Lew and Judy’s Big Trip

January 01, 2025 ( yikes)

Felix Año, Happy New Year, Buon Anno a te,

We wish you a wondrous and joyous New Year. In any language, with any government, we would offer peace and compassion, and a warm bed at night to all. Lew and I are arrived in Milano exactly one nap ago, after the long trek to get here. After months of pondering, packing, and preparation, there remains one burning question. How did Noah pack for the Ark, bring water, food, and all that is necessary to sustain the lives he had collected under his wing? We pack heavy this time, taking a lot more than usual for a trip, and that is really about being self-sustaining as much as possible, minimizing the need to run to a non-existent local King Sooper. But – Oy!

So, a few housekeeping thoughts — you are the unique audience for this blog that I like to write, but you don’t have to read it, and there will be no quiz. If you hate these, or think that they lack good grace or intention other than a sharing of our lives with you, hit delete — we will never know! I expect to write once or twice a week, maybe. I enjoy it, and writing gives me a perspective that I otherwise do not have, giving me some awakening to the small details of life.  If you do not – pitch it!

Yesterday, the 31^st of December, son Tim drove us to the early-ish flight from Denver. We switched planes in Newark, painlessly, although 5 gate numbers distance is further apart than one would expect in Newark. We the bleary stumbled through customs in Milan, alongside a planefull of people from Changdo, China. This airport is filled with art and is a fun place to come into, as it proclaims itself as the place to be. Lots of us then became aware of something we’d not considered — It is New Year’s Morning, and at 7:00 AM, nothing is open at the car rentals, taxis are nonexistent. We sat at a little coffee shop where in past years we have waited for our cousins the Elaine/John Lavezzis and brother Bill Lavezzi. It was open and inviting, and a great perch to begin from. So much fun to watch the world!

Hours later, we re-remember words in Italian, muscle-memoring the stick shift dance while listening to directions spoken of horribly accented Italian street names. Our local hotel we’ve gone to for years – a little 3-star place that suits us just fine was also not able to accommodate us over the New Year holiday, but referred us to a more upscale neighboring place, which couldn’t be expected to have a room ready for us at 10:00 AM, so we thought to go someplace to have a lunch – no such luck there either. Finally – aha, a grocery store.

The carts were pulled up in front of the door, with a little notice that no one noticed – Chiuda! Closed. Across the street, however, was a hint of people moving around, and we aimed ourselves toward the possibility of a seat and coffee, and maybe a snack. We’d been saying we needed a Chinese restaurant, which is usually the way to go on a holiday, and sure enough – the place was a family deal, parent and two next generations worked a counter, coffee bar, lottery, and slots. Caffe Bonomi hummed with purposeful activity.

On one side register there were any number of men on the machines, next to a sign warning of the addiction of games and a number to call for help. Above that were numbers, cards, lottery tickets, several types of games, and something called Lost Mary. You could pay your utilities here as well. Lots going on and the stream of local folks was continuous. Cigarettes were sold in the middle register, and many people were dangling unlit cigarettes from their lips while standing next to the “No Fumare” sign with some essence of urgency. Coffee and drinks were served at the stand-up bar on the other side, while people came and went with dogs, coffees, a drink, or a stop at the slot machines, or all the above. Mostly men, and a few accompanied women, I noticed. Is gambling here a mostly male thing?  Maybe 15-20 men and three of us females, although the action was constant, the ratio never changed. In the middle register station people paid for their drinks or cookies after they had drunk and had a chat and since there was no receipt, everyone was on their honor, I think. Lew found a bathroom for men, and a woman came in as well. All in all, a fine start.

We crashed, finally, in the sleep of the lost lambs, rearranging our stuff to pull out all of our cords, and digital detritus, finding passwords, negotiating lights (you have to put your hotel room key into a slot – who knew?) The lights and the electricity all go off when you remove your key, so it doesn’t work well with all our devices when we are gone. And — in case you didn’t know — we have a lot of devices. I mean — it’s Lew!

We did find dinner — a Sicilian pizza – with, in case you didn’t know this — the best sweet pastries and the most beautiful goodies all arranged in beautiful cases. Cakes, cookies, filled cannolies, bars, loaves, mounds, more than one can imagine – all trademark-worthy and decorated. I suppose they wipe the nose marks and stray drool off the glass case every night. It is a spectacular Sicilian thing, those deserts. We had pizza, sigh.

Today, somewhat rested, there are museums, and a day to play in town before we head off to our B&B. LA Scala is here, and some wonderful Caravaggio at an art exhibit, and we still are trying to get into Leonardo’s Last Supper- we’ve been trying for three or four years with no success – it is always sold out. There is no end of things to do. We’ll practice our public transportation abilities and try to jettison the car. There is such independence in figuring it all out and being able to get around.

Thanks for allowing me to ramble. Caio!    Judith Lavezzi and Lew Grothe