Today I have done a couple of notable things including: 1) riding on the train for around 8 hours from Lucerne to Milan, then from Milan to Monterosso in Cinque Terre, and 2) wandering around Lucerne (a very pretty city) and Milan (also pretty, with a huge duomo with more statues affixed to it than I have ever seen in my life, some of which are quite creepy) with my 22 pound pack strapped to my back.
While riding on trains, I have found myself anxiously engaged in one of two activities--reading an entertaining Bill Bryson novel, or trying to prevent my head from bobbing too much and waking me up from my unconscious stupor via a sharp head jerking motion when the train brakes, accelerates, or moves in general (flashbacks to student life anyone?). According to that book published in 1998, the average American uses a car for 93 percent of all trips outside of the home. As a result, on average, all walking during the course of the week adds up to 1.4 miles per week, or 350 yards a day. I am sad to admit that my normal movement is probably less than that, as my steps are limited to walking from my car into work, back to my car, and random errands in various shops around town.
However, I have become a temporarily changed woman. Despite our long travel times today, we still managed to log around 15,000 steps, or 6 miles-ish in the course of wandering around Lucerne and Milan. Because of that increase in activity and the fact that any eating establishment without the primary goal of intoxicating patrons deems 6pm an appropriate closing time, I have seriously adjusted my eating habits. I now try to cram as many calories as possible into every meal.
Accordingly, we stopped for gelato after lunch in Milan today. My mint chocolate chip gelato purchased from a van beside the duomo was excellent. However, I did learn that if an American wearing a giant backpack tries to pay for gelato with Swiss Francs, that payment method will be rejected, the three men serving up the gelato will stop service for a couple of minutes to discuss that event and laugh at the silly American, and the pushy crowd trying to order their gelato will also temporarily stop pushing to point and gesture. Awesome.
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4 comments:
Milan does not have a duomo!!!! It has a cathedral!!! It was the invention of committee who all negotiated their different styles and rolled them into one freaking cool cathedral. If you didn't go up on top, you totally missed out!!
I'm very sorry for my comment. apparently the cathedral in milan is sometimes refered to as the duomo, which is really interesting to me, but true. I was wrong, you were right. You are smart, I am stupid. You are are very attractibve, yada yada yada-- you get the idea. Enjoy all the duomos you come across.
haa. nerd. the problem is, you also didn't get Tiramasu! ;)
hahaha. thanks, shiloh.
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