DAY 2 IN MILANO

We returned to the Duomo on Saturday, to find a 
special Mass taking place, with a whole procession
of priests and the Archbishop of Milan - a lot of old
men - officiating.  The main body of the church was
roped off, as the Mass was being broadcast on T.V.
and radio.  I think they were celebrating the 
completion of yet more improvements/restorations
to the cathedral.
We came across this image of the Madonna, which
is very unusual because it shows her breastfeeding
Jesus.  Imagine the Blessed Virgin Mary, showing a
breast!  I thought it was remarkable, and somehow
reminded me of the link between Chrisianity and the
old religions, when women and sexuality and birth
were not split off and consigned to the dark and to
the devil.

After seeing what we could of the cathedral, we went
down some steps to the Batistero - the ancient Baptistry
below.  It was constructed in the 4th Century, and 
apparently was the site of St. Augustine's baptism in
the year 387.  It was awe-inspiring to be among those
ancient walls, to see the 8-sided massive bath where the 
baptisms took place, and to be able to reach out and 
touch bricks that were over 1,500 years old.  It had
a more sacred and holy atmosphere than the grand
and glorious cathedral overhead.

After that, we had to go and sit with coffee, to let it
all settle, and to make the adjustment to the busy
"upper" world.  And it was very busy!!  Milano on 
a Saturday is the place to be, apparently.  We walked,
going in and out of shops, or looking in the windows of
the impossibly expensive ones.  Here are some pictures
and a short video of Saturday in Milano.

A close-up of the lion shows pigeons snuggling on its paws,
and there is one just under his chin.  Not something he would
allow if he were a living, breathing creature.  Damn pigeons.

The famous Teatro La Scala....

The marble floor of the famous shopping area, the Galleria
Vittorio Emanuele, apparently the world's oldest shopping "mall" 

Here it is, just one small perspective....

Didn't even look in the window of this one...

I'm not sure if this video will work...but giving it a try.  These must be brothers....

We thought these two were lovely.  She reminded me
of the Queen - with a rather crabby husband...

And, finally, this vision through the window.  What about those shoes?

By the time we'd walked and eaten and shopped and 
gawked, we were completely exhausted, and made our
way to the train station to get the train back to Zurich.
I slept 11 hours that night....