All Roads Lead to Rome or at least train tracks.

Duomo di Milano

    We checked out of the hotel early to head into the city to see the famed Cathedral of Milan. We ascended the stairs of the subway and just like the Arc di Triumph in Paris or the Coliseum stop in Rome, the church took our breath away. This is the high class neighborhood of famous shopping. Designer labels strut the sidewalks all awhile screaming sophistication at those unable to afford their name. I have to say that this is one of the most exciting piazzas I have walked through. The grande scale of everything is similar to Piazza San Marco in Venice.

The galleries

    The basilica was gorgeous . One of the more interesting things about the church is that St. Bartholomew, the man that was skinned alive is buried in this church. His tomb is below the main alter. There is even a statue of him on the wall near his tomb. It is a great statue to study anatomy from. I walked around and spotted this father lighting candles with his young son. All along the candle area, devoted Catholics or "check the box here" tourists light candles for purposes only in the silence of their own hearts. I call them "check the box here" tourists  because they are the type of tourist that only does certain things to say that they have done them. Doing or taking part in certain things in a city or church without a purpose is something that I do not support or recommend for travelers. Travel and experience with purpose. Do not just check a box and move on. Challenge yourself in new and exciting ways so that when you leave from abroad to come back to what is familiar, you know who you are and what you are all about.

      I lite a few candles for family members and for the dead and walked out. In the piazza a band walked by in full regalia. We wanted to follow after them to see what they were playing for. Instead, we headed back to the hotel gathered our suit cases and headed to the train station. We were taking the fast train to Rome. Termini train station in Rome has nothing on Milan's train station. It is huge. We ended up on the fast train into Rome. I remember when I first boarded one of these trains. I thought that it would go so fast that we would just float into our arrival city. What the imagination can do to virgin experiences such as riding the fast train?! ahahah. The boys were sitting in a car down from us while all the girls were in my car. I was sitting across from Jenn. The two seats next to us were empty. Sara and Laura decided to join us and we had a rousing game of eucre going. The train was making stops in Bologna, Florence and finally Rome. We had enough time to have several rounds going. Now, I just learned how to play at the beginning of this trip. Sara kept calling me out on renigs. That happens when you do not lay down the right card. The game is similar to spades or hearts. We played until Florence when someone came to take Sara and Laura's seats next to us. Laura went to sit out in the connector section because she was not feeling well much to do with the deep conversation last night.
      When we arrived in Rome the familiar hussel and buzzle greated me like it was just yesterday that I left. We had to change to the local train into Castel Gandolfo. It has been a year since I have rode the train into the all too familiar stop of Castel Gandolfo. "Prossima Fermata Castel Gandolfo" the train would announce. I noticed something different from the last time I was here. Conductors were walking through the train checking tickets. Never once was I ever stopped when I was here the previous year to have my ticket checked. I wonder if policy has changed or there are too many people jumping on the train without a ticket. Steve, Mike and I have studied in Castel Gandolfo before. Steve and Mike were part of the 2008 spring group. I was part of the 2009 spring group. On the train into town we were telling the girls how beautiful the area was but the girls could not see it through the rain. We assured them that they would not disappointed when the rain did finally stop. When we arrived to our stop we had to run down to campus in the rain with our suit cases. We had the campus to ourselves for the weekend because the summer group was off on a weekend excursion. It was so nice to be back somewhere that feels safe and welcoming.

Mike playing the guitar

    We decided to head next door to Casale degli Archi for dinner. http://www.casaledegliarchi.it/. The nuns down the road usually make dinner for the Walsh Campus. Since we had arrived on a Friday evening, we would not be having dinner on campus.The Nuns do not make dinner friday-sunday for Walsh. Fortunately, it was nice to head next door for dinner. Mike shared some incriminating stories about Steve. After such a rousing story, rounds were made of the table telling different stories of each other. 
       It was a lovely evening. After dinner, a few of us headed up into town to stop in at Cafe Baruffa or Andre's Bar to grab a drink. http://www.baruffacafe.it/. I had forgotten how crazy it is to walk up this hill. It is barely a quarter of a mile up into town but it take 30 minutes to walk it because it is pretty much at a 90 degree climb up the hill. This place has become the watering hole for Walsh University and for the town's people to gather. This night however, he was not open. We caught a restaurant open and bought a few beers and headed back to campus to play cards and a round of catch phrase. It was nice to be back here.