After two smooth plane rides, Philadelphia to London overnight, then London to Milan we arrived in Milan and met our driver who drove us to our hotel. The hotel Andreola, a nice classic style accommodation, is located near the amazing Milan Central Railroad Station built in 1931. The station's grandeur, typical of the inter-war period in Europe, proved surprising because it withstood WWII bombings. After a short rest at the hotel we toured the huge Duomo, the Cathedral of Milan, which took 600 years to complete. It's mainly Northern Gothic in style but also features Renaissance façade pediments. Ironically, the Palazzo Reale art exhibit showed Impressionist art treasures from our own Philadelphia Museum of Art! Seeing them felt like visiting old friends abroad. Following the art exhibit we took a spin through the famous Milan Galleria. The final highlight of the day was a superior dinner at Il Tavolino ristorante. All the food was good but the two highlights were an asparagus flan and the eggplant parmesan with crisp, thinly-sliced melazzane in a red sauce, spread over a soft cheese filling. The chocolate mousses desserts were accompanied by complimentary Limoncello, potent and sweet, which the maître'd gave us to make up for poor service from our waiter. The meal was a delightful conclusion to our fine first day in Milan, a smart and vibrant city we hadn't visited in many years. - Dan
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