December in Milano

Milan is really pretty this time of year... very festive. The huge Christmas tree was recently lit in the Duomo's piazza...

Mom - remember riding the cute one-car #1 tram?? ...Look at it now! I love it... so cute, cheerful, and festive.

We have Monday off for an Italian holiday and I'm enjoying the extra time in the city on this long weekend. Last night I met up with my friend Jesye for a drink and walk  : )  it was funny how many people in the cafe wanted to know what our fancy drinks were - BELLINIS!

tram lines - Milan

Milan has a good public transportation system in the city. There are buses, trams, an underground metro, etc.

The tram lines are pretty intense in some areas... the intersection where I can change from the 24 to the 9 is shown in the photos above.

...And below, you can see the tram lines crossing in front of the plaza with the Duomo. (I love the sight of Milan's duomo coming into view just turning a corner... it's pretty amazing.)

photos from Sunday in the city

After my lovely bagel in the city this past Sunday, Grace and I went on a walk... and I took the following photos...

An 'S' on a window!

That is the tram that I take into the city 

(first is a bus from Opera... then the tram, which ends at the Duomo)...

thank goodness for the Opera taxi man!

Friday night a group of us went out for a teacher's 30th birthday. (Happy birthday Todd!) We set out from Opera a bit after 7:00pm and made our way into the city. We went to the Navigli area in Milan, along the canal and had an apertivo... you order one drink and there is a buffet of food that you can help yourself to (this is my favorite way to Dinner!).

Another teacher, Angela, and I decided to head back to Opera after the aperitivo, while everyone else headed to a new venue. I'm still feeling a bit jet lagged and looked forward to a night's sleep... and sleeping in.

We took the 9 tram, to the 24 tram, (and if any Camp Stella Maris people are reading this... I taught Angela how to play both the Mom Game AND the Cowboy Game!) ...but then Angela looked at the time and gasped...

Neither of us realized that it was already 10:30pm... and the 222 bus, which we were catching next is scheduled to leave the stop at 10:45pm and does not come around again until 11:50pm. ...We were not going to make it to the 222 in 15 minutes.

We were 5 minutes late.

D'Oh!

It would be a loooong walk to Opera... on a busy road... with no lights... and no the greatest area to hang around in at night.

Soooo... thankfully, a returning teacher had given Angela the number for the taxi guy in Opera. (There is only ONE taxi in Opera.)

I called... and spoke enough Italian to let him know that we were at the Vigentino stop and needed a ride to Opera adesso (now). He was currently at the Linate airport and would be to us in about 20-25 minutes. Perrrrfect. ...Better than waiting an hour!

Sure enough, he pulled up... and for 15 euro we safely made our way back to Opera.

...Thank you Paolo the Taxi Man!