Pictures

Because pictures are worth a thousand words....

This isn't the best picture I have of this view - but it is my favorite from my apartment. This is what I see from my couch. The only good thing that comes from horrible pollution is the pretty sunsets :).

This is Castello Sforzesco. It was built in the 15th century by Francesco Sforza and now home of a fine art collection. Collections of the Castello Sforzesco include those of the Museum of Antique Art, of the Museum of Musical Instruments, and of the Picture Gallery. The “Rondanini Pietà,” Michelangelo’s unfinished last work, is there. The Picture Gallery has works by Renaissance and 17th-century Italian masters, including Andrea Mantegna, Giovanni Bellini, Filippo Lippi, Correggio, and Jacopo da Pontormo. There is also a fine collection of French and Dutch works. (Thank you Encyclopedia Britannica)

This is a picture from the inside the castle's courtyard looking towards the entrance

This is the famous Gothic Duomo (cathedral) in Milan. It is truly beautiful. Its close enough to where I live that I sometimes include it as part of my morning run.


This a picture standing inside the Duomo. Its huge. The columns, floors, benches, walls... everything has amazing detail. The stain-glass windows are my favorite.

OK, so pigeons are everywhere out here. Just because they are tourist pigeons doesn't make them any cleaner or disease free. Italians shake their head in disgust when they see this. Please try and refrain from allowing the pigeons to climb all over you ... in general ... regardless of location. Otherwise, you may be made of an example of in someone elses blog - like this guy :).

Now, our Italian lessons.

Male (Mall ay) - Bad
Tutto (Toot toe) - everything
Pomadora (Pom ah door ah) - Tomato
Macchina (mock keen ah) - car - something I miss very much

Finally, I got basic cable today... barely. The cable guy called me at 12:20 saying, "5pm no good for me, can come now?" I say "No, I'm at work". He says, "When you come?" I say, "At the scheduled time, 5pm!" He says, "I come tomorrow?" I say, "NO". He says, "When you come?"... you can see where I'm going with this. Long and frustrating conversation later, I ended up having to leave work 3 hours early otherwise they were going to re-schedule again. What have I learned from all of this? I've learned that "re-schedule" is code for "not today, maybe another day".

Lots of love,

Jamie