Thank goodness, at least for this morning, the feeling deep in the pit of my stomach has gone; the first time for weeks and weeks. And I suddenly feel more positive, which is great. I know that it’s not all over yet but, at least, there is an end to it which is now in sight.
Yesterday, A&F invited me out for, as A put it, ‘a walking’. First was a very nice coffee in a café that I have been to before and then a walk to the Brera district, one of the oldest and most original (although terribly touristy now) areas of Milan.
We went to the (famous?) Pinacoteca (Art Gallery). I do love art, I really do and this had been hyped up by many people as the best that Milan has to offer. After a couple of hours walking round I have to say that I was a tad disappointed. I mean, sure, it has some fine art, as it should, but the lighting was quite bad and the flat, Christian pictures from the middle ages, almost all showing the Virgin Mary with Christ are great for the first one or two. After that I can’t help but just be fascinated by the ugliness and ridiculousness of the pictures.
There were a couple of good portraits from later periods, my favourite always being of old men/women but, overall, really nothing to write home about. For those of you who really know your stuff about art, I am probably talking complete rubbish but it’s only my opinion and I do know what I like – the Pinacoteca wasn’t it, I’m afraid.
After that we went for an apero at a bar in the Brera that does some nice food. Except that the apero food wasn’t really so good. I mean, it looked good but it lacked taste. A very pleasant afternoon, all paid for by A as I am currently without any cash – but I had told him that the day before when he asked me to come. Ah well, soon, very soon, it will improve significantly
On a completely different note, this morning, whilst taking the boys out early, I was struck by something that was, really, quite funny.
Dino, who is about 10 months old now, has, for the last couple of months, started to be a ‘big dog’ in that he now cocks his leg to pee. He doesn’t always do it and can be a bit wobbly when he does (so don’t stand too near as it could go slightly anywhere) however, and this is the first dog for whom I’ve notice this, sometimes he cocks the wrong leg. Like this morning.
As we are walking to the dog walk area we pass a car (parked on the pavement) and Dino decided that he must pee. He cocks his leg. Unfortunately it was not the leg nearest the car and so, the pee, is directed into the middle of the pavement and not towards the wheel of the car. It really is quite funny, as long as you are not standing next to him, of course!
Hi Andy-
Good to hear that ‘feeling’ in the pit of your stomach is subsiding, very good indeed. I really enjoyed going along with you on your day out with friends. The food, the art, the images, I was with you.
And I really loved the Dino peeing images. :-).
Harley, even at 15+years old, never lifted his leg. Funny huh?
Love from across the pond
Gail
peace…..
Hi Gail,
Not really subsiding as much as, for the first time in weeks, not there for a while. It came back, of course, but it will go away again, I know.
I think you flatter me. I could describe it so much better.
Strange that Harley never did it. Mind you, Dino likes to follow what Rufus does!
Ciao
Andy
Love to read the way you describe Milan. The best Milan has to offer is the Last Supper (in my humble opinion) or Sant’Ambrogio Church. Also Saint Maurizio (Corso Magenta) is wonderful, actually is my favorite church in Milan.
If I am not wrong there is a great art exhibition now at Palazzo Reale (René Magritte, one of my favorite artist ever).
I’m so looking forward to spend time with Duick. I really miss him, I can’t live without dogs. There’s a cat here but it’s not the same.
Thanks, Bianca. I agree about the Last Supper and Sant’Ambrogio. Saint Maurizio, I’m afraid, I haven’t been to yet.
Palazzo Reale does have some great exhibitions. I have been to some and they are, usually, very good.
But when do you get back? Is it very soon or still a month or so away? And where is Duick now? I am sure he misses you!
Ciao Andy,
I’ll be back on Thursday and Duick is at home…waiting for me
Hey Bianca,
Well, that’s good and the weather must be warmer here than Canada AND you will be with Duick and, hopefully, the dirty snow will have gone.
Have a good trip back.
It’s very funny the image of you dog raising the wrong leg. My dog now is old and shakes his legs, but even when he was a puppy, he raised the legs only sometimes. The old one, Wolf, every time we went out, was determined to “wash” EACH tree, corner and the 90% of the cars (the remaing 10 were saved by me). I never discovered where he was keeping all that water…
Hi Pietro,
All my dogs have done the ‘washing everything’ trick. Dino doesn’t always cock his leg yet; sometimes he squats like a female. However, his first wee of the walk is the longest I have ever known for a dog. We (Rufus and I) stand there, waiting, for a good couple of minutes.
I remember the last dog, Ben, before we came to Italy. Even though I had to carry him up and down steps and, sometimes, pick him up if his back legs gave way, he would still cock his leg but because he wasn’t stable he used to lean on whatever he was cocking his leg against!