"Milano." a Milan Travel Page by feline01

The duomo is one of the few sites that many travellers see in Milan. Haunting cathedral but Milan is so much more than this. Quaint neighborhoods with some beautiful smaller churches, efficient public transporation system, beautiful countryside, phenomenal shopping and food that will make anyone weep with joy. The museums are fantastic and mostly uncrowded except for the biggies like The Last Supper at Santa Maria della Grazie. The Milanese do seem more sophisticated and more like New Yorkers than the rest of Italy but it doesn't mean that they lost that great Italian ability to enjoy life to its fullest. So why do so many people skip it and head right to Roma, Firenze, Venezia etc.. Who cares, it keeps it less touristy than those places.

My dear friend Paola lives in Cesano Boscone, a suburb of Milano not far from Linate airport. I met Paola in 1989 when we worked together for the Swiss Centre in Leicester Square in London. Paola became my roommate and we became travel buddies and great friends for the past 12 years. Paola has worked as a flight attendant for British Airways for over 5 years and does only long-haul flights. This means that I get to see her about every 2 months or so when she has a New York City (JFK) or New Jersey (EWR) flight. We always do something fun and it's just nice to spend time together. She's like the sister I never had. No matter where our lives take us, we always stay in contact and manage to see each other sporadically. This friendship has been one of my life's most rewarding ones. So why do I like travelling so much? Paola is one of the reasons. If I had never left New Jersey, I would have never met her. Travelling opens up your horizons to meet new people and develop relationships like this.