A new season, a new adventure.

To many, Easter marks the beginning of spring. Chirping birds and bright flowers in full bloom come to mind. A few bunnies hopping around complete this picturesque mental image. Arriving in Italy a day after Easter promised exactly that.

 

But amidst the guarantees of sunny days and green leaves, why couldn't anyone have the decency to tell us about the BLOODY-FREAKIN'-COLD?!?

We left KLIA on the night of Easter..

 

Stopped at Abu Dhabi for a couple of hours, where Yum Cha-ing apparently involves sushi..

And arrived in Italy many many many glorious movie-watching hours later.

Have I ever mentioned how much I love flying?

Because I really really do!

I love watching movies on planes too because it's probably one of the only times I feel as though there is no other way I could be doing something more productive. On land, I'd feel as though I should be jogging (pssffftttt) or studying or reading instead of glue-ing myself to the screen but on a plane.. I HAVE NO CHOICE. :D

But enough digression!

First stop?

Milan, where random Italian men who make eye contact bid hello, and couples unabashedly display their mutual affection by fountains and statues.

We were immediately greeted by Castello Sforza, where lesser-known works of Leonardo da Vinci lie.

Grace, our tourguide in Milan, explaining the strength of the Sforza family.

The moat surrounding the castle.






Outside the castle. Yes, my tights are uneven, shhh, it's gonna be a new thing.

In Italy, each city has its own duomo, which is like its "mother church". The one in Milan (the church of Santa Maria) was gigantic with over 2000 statues carved in marble on it.

We grabbed the chance to enter the cathedral and it was one of the many moments in Italy which took my breath away. Like, really. I actually gasped.

The stained glass windows within the cathedral have been there since the peak of the Renaissance period, when art, beauty, and knowledge gained popularity within and outside the church. It was a boom in human ability, and Italy was its home.

 

Never before had I seen such rich colours on glass, each frame depicting different scenes making it even more spectacular.

As it was Easter Monday, there was a church service going on and it was unique to be able to witness a Catholic service entirely in Italian. After a while, we left for Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, the famous area in Milan where Prada, Chanel, and other branded stores lie.

Thanks to Grace, we were told of a local tradition that almost all partake in. A mosaic pattern on the ground in the Galleria makes up a blue bull.

"You muz plaze ze heel of ze foot on ze certain 'eh-rea' of de bull and spin tuh-ree hunzred and zixty zegrees. Zis loh-kal tradition will bring you luck!"

Not one to push away luck when it's lying on the ground in front of me, I went for a spin!

Mom went spinning too!

With a spin's worth of luck, we headed for Verona next, but that's another story for another day.

And here are some other pictures taken in Milan which don't quite seem to fit anywhere else!

Wah, act cute.


Actually cute!


Some yummy panini thing with super lots of cheese & ham!


The store we got it from. :)

Till then, ciao!