We flew out on Norwegian Airlines flight DY7068 at 8:00 p.m. PST from Oakland Airport to Stockholm, Sweden, as the first part of our Italian vacation.
Norwegian Airlines used the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, and it was a pleasure to fly on a modern jetliner with comfortable seats and an Android entertainment system. Norwegian Airlines is an à la carte airline, so all food or blankets must be pre-ordered (no complimentary food or beverage service). Thankfully, Alex and I ate at the Silver Dragon Cafe at the Oakland airport. It was a standard Chinese-style fast food, but it was much quicker than Chili's Too next door.
The flight to Stockholm took about 10 hours and was exhausting. Sleeping on a plane was challenging, but I napped for a few hours. Alex and I both watched a few movies.
Norwegian Airlines used the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, and it was a pleasure to fly on a modern jetliner with comfortable seats and an Android entertainment system. Norwegian Airlines is an à la carte airline, so all food or blankets must be pre-ordered (no complimentary food or beverage service). Thankfully, Alex and I ate at the Silver Dragon Cafe at the Oakland airport. It was a standard Chinese-style fast food, but it was much quicker than Chili's Too next door.
The flight to Stockholm took about 10 hours and was exhausting. Sleeping on a plane was challenging, but I napped for a few hours. Alex and I both watched a few movies.
I watched The Imitation Game, a film about Alan Turing's attempt to break the German Enigma encryption/decryption machine. The lead actor, Benedict Cumberbatch, who also plays Sherlock in the BBC series of the same name, played Alan Turing magnificently.
Alex watched The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 (he read the Hunger Games trilogy) and enjoyed this one as well.
Thursday, April 2, 2015
When we landed at Stockholm's Arlanda airport, we went through passport control (much faster and more organized than in the U.S.) and stopped by the Food Market eatery for sandwiches and desserts. Alex and I were a bit hungry and enjoyed our fresh food there. The quality is so much better than in the U.S. airports. I even had a slice of delicious apple pie.
We boarded our next flight, SAS (SK #409), to Copenhagen at 6:00 p.m. PST and flew out right on time, landing in Copenhagen at 7:15 p.m. We switched to our next SAS flight (SK #1689) to Milan (a smaller Bombardier CJ300) and landed in Milan at 9:30 p.m. Since we had no checked-in bags, we proceeded straight to get a taxi. On the way there, I was offered a few "fixed" taxi rates - relatively poor deals.
The first offer to take me to downtown Milan was 55 euros, and the next was 45 euros. I took the regular cab with a meter and was charged 20.00 euros. These taxi drivers at Milan airport seem to target unsuspecting tourists (tourists, beware!).
We arrived at Hotel Fenice on Buenos Aires Avenue at around 10:00 p.m., met up with Inna (who had just walked in), and decided to have a late dinner at the nearby restaurant, Cafe Venezia.
Alex had the Margherita pizza; I had the tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella salad, followed by spaghetti bolognese. I liked my salad and spaghetti, and Alex enjoyed his pizza. After dinner, we went back to our room.
Our room #118 at Hotel Fenice was clean and well furnished, but all the windows were blocked, and there was no view. I hoped there would be something more to see than metal bars. At the time, Milan was hosting Expo Milano 2015, and prices for good hotels were quite low. The staff at the Hotel was great - they helped us set up the Wi-Fi, stored our bags, and prepared our breakfast.
Friday, April 3, 2015
After waking up at 7:30 a.m. and showering, we went downstairs to our Hotel Fenice for our prepaid breakfast. The breakfast bar had all the essentials of an Italian breakfast, including fresh croissants, yogurt, hard-boiled eggs, and orange juice. Alex ate his cold cereal, followed by Nutella, while Inna had some cold cuts and a chocolate croissant.
After breakfast, we went outside but decided it was too cold, so we went back and got my raincoat (which I had been using since I had forgotten my Calvin Klein leather jacket at home).
Our first stop was the Duomo di Milano. It is a stunning cathedral, especially on the outside, in the Gothic style, with beautiful spires, sculptures, and ornamentation.
It's one of the most beautiful cathedrals I have ever seen (and compares favorably to the Duomo in Florence, Siena, and St. Peter's in Rome). After exploring the insides of the cathedral, we proceeded to the roof. A long line of people was waiting to climb the stairs (and it only got longer in the afternoon).
Since the elevator was out of order, we walked the 250 steps up to the roof. On the roof, the view was spectacular, and we enjoyed seeing the Duomo di Milano sculptures up close while having a beautiful overlook of downtown Milan.
After returning to the piazza, we stopped by the local pharmacy (Alex had a bad allergic attack and was sneezing incessantly). We also tried some Milanese gelato, but it was nothing special. From here, we proceeded to the Museo del Novecento. We walked into the Museum, looked at their art catalog, and were not too impressed. We decided to skip it and try another museum instead.
We settled on the Museo Poldi Pezzoli (which seemed to be rated higher). On the way there, we walked through the famous shopping mall, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele.
The Galleria has fancy boutiques from famous Italian designers (Prada, Versace, Louis Vuitton, etc). Italians in Milan dress rather trendily, and many wear the latest fashions.
Inna visited a few boutiques earlier and said the stores were much more tastefully decorated than their American counterparts.
The Museo Poldi Pezzoli is not a large museum and does not house much pre-Renaissance art. It has a small armory with ancient weapons and many paintings.
I liked the Museum overall, but nothing about it was outstanding.
One Botticelli painting - The Virgin and the Child - was in the Golden Room.
From here, we decided to get a pizza lunch (Alex loves pizza). We looked at Yelp and found a place highly recommended - Fresco e Cimmino. It was located inside the Galleria Vittoria Emanuele. When we walked in, though there was a line (a good sign of a quality restaurant), we decided to wait for the next table. We were lucky that a table for 3 became available immediately, and we were seated within 5 minutes.
Once at our table, we received fast, efficient service, and we ordered cappuccinos for Inna and me and a lemon soda for Alex. We chose a Margherita pizza for Alex and a "La Caprese" pizza for Inna and me, along with a "Capriciosa salad" (Buffalo mozzarella and tomatoes). The salad and the pizzas were delivered quickly. I was impressed by both the speed and the quality of the food.
We arrived at Hotel Fenice on Buenos Aires Avenue at around 10:00 p.m., met up with Inna (who had just walked in), and decided to have a late dinner at the nearby restaurant, Cafe Venezia.
Alex had the Margherita pizza; I had the tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella salad, followed by spaghetti bolognese. I liked my salad and spaghetti, and Alex enjoyed his pizza. After dinner, we went back to our room.
Our room #118 at Hotel Fenice was clean and well furnished, but all the windows were blocked, and there was no view. I hoped there would be something more to see than metal bars. At the time, Milan was hosting Expo Milano 2015, and prices for good hotels were quite low. The staff at the Hotel was great - they helped us set up the Wi-Fi, stored our bags, and prepared our breakfast.
Friday, April 3, 2015
After waking up at 7:30 a.m. and showering, we went downstairs to our Hotel Fenice for our prepaid breakfast. The breakfast bar had all the essentials of an Italian breakfast, including fresh croissants, yogurt, hard-boiled eggs, and orange juice. Alex ate his cold cereal, followed by Nutella, while Inna had some cold cuts and a chocolate croissant.
After breakfast, we went outside but decided it was too cold, so we went back and got my raincoat (which I had been using since I had forgotten my Calvin Klein leather jacket at home).
Our first stop was the Duomo di Milano. It is a stunning cathedral, especially on the outside, in the Gothic style, with beautiful spires, sculptures, and ornamentation.
It's one of the most beautiful cathedrals I have ever seen (and compares favorably to the Duomo in Florence, Siena, and St. Peter's in Rome). After exploring the insides of the cathedral, we proceeded to the roof. A long line of people was waiting to climb the stairs (and it only got longer in the afternoon).
Since the elevator was out of order, we walked the 250 steps up to the roof. On the roof, the view was spectacular, and we enjoyed seeing the Duomo di Milano sculptures up close while having a beautiful overlook of downtown Milan.
After returning to the piazza, we stopped by the local pharmacy (Alex had a bad allergic attack and was sneezing incessantly). We also tried some Milanese gelato, but it was nothing special. From here, we proceeded to the Museo del Novecento. We walked into the Museum, looked at their art catalog, and were not too impressed. We decided to skip it and try another museum instead.
We settled on the Museo Poldi Pezzoli (which seemed to be rated higher). On the way there, we walked through the famous shopping mall, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele.
The Galleria has fancy boutiques from famous Italian designers (Prada, Versace, Louis Vuitton, etc). Italians in Milan dress rather trendily, and many wear the latest fashions.
Inna visited a few boutiques earlier and said the stores were much more tastefully decorated than their American counterparts.
The Museo Poldi Pezzoli is not a large museum and does not house much pre-Renaissance art. It has a small armory with ancient weapons and many paintings.
I liked the Museum overall, but nothing about it was outstanding.
One Botticelli painting - The Virgin and the Child - was in the Golden Room.
From here, we decided to get a pizza lunch (Alex loves pizza). We looked at Yelp and found a place highly recommended - Fresco e Cimmino. It was located inside the Galleria Vittoria Emanuele. When we walked in, though there was a line (a good sign of a quality restaurant), we decided to wait for the next table. We were lucky that a table for 3 became available immediately, and we were seated within 5 minutes.
Once at our table, we received fast, efficient service, and we ordered cappuccinos for Inna and me and a lemon soda for Alex. We chose a Margherita pizza for Alex and a "La Caprese" pizza for Inna and me, along with a "Capriciosa salad" (Buffalo mozzarella and tomatoes). The salad and the pizzas were delivered quickly. I was impressed by both the speed and the quality of the food.
We finished our entrees and paid for our meal. In Italy, one always has to ask for a check (unlike in the U.S.), as it is considered rude to give the bill to a customer without a prior request.
After lunch, we decided to proceed to the Sforzesco Castle to explore its grounds and museums.
The Sforzesco Castle is quite large, with two enormous watchtowers, tall walls, and multiple moats.
The Castle is next to Sempione Park, and we strolled through the park, watching how normal Italian kids and adults spend their free time. Some played basketball, a few played soccer, and some young adult couples hung out.
Many Milanese were out walking their dogs, and we saw them everywhere. In most Italian restaurants, one can bring in dogs (unlike in California).
After resting at our Hotel Fenice, we explored Milan's Canal district. After getting disoriented in the underground metro (we could not find the blue line), we finally arrived at the P.TA Genova Metro station. From there, it was an easy walk to the canals.
Milan's canals pale in comparison to those in Amsterdam (or even Copenhagen). However, we still enjoyed our walks there and saw many young people eating and enjoying themselves.
After walking a bit, we decided to look for a restaurant for dinner. After consulting the Lonely Planet guide to Milan and finding nothing of interest, we turned to Yelp. We found a suitable, well-rated restaurant called Osteria di Porta Cicca.
We got lost when we tried using the Apple Maps application to use Yelp's directions. Apple Maps does not work well in Milan! We switched to Google Maps, and all was well. We found our restaurant right away! (Use Apple Maps at your own risk.)
Osteria di Porta Cicca did not look as busy as the other restaurants nearby, but it seemed very agreeable inside. We liked the menu and decided to try our luck (based on the positive Yelp reviews). We were pleasantly surprised by the quick and attentive service and excellent food there (at moderate prices).
I ordered the 35.00 euro Chef's Tasting Menu, which included the following:
Since I forgot to set the alarm, we woke up late - around 9:30 a.m. We dressed quickly and headed for breakfast (before it closed at 10:30 a.m.)
Osteria di Porta Cicca did not look as busy as the other restaurants nearby, but it seemed very agreeable inside. We liked the menu and decided to try our luck (based on the positive Yelp reviews). We were pleasantly surprised by the quick and attentive service and excellent food there (at moderate prices).
I ordered the 35.00 euro Chef's Tasting Menu, which included the following:
- Beef tartare
- Carrot dumplings, hen ragout, pink onion, pecorino cheese
- Osteria's Tiramisu
Inna ordered a glass of dry red wine and the following items:
We arrived home a bit late and went to bed almost immediately, although I did spend some time on my EdX MIT 6.00.2x class (I had a midterm quiz due).
Saturday, April 4, 2015
- Lobster Tagliolini with wild asparagus and breadcrumbs
- Tarte Tatin with homemade ice cream
We arrived home a bit late and went to bed almost immediately, although I did spend some time on my EdX MIT 6.00.2x class (I had a midterm quiz due).
Saturday, April 4, 2015
We had another delicious breakfast at Hotel Fenice, though many items were already gone (we arrived a bit late) - most guests were already finishing up. I had my usual yogurt while Alex ate a croissant covered with Nutella. Inna had her plain croissants.
We quickly packed and headed to the Leonardo da Vinci Science Museum. It was a bit after 11:00 a.m. when we arrived, and many children (and parents) were waiting to get in. We waited about 20 minutes before we were let in. (Here is a tip for next time - arrive earlier!)
The Science Museum has a great collection of Leonardo da Vinci's machines, built in small wooden models based on his detailed drawings. I did not realize the wide variety of machines he designed and engineered.
In addition to da Vinci's machines, we saw exhibits on astronomy and space exploration, telecommunications (using both telegraph and telephone), computers (Olivetti, IBM, Apple), musical instruments (especially violins and lutes), goldworking, cast iron and steelworking, and energy generation. A few old cars were also on display, showing some attractive models. The work of Italian scientists was highlighted (to showcase Italy's contribution to the world of science and technology).
In another pavilion, we saw many older steam locomotives, a submarine, ships, and airplanes. Alex especially liked the Italian fighter jet just outside the pavilion.
Having spent 3 hours at the Museum, I could have easily spent all day. There were lots of exhibits that I had to rush through (due to limited time).
I met up with Inna at 2:40 p.m. at Hotel Fenice. When Alex and I were at the Museum, she explored Milan's famous boutiques. She really liked the shops she visited.
We decided to get some lunch before our train trip to Varenna (and Lake Como).
We ended up eating again at Cafe Venezia (the other highly rated restaurant on Yelp turned out to be closed. Yelp is not very reliable in Italy). Alex had his usual "Margherita" pizza, and I had a pasta dish and a salad with tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella.
Afterward, we stopped by the nearby gelato ice cream shop. Even a random gelato place in Italy has a higher quality than most American ice cream shops.
Once we finished, we took our bags out of storage and took a taxi to the nearby Stazione Centrale (central Milan train station). We found tickets from Milan to Varenna-Esino departing at 17:20, but could not determine whether to change trains. We asked a lady at Trenitalia who could not answer anything. She tried to convince us to take a later train directly to Varenna. However, when we checked, she was completely wrong about both trains. The train she was referring to required multiple changes and departed later. We decided not to follow her advice and stick to our current plan.
There is room for improvement in how Italian trains communicate their destination, stops, and departure times. Italian trains generally have their final destination marked, but not all stops are identified. We needed help verifying that a train to Sondrio was correct for Varenna (it was not printed on the tickets we purchased). It was also unclear whether we ever needed to change trains on the way to Varenna. There is not much time to figure this out, as the train tracks are announced only 15 minutes before departure (and only then can one verify that a particular train will stop at one's desired destination).
We boarded the train from Milano Centrale to Varenna-Esino (with stops at 17:20 as expected) but forgot to validate our tickets. All tickets must be validated in a machine before boarding (to prevent them from being used multiple times). I stepped out for a minute and validated our tickets in the machine outside the train. Surprisingly, no one checked our tickets all the way to Varenna.
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