Christine and I left our hotel around two in the afternoon -- after some much needed sleep -- in search of nourishment. We took the subway to the Duomo, a beautiful, intricately carved white marble cathedral in the heart of the city. In the piazza in front of the building, Bangladeshi vendors sell single roses, packets of confetti for celebrating Carnival, and packets of corn to feed the pigeons. There is an avenue next to the church that is covered with an arched glass roof, and it is filled with fancy restaurants and shops like Louis Vouitton and Prada. We found a cute pizza shop nearby to have lunch, and then strolled through the city on our way to the Brera museum. The roads in Milan are narrow, much like in Rome, and lined with old, beautiful stone buildings. The roads open into small piazzas throughout the city. Undergarment shops are plentiful here. Along the road, we came upon a marzipan shop, and we had pieces that were shaped like pears, complete with cloves for stems and tiny, airbrushed, dark spoiled spots.

At the Brera museum, we saw Italian paintings from the 14th century through the 20th century. There was a special exhibition of four Caravaggio paintings, and we spent a couple of hours wandering through the rooms. I am amazed by the sheer size of the canvases and the epic ambition of the artists. The Italian nobility must have had so much wealth .. to commission works of such scope.

After wandering to the Castello Storesco, we walked down via Fiori, an avenue that is packed with restaurants and artists selling their crafts. We found a place and sat outside, under an incredibly efficient heater. Here, wine and carbonated water and prosecco are like water in America, and they they are served immediately as you sit down. We both ordered penne arrabatia, which has an amazing sauce that was at once spicy and garlicy. I love that entrees here are always served with fresh, chopped herbs on top. Since we are girls, the waiters brought us complimentary and fantastic nutty cookies and limoncello (this variety was darker than any I've had before, and surprisingly flavored with anise -- which went very well with the lemon flavor, and was a deep gorgeous ruby red).

We might go out for drinks or gelato later tonight.. However, we are currently relaxing and watching Italian commercials in the hotel. They are hilarious, ranging from incredibly cheesy (Lavazza, Menthos) to romantic and epic (Barilla).

I am so glad that we went out last night! It was nice to try the whole Euro clubbing scene, and as I expected, I LOVED the music that was spun. The place we went to was called Hollywood something, located in a piazza with many bars, restaurants, and clubs – and exceptionally pricey (25 euro cover, 10 euro drinks!). I'm always amazed at how consistent the bouncer body type is; at this place, the guy who let us in looked like a mean Italian mobster, bulky, with long greasy hair and a black leather jacket. The scene was basically .. ridiculously attractive Italians, the women in tiny black dresses & the men in fitted blazers with skinny ties or scarves on tees worn with skinny jeans, dancing to music that was far more techno- and electronica-based, and of a far better quality, than anything I've heard in the states.

Of the countries I have been to, I think that Italy feels the most like home. I don't look Italian, but Rome and Milan are extremely multicultural. I love the easy stylishness, the obvious love for the arts, the way of dressing -- and wearing hair long and loose, the pastas and wines and liquors and gelatos, the lovely architecture..