Ah, Milano...To me you have always been a gateway - a transition point to other points in Italy. Sometimes it's been to Venice, sometimes Rome, Florence, or Barolo, or back home to the United States. It's like DFW... except that it 's not. Perhaps Milan is deserving of being thought of as more than a convenience. It is something of a magical place, where you can sip a Super Tuscan on a sidewalk cafe and watch models and impeccably dressed businessmen saunter to and fro. There you will find fashions fit for a queen, nothing of which I can speak intelligently, of course. For me, though, I generally go see the Duomo, have a meal and a gelato, and then jump on a train.
However, there are real people who live in this part of the world. Some of them don't wear excessively high heels or fancy Italian suits. Some of them have families and think less about photo shoots or gem- laced dresses and more about getting their children to do their homework. There are kind and decent people in northern Italy - the kind of people to treat a weary foreign traveler like family. I have been fortunate, now twice, to have been a guest here. It's not the Europe that we think about from afar, but it all makes perfect sense. Italy has been a special place for me for some time now, and I'm constantly impressed.
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