Milan December 2019

It’s the season of lockdown. Sitting on our couch in front of TV the memories of our glorious trips seem to fade away. It is becoming more and more difficult to remember – which trip was it when we had that amazing tiramisu? Which hike was better- Cornwall or Lake district? Which was more picturesque – Norway or Switzerland? And so begins the story of this travelogue scrapbook- an attempt to commemorate our blunders in trying to be seasoned travellers. 

It seems appropriate also, to start the scrapbook with the tour that was our last trip. December 2019 was a big month for us. We had come back to London on general visa and were missing our families, food & Sun. I had just quit my job and the interview calls were drying up just before the Christmas season. We had decided not to go anywhere as we had just come back from India, but as the new year drew closer the wanderlust grew stronger & I on my insistence Preshit to do his magic & book the new years for us. He did & how!  

We had been to Italy before in summer of 2018 but had skipped Milan and so this seemed like a perfect opportunity to rectify that mistake. We reached Milan on 31 December and went straight to Duomo – arguably the heart of Milan. There were lights everywhere and a good amount of transport confusion due to the new year eve concert planned. Purely based on the smell & the location of this place we decided to walk into Pizzeria Caputo to treat ourselves to some wholesome Italian food. We weren’t disappointed and ate the best Potato & cheese Ravioli that even Preshit admitted to enjoying a simple veg dish. #TheLastSupper @Duomo.

We started the new year on a glamourous note & headed for Lake Como, Bellagio & Varenna. Luck wasn’t completely on our side however, as there was restricted ferries & trains service this day and we couldn’t travel on the famous Bernina express. Oh well, next time! We managed to grab an authentic Italian dinner @Trattoria la lanterna where once again I ordered Ravioli but a more traditional version– spinach & tomato basil sauce.

On our last day in Milan, we decided to explore the canal side & eat in the @La tradizionale restaurant. Funny story- the place boasted of veggie options but I couldn’t find any non- Aubergine option on menu. I decided to ask the server and he suggested a pizza with pepperoni. I explained – senza carne! And he said yes pepperoni – green pepperoni !:) seems like it was a typo/misunderstanding and they meant green peppers ( capsicum)! We had pizza with wine & took a stroll on the canal. It almost felt like Venice for a second.

The trip was so relaxing, Italy is always a safe option not only do we find a thing of beauty but also because of the plethora of veggie food options available for me. Generally, how I spend the new years eve & day dictate my new year, but this time it has been exact opposite! However, now that I look back on the trip & the state of Italy, I feel so lucky to have survived the infection. PS: This photo was taken by an Indian photographer at Duomo, we paid him in obsolete pound coins.