Mums and I intended to go to mass at the Duomo this morning. We aren’t religious and very far from Catholic but we share an appreciation for being in a church bathed in stained-glass light and mums loves Eucharist style hymn-singing. However when we got there the doors had just closed so we opted for an over-priced but incredibly delicious breakfast with a view of the Duomo instead.
We then walked leisurely (and free of crowds thanks to determined rain) through Navigli, the last surviving canal area of the city. Interesting fact I learnt: Milano used to be a town of canals, more so than Venice, however they were drained when other forms of transport came along that didn’t require water…and to keep Milanese people from discarding all manner of waste into the canals which were becoming polluted and making people sick. Leonardo da Vinci himself designed a series of locks on these canals during the 15th Century.
We jumped onto a number 10 tram, purely because it operates using original tram cars made almost entirely of wood which is very beautiful. Fortunately it took us right through Chinatown where we got off to witness a demonstration of dancing dragons and tigers celebrating Chinese New Year. It’s the year of the rooster, same as the year I was born. Apparently people born in Rooster years are honest, bright, communicative and ambitious. According to my blood type, as a Rooster I am quick to learn new things and adapt easily to new environments. So far so good with Milano then…here’s hoping that rings true for my fluency in the Italian language!