Milan 2014: 22 July 2014

Ken & Meg waiting
to see the Last Supper

Today is Prince George’s first birthday. I’m not the only royal-watcher in the group. One of the girls on the trip is obsessed with him, so I have a kindred spirit in Alison. Last year, I harassed Andrew with the facts of his birth. He couldn’t have cared less, which is what made it so fun for me to announce every bit of news I heard!

Fake pix outside

Allied bombing: the LS was spared

We had the second part of the film lecture today and she discussed the comedy and the horror/thriller movie. She also introduced a short bit about some other films, but not too much. I’d love to learn more too, so this is something I’ll change for next year. One of the students has been taking pictures of every lecturer for her blog. She took a picture of Erika and Erika flipped out! Told her that she shouldn’t take pictures of anyone without their permission! I found it slightly interesting that a filmmaker/lecturer would be so anti-camera. She’s in a public space, so she’s fair game. Maybe

there are different laws in Italy.

on the tram on our way to see
The Last Supper

In the afternoon we took our trip to see the Last Supper. Every time I see it I get emotional. Not weepy, boo hoo hooing, but it touches my heart in a profound way. It is funny to me that this iconic piece of art is actually something that was deteriorating from the moment he put it on the wall. If he’d have known how revered and beloved it is, I’m certain he would have done it in a completely different way. He just thought it was a piece for a bunch of monks in their dining hall! How ironic!

more pix of the bombing...Milan
was destroyed :o(

One of the girls was so ill today (not hangover before you ask), that she was unable to see the Last Supper. She had some sort of tummy bug (seriously, it was not a hangover) and tried to make it through class but couldn’t. I called her before we went in to see the Last Supper and she apologized (??) but said she couldn’t make it. She was very disappointed, but said she felt a lot better than she had in the morning. She is a great student and they hadn’t gone out the night before. We’ll watch to make sure it’s only a quick bug and not something more.

Timeline

Meg’s dad studied art as an undergrad and he was so excited to see it. He bought his own ticket because the trip can only get for the students….and we’d gotten them in advance before we knew he was coming. Anyhoo, he was able to see it and he was thrilled. There were several gasps as we all walked into the hall where it is. A lot of people, myself included, think it’s fairly small. When you see it for the first time, you are stunned. It is the full length of a wall

Me & Ken at aperitivo

After that, we went back to the dorms and then Meg, her dad (Ken), and I went out for aperitivo. We were trying to give him the full-Italian experience. We took him back to Corso Como so he could watch all the pretty people walk by. We had a great time, probably spent 2 ½ hours there just chatting and watching people.

Came home and got ready for tomorrow. We are off to the islands in Lake Maggiore!