Jingle bells

I know it's very late but Happy New Year. Things have been a little out of control lately.

We were both busy working in the lead up to Christmas. Then we flew up to Milan and took a bus to Como where my darling sister Kim met us. She and her husband Noel and sons Joshua and Lachlan were in Europe for a holiday and we managed to organise to spend Christmas together in a fabulous apartment in Argegno village on Lake Como.

Christmas was great, although the bit where we had to chop the head and feet off the chicken before roasting it wasn't a highlight. In true Australian style the boys woke us early on the 25th and we sat around the tree (purchased for Euro 19.99 and decorated with cheap, simple, crap decorations I brought up from Naples...what do a 2 and a 4 year old know or care anyway!) opening presents while it was still dark outside, in our pyjamas. Truly the best way to kick off Christmas day.

Then while the boys played with their gifts we prepared lunch. We spent the day inside, looking out at the lake from the verandah, enjoying the central heating and marvelling at the way the light seemed to change every half hour. Noel and I were talking about lighting with regards to taking photos the whole time.

Over the next couple of days we took a scary cable car ride (just ask Kim) up to the top of the mountain and had lunch, drove into Como on a desperate search for an almost non existent internet cafe, took a boat cruise across the lake to Bellagio (but sadly missed out date with local resident George Clooney), ate, slept and played. Oh, we also went for a drive to Foxtown, a huge shopping centre which is supposed to be outlet shopping (!!) just across the border in Switzerland. The first attempt, we didn't have our passports and almost get ourselves arrested by the Italian border police. The second attempt we were better prepared but of course by then they hardly even bothered to check if there was anyone driving the car.

After five nights we trooped into Milan. Gigi and I met up with Pernille, Danish friend, and we had an early dinner with Kim, Noel and the kids. They left for skiing in Switzerland the following day. Unfortunately, the three of us had planned to spend three nights in Milan, including New Years Eve. This was a mistake. Milan is world famous, but it's not a city for tourists or visiting.

New Years Eve was a huge anti climax and in fact it was so crazy in the main square with people (mostly men from Algeria, Morocco and Egypt) throwing fireworks around (and directly at Penny and I who were surreptiously wearing bright red winter coats) that we retreated to our hotel room and saw midnight in there. Not what we had planned or anticipated.

Neapolitans rarely say anything very positive about the north of Italy, and Milan in particular generally brings a sneer and a look of disdain to their faces. I had always assumed this a a bit of northern/southern competition (for want of a better word), and figured Milan would have its charms like any other place. It doesn't. Apart from the main cathedral (and if you've seen the Notre Dame in Paris it's very similar), and the Galleria (which is certainly not any better than the Galleria Umberto in central Naples) and the castel there is only the shopping, business and lots of horrible industry and sad apartment buildings. The main, fancy shopping street MonteNapoleone is certainly interesting, with all the big designers having their flag stores located there (think Gucci, Prada, YSL, Bvlgari...blah, blah, blah) but if you aren't into labels, expensive shopping and consumerism it's really just a half hour stroll and your done.

I don't think I've said this about anywhere else I've travelled, but I will not be returning to Milan unless it's in transit on my way to visit the northern lakes sometime in the spring or summer. I would strongly suggest that your time, money and effort is much better spent visiting almost anywhere else in Italy. And unless you are a workaholic or seriously into making money, I can't see the attraction. Milan doesn't really seem to have a lifestyle.

So, that's a quick update on our festive season jaunt. I hope you enjoy the sprinkling of photos. It is my intention to put more up soon, and add them to my facebook account as well.

Auguri, buon anno 2008!