everywhere.

I am sitting in a coffee shop at the station having a coffee and using their free Wi-Fi to check the maps, write this blog and send a few emails. The coffee was good and the place itself is nice without being over plush - downright spartan actually, but the coffee is good. This is what it looks like -



I can't check into my hotel till 1 so I will do a bit of sightseeing first. Who knows what I will come across.

As its turns out the wireless at Motta was Notta good and wouldn't load my post, so I can add now that I am at the hotel and their wireless is great. An interesting place just next door with an amusing use of the hallowed name of Led Zeppelin - its called Lap Zeppelin and I can only guess what their business is.

Off for a walk now into the old town.



- Posted by Neil

Location:Motta Caffé - Bar - Milano - 1928

Dubai

This is more like a city than an airport. I landed after midnight and still the place is busier than Sandton on a Saturday. The prices are not low - well not as low as I was expecting and I haven't been tempted to buy anything. It seems that the AED is 2.2 times 1 Rand.
Lots of nicotine and alcohol with a smattering of electronic goods are offered in great quantities. I resisted a Starbucks coffee at R 40 a cup.



It's 2:10 now and I board at 2:55, so should get a move on. I hope they have the same movies on the next leg of the flight because I watched half of "We have to talk about Kevin" and I need to close that chapter before I start having fun in Milan. If all goes well I land at Malpensa at 08:30 so have a full day to explore the place. More about that tomorrow.


- Posted by Neil

Location:Airport Rd,Dubai,United Arab Emirates

OR Tambo

All set to board in 10 minutes. I thought I'd use the time to use the ( free) WiFi but it seems that service isn't offered here. I had to buy some time from AlwaysOn which is actually a misnomer because they are mostly off and only occasionally on. Well, enough on to post this I hope.




- Posted by Neil

Location:OR Tambo