Italia at last!

I need to pinch myself that I am here in Italy. This was our fourth book, cancel, book, cancel attempt. We did our usual drive to JFK to avoid connection headaches, however the Colvins struggled with their flight from Atlanta. All safely boarded with minutes to spare. 

We attempted to rent our car at 8:30 and were told we couldn’t as our reservation stated 9am. Who knew the Italians were sticklers for time??? We killed that time by getting coffees that were so hot they melted a plastic spoon.  Clearly, we needed to wait to drink those. Barely and I mean barely, did we fit the luggage into the small car with more items at our feet.  Then the hour drive to Milano that included trying to pay tolls, extracting change without dislocating one’s shoulder, multiple missed turns, left after left after left from my Australian Siri man until I was about to cry.  Paul found it helpful to pipe in from the back seat inquiring if we knew what we were doing.  He is lucky to be alive. We did find the hotel but no entrance, so Helen leaped from the car and flagged down the bellman, who then proceeded to direct Tim down a pedestrian only area.  We gladly ditched the car and won’t plan to use it until we leave.

 Our hotel, the Park Hyatt, is in the city center.  Functioning on fumes, we walked to the Duomo, the Galleria and the Duomo piazza and had a lovely lunch with wine (of course).  All my travel companions are sleeping, which seems to be my normal M.O.

Rallied the troops and went to the Galleria to people watch and have an early dinner.  We are hitting the hay early and most likely will all be awake at 3am.  Buon a notte.

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