Milano and Torino, Italy

So I have been in Italy a little less than a week now. I spent the first few days in Milan, which turned out to be pretty nice. I didnt really have high expectations for Milan but I ended up liking it more than I thought I would. On my first afternoon there I was just wandering around looking for some place to grab a snack and stumbled into the city center. The Duomo church is the main site in this square and it is ridiculous. I think I read it is the 3rd largest church in the world, but it was more than that.... all of the details of it were so intricate and really just remarkable. I went inside which was very nice as well, but the outside of this church was just more eye catching than I think maybe any building Ive sen before (I cant upload pics now, but I will try to put one up soon). I ended up making a friend in Milan, Luca. I went out with him and some of his friends a couple of nights. One neat thing was the happy hours in northern Italy, you buy a drink but then you get a bufffet style meal too. But really good Italian food buffet. And of course I had to try some pizza. Some other sites I saw were a castel in Milan and the science museum which has some of Leonardo di Vincis things. Other than that it was a good city to just wander around in, window shop, and enjoy the warm weather in some pretty parks.

Friday I ended up taking a train to Torino, which is where the 2006 (I think) winter olympics were held. Today the weather is pretty crappy so I havent been doing much, but yesterday I did all the site seeing stuff. I went to the Royal Palace of Venaria in the morning, which the palace itself was ok... but nothing too exciting (I guess once you get used to the idea of there being palaces and castels all over the place). The gardens there were beautiful though and they looked to the Alps. Ive decided I really like mountains now. I think someday I will have to live between mountains and an ocean. In the afternoon we went and saw the sights of Torino, a castle here, a palace there, followed by a giant church over looking the city and cute little streets filled with delicious food and lots of shopping. In the evening I met some more Italians and we went to dinner and then to a bar. I really need to learn the language better although I am able to pick up a few sentences here and there most of the time I need someone to translate for me. So when I get back in the US I want to learn Italian a little better and maybe actually try to learn to cook. The food here is so great... it really puts my mac n cheese to shame. I think its making me grow up some as far as my appetitie is concerned.

Well tomorrow I am getting up early and taking a train down to Rome. So I would like to send some postcards to you guys back home but I dont know any addresses. If you would like one, leave your address on here or email me it.

Amy