5 September 2018.
We are back in Europe and almost recovered from jet lag. It seems to take longer each trip and we are happy doing very little for a few days. Not like the days when we crammed sight-seeing into every moment. That’s why we like the long trips. We can spend a couple of days getting adjusted and reveling in little accomplishments like getting Italian SIMs for our phones and changing clothes after wearing them for 48 hours.
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele so empty on a Saturday morning! Never seen it like this.
One of Milan’s charming but kidney pounding 1930s trolleys.
Exotic brand in the gourmet foods section of La Rinascente. Good product placement, Rogue Brewing!
We landed in Milan and spent two nights at our favorite hotel there, the Hotel Berna. At the Berna, there is a spirit of generosity. Free non-alcoholic drinks in your mini bar, for example. An outlandish breakfast spread and over-the-top apericena in the evening, if you are so inclined.
There was a special Harry Potter Exhibition in Milano so we managed to fight the throngs and see some fun props from the movies.
Life-size Dobby.
Ric gets up close and personal with a Mandrake.
The Harry Potter Exhibition was in a former industrial site. It is called “Fabbrica del Vapore” or “Steam Factory.” Not sure it had anything to do with ham.
We had a couple of exceptional dinners, two fine afternoon naps, and walked 14 miles in two days. Not a bad start to our trip.
At the Crazy Cat Cafe, this little one reminded us of our Janie.
Resting comfortably at the Crazy Cat Cafe.
Girovaga 
So glad you are having a great time! Love your posts. Miss you both.
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Thanks, Kim. I think so often of how much fun we had in Venice and Rome with you!
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Always so pleasant to travel with you, in some familiar places. There is a French saying:” Travelling keeps you young” and you are its living example. So continue “trekking”!! See you soon. Ciao for now
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Grazie, JC! Ci vediamo a Portland in ottobre!
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We miss you Laurel, I love the look of the place you are staying in Ortisei, it must be relaxing, i look forward to hearing more about your trip. Ciao
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Grazie, Cara! Saluta le altre da me!
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Glad you are back in Italy and look forward to further “postcards”. I’ve been to a cat cafe here in Seattle and did it as a “roving reporter” for a friend in London (the guys who came to see me in Venice last year) and the review and pictures were in their blog as well as mine. Cat cafes are getting very popular. Maybe you’ll find a few more before you head back this way.
Happy travels,
Michelle
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Thanks, Michelle! We are going to many small towns but I am always on the lookout for kitties!
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I’m envious is the walks, of course the food and the naps!
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I do wish we could replicate the walking lifestyle in the U.S. I am not a napper, but jet lag hit me hard and I had to succumb!
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Welcome back to Europe! We are still in Provence and heading to Bretagne on Saturday for a week. Weather is great here now too after a really hot summer. Don’t think we’ll get in 14 miles walking with Jean Claude’s 96 year old mom but we do get in an hour in the morning and evening when we’re on our own! We return to Portland in October. Bises,
Maarja
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Cari amici, we miss seeing you, but we will pass a few nights in Portland the end of October. Let’s get together! Enjoy your time in Brittany!
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Two naps AND walking 14 miles in 2 days. Plus the cafe and the beautiful galleria. I think you guys might have accidentally landed in heaven. What fun to see your pics – thanks!
Gayle
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The cat cafe was a joy to find! The cats were pretty lazy, though. Heaven is where we are now, in Ortisei. More on that next postcard!
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So jealous! I hope one day to return to Ortisei.
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I hope that the weather is as nice there as it has been here. We flew over on Norwegian Air. I don’t know if it flies from your area, but it is the first time I have flown to Europe and not had jet lag, probably because it leaves in the late afternoon. We upgraded to premium economy, which was as comfortable as business class used to be. I never flew business class when they had beds. The food was boring, but it always seems to be on planes. If you are able, do try this airline.
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Hi Chloe! I don’t know if we have Norwegian, but last year we took Icelandic and had a great experience. I think going over water from the West Coast is helpful versus changing planes on the East Coast. We used miles this time so we were beholden to United Airlines routes, but we’ve come to the conclusion that we will use miles domestically and pay for good flights on our Euro-adventures.
The weather in Milano was fine: not hot and we did not get rained on. The weather in Ortisei, where we are now, has been stellar. Three days of sun and (for here) warm. Tomorrow it seems that will change. I will write more next week.
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Fun !!! So jealous
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