coffee country

Around 4:30pm yesterday (Monday) I flew into Milan Malpensa airport, and soon Filippo was driving me through the northern Italian countryside in some kind of roofless Fiat in the 30 degree summer evening weather. Ah, yes. This is what I was waiting for. We arrived in Gerenzano, Filippo's village (about 25km out of Milan) about 20 minutes later, and I was given the tour of the Angaroni home. My first night here we had a late dinner on the porch with the family...lasagne, meat and salad, with strawberry wine and gelato for dessert. Fil and I stayed up late catching up, finishing off the wine, and discussing European politics...or rather, him discussing, me listening.

This morning we got up early (I awoke even earlier to the 6am village bells chiming) and rode bikes through the village to a nearby city (Saronno) where we planned to catch a train into Milan for the day. Fil's brother Nicola was working on the train as the ticket collector, meaning we could ride for free! Not only that, but we were invited to ride up the very front of the train with Nicola and the train driver. Though I had already downed a very satisfactory espresso at Filippo's, Nicola bought Fil and me another coffee and breakfast at a patisserie at the train station.

In Milan our first stop was Santa Maria Della Grazia, the church where Da Vinci's famous Last Supper is painted on the wall of the refectory. The perfunctory nature with which the Italians conduct the visits to the painting is in stark contrast with the quiet, solemn, and moving nature of the artwork. You have just 15 minutes in the long narrow room, with Da Vinci's painting taking up almost an entire wall at one end, and an equally moving (though not as historically significant) painting of the crucifixion scene at the other end. Honestly, my breath was taken away and my heart was stilled. It felt like such a privilege to stand and survey this important artwork, representing an even more important moment in time. After visiting the painting, we wandered into the church, which I was asked to leave soon after as apparently I was dressed like a hussy (jeans and a singlet top). No-one actually used the word hussy, I might add, but apparently my singlet was too sleeveless for the priest's liking, and I had to leave. Other stops in Milan included the Duomo gothic cathedral, Via Monte Napoleone (High fashion street, including the likes of Prada, Gucci, and Christian Dior), a castle, a cafe where we met my parents for lunch and a beer, and a gelato shop.

Later this afternoon Fil and I caught the train back to Saronno and cycled some more through the city. Cycling has been a really lovely way to explore. Makes a good change from walking, but you see so much more than in a car. The smells, the experience of riding around with all the locals...I was really content, and felt like I got to see the "real" village. Fil assures me that I like it because of the time of year...it's August and all the usual crowds are visiting their summer holiday destinations near the coast, so there is more charm to these places given the lower numbers of residents and tourists, and reduced traffic on the roads.

And tonight! A bbq with all Fil's family...potatoes, roast vegetables, steak, sausages, white wine, red wine, rose, grappa, and crepes. All in the garden on a hot summer's night. Most of the family speak a little English, though most of the time it was boisterous Italian with some translation from Fil or Serena, Nicola's girlfriend. It has been a really special night, I feel like I have been welcomed right into their lives. As a bonus, Enrico (Fil's 14 year old brother) taught me how to play the drums a little. A late night bike ride home was enough to make me really sleepy...and I'm pretty much ready for a long sleep now.

One last note: Fil is teaching me a lot about the psychological separation of north and south Italy. I'm learning that for me, my perceptions of Italy have been based on the exported Southern Italian stereotypes and ideals. The north is really different. Coming to understand this a bit more, and learn more about this divide has been fascinating, and helped by a book I bought today on Fil's recommendation, La Bella Figura (roughly "to make a good figure/impression", though I'm reading a translated English version).

ciao