Buffalora

I left Milan on Monday and headed to Trecate, where our office is located. The company decided it would be smarter for me to stay closer to the office and I stayed in the quaint town of Buffalora. This town is filled with little streets paved with bricks, small alleys, a town square and a canal, designed by Leonardo da Vinci runs under the bridges. One of my colleagues was very informative and always gave me the history of where we went. She told me that the Navigli was created to transport materials to Milan for the Duomo. Fascinating!!

My accomadations were amazing as well. I stayed in Suite Manzonni in adorable room; it was like a home away from home. I must say, this has been one of my favorite places to stay. There is a fantastic bakery right around the corner where I ate some of the most amazing foccocia and pasteries...thank goodness they aren't near my home!! I would recommend staying here to anyone travelling in Italy. However, make sure you have transportation because there isn't much around.

Milano

After my Duomo adventure, I walked around the city for hours. Milan is famous for fashion and shopping and I guess this is Mecca for those who adore them. I enjoyed people watching here. It was interesting to see so many different people and hear so many different languages in such a small area.

Then, I stumbled upon Leonardo da Vinci. This statue portrays all aspects of his genius.

 This was my favorite street.The lanterns above gradually changed colors. To my surprise, the Sforza Castle was at the end of the road. The history nerd in me was jumping for joy. In fact, once I was in front of it, I started taking pictures like crazy and a little Italian man offered to take my picture in front. Then, he offered a tour of "his " city. We spent an hour walking around as he pointed things out. The language barrier didn't seem to matter. A lot of hand motions and repeating ourselves. I really don't think Italy could be more charming.

My day ended with Mushroom Risotto, Pizza with artichoke, mushroom and prociutto, and vino!

Duomo

I spent a magical day in the city of Milano, Sunday. The weather was dreary, but my spirits were soaring when I emerged from the Metro to find the Duomo right in front of me. I immediatly headed over to see how I could get to the top. Of course, the inside is magnificent and somber. The stained glass was very intricate and the the entire place was ornate. I spent time walking around and standing in architectural awe!

 I found my way to the top and was greeted by "slipperies" as the sign stated and gargoyles. If it wasn't so cold, I probably could have spent a few hours exploring the roof. It was truly an unforgettable experience.

I loved the gothic architechture.

2010 Reflections

                      I began my year amongst Redwoods and vines...

2010 was a year that I will never forget. So many transitions took place. With each transition, a valuable lesson was learned. I feel wiser, stronger but still recognize my shortcomings and weaknesses. I think the latter is what made me feel truly blessed.

The highlights of my year:

-My nephew Christopher was born
-San Francisco Giants win the World Series
-Visits with my sisters
-Watching my little brother and nephew graduate from 8th grade together
-Moving back to the beach
-Turning 30

...and ended it at the edge of the world, near the sea I love so much.