05/09/2025 – From the Sea to the Mountains
We got up early and walked to McDonalds so that Dave could get his fill of Egg McMuffins. Well, almost Egg McMuffins. He did get one muffin that had eggs, cheese, and bacon (?). Kathy then ordered Dave a McChocoNut! It looks pretty cool on the menu, but when it came out, it was like someone had poured Hershey’s syrup on a bun, tossed in some chopped peanuts, and covered it with the other half of the bun. This McSpecialty can stay in France.
Then, it was time for the drive to Milan. Goodbye “Bonjour” and back to “Buongiorno” and goodbye to the Mediteranean Sea and hello to the Alps, as we retreat from France and head back to Italy. While enroute, Dave got tired of the never-ending tunnels (and even more so the never-ending toll roads!), so he changed up the GPS to take us into the Alps a little early. Although the views were very nice, the curvy up-and-down roads didn’t agree with Kathy. It wasn’t too long before we were back to nice, flat toll- and tunnel-filled roads. We think we have finally managed to figure out the toll roads. You’d better have a tap-ready credit card because that is all that many of them accept. One did not accept that, but kept yelling that we were using the wrong card. Eventually, the gate just opened and we drove through. We probably don’t want to see that toll if it meets up with us when we turn our car in. Another toll booth would not take our ticket. This one had a button to push for help, so we did. It was pouring rain at the time and through the open window, Dave yelled at the microphone lady where he had entered the toll road. The lady said, “Okay”, and the gate opened. We wonder if that will catch up with us, too, or if the lady did not want to come out into the rain to collect our payment?
Finally arriving in Milan, we checked into the Hotel Manin. They took our car from us and put it in their garage – for 50 euros per night! Well, at least this place has a free breakfast to take the sting out of the parking fee some. We took a walk through a park across the street. We saw some huge carp in a pond, a duck, some parrots and two dogs incessantly barking at a garbage can! Dave walked over there and looked to see what they were so excited about. The dogs were not sure if Dave was there to help them, or to steal their quarry. Dave did not see what they could smell, but is sure it was a very fightened mouse. The one dog tried several times to push over the can, but to no avail. We enjoyed a nice meal of pasta at a cafe and then walked to the Basilica of Milan to scout out where we will meet tomorrow. Tomorrow we take our final tour of this trip. We will go to Santa Maria Delle Grazie to see the Basilica and… the actual mural painted by Da Vinci of “The Last Supper” over 500 years ago! We can’t wait!
Ciao, baby, until then.