Buongiorno Italia Pt. 4 -- Arrivederci!

All too soon, my week had ended, and it was time to head back to the States.

Having a little time between the end of my last day on site and my scheduled flight, instead of driving back to the airport with my supervisor, I opted for something a little more scenic - the train.

Italy, much like every other Western nation that isn't the United States apparently, has a pretty extensive train system.  While there wasn't a train that didn't go directly from Novara to the airport, there was one that went straight to Milano Centrale (the main station in Milan), where I could catch another to Malpensa.  This suited me just fine, as it gave me the opportunity to at least say that I'd been in the city of Milan.

Waiting for the train out of Novara, I took a little time to muse on my surroundings one more time.

Dogs everywhere!!!

Espresso vending machine.  Why can't this be standard everywhere.

One of the things that I noticed, not just in Novara, but in every town I visited was this:

Bicycles are extremely common around these parts, often riding in and out of traffic with the cars. Bicycle activists in the US would be creaming themselves if they saw how well these modes of transport interacted.  But what interested me more was the fact that only some of the bikes were locked up, sometimes only to a single tire at that.  In Philadelphia, you'd be an idiot to be so lax in security.  But in Novara, not once did I spy a frame that had been deprived of a tire or two.  What did that say about the culture here?  That bikes are so prevalent that it becomes unnecessary to commit the theft?  Or that it's just such a dick move to steal someones parts that you don't dare?

Soon enough, it was off to Milano Centrale:

Good-bye, rice fields

The station was MASSIVE, and the architecture fascinating.  Busts, molding, and bas-relief abounded, occasionally making it feel more like a trip to the art museum than the train station.

Caduceus mosaic - lots of Greek mythology

Carvings of the Zodiac

I was also briefly (politely) harassed by some Jehovah's Witnesses who kept trying to speak to me in Chinese, even though I kept insisting (in Italian) that I was American.  I guess they are everywhere.

They even gave me a card - in Chinese.
Once again, with gusto, I do not know how to read hanzi.

I very, very briefly ventured outside of the station to see the city, but to be honest, I was so wiped that all I wanted to do was get a little souvenir shopping for my family done, and then get to my hotel room by the airport.

But only after one more sampling of gelato.

And, true to my word, after reaching my hotel and partaking of a very simple dinner, I passed out.

The next morning's meal was equally simple, though no less delicious.

Raspberry tart and latte - perfetto

While passing through duty-free, I also came across these:

Kinder Surprise!!!

And because I am a miscreant, I bought a box for the flight home.  Who felt like a badass smuggler while filling out her customs forms?  This girl.  Awww yisss.  

(Please don't judge me.)

The last I really experienced of Italy were the sculptures that lined the halls on the way to the terminal. 

Elongated busts followed travelers on their walk, mimicking their often long, drawn out exhausted faces as they make their way to their final destination.  In mockery or solidarity?  Who knows.  They kept their thoughts to themselves, as I sometimes which my fellow passengers would.

 

^^^Except this woman (the black lady whose head is peeking out). She was seriously just standing at international check-in to give people hugs. She didn't work for the airport or anything.  She just wanted to encourage everyone before they flew.  Rock on, random woman.

And after a long flight and drive, I was finally home.  

Was my fear of international travel unfounded?  Not really.  I did in fact get lost multiple times, had to use hand gestures and broken Italian to explain myself, and tripped over some customs.  But did that matter in the long run?  Probably not.  Northern Italy is a wonderful, gorgeous, unique place, and I can't wait to go back on my own terms.

Oh, and by the way, Kinder surprise is pretty great.  We're really missing out, United States FDA.

I don't remember why I took this picture.
Maybe to show the pure child-like joy on DG's face.
Maybe to compare how red his sunburn is to the packaging.

DG and Jagger eagerly wait for the reveal

Rhino-cycle!!!

Until the next.