Birthday with Da Vinci

After rising early in morning, I quickly prepared for the day and took the underground to the closest stop near Santa Maria delle Grazie, the church which houses Da Vinci's masterpiece.

Since I encountered numerous signs pointing in the direction of Santa Maria, I found the church very quickly.

Easy stuff!

Upon arriving, I found some very interesting information regarding the exhibition.

Only 20-30 people are allowed to be in the same room with the painting and only for only 15 minutes. In order to preserve THE LAST SUPPER, the temperature of the room is set a specific number at all times. A guide has to accompany you in and out, with absolutely no photos or videos allowed.

While waiting for my specific time to arrive, I wandered into a nearby book and music store across the street. This class establishment held quite a few unique items relating to all things Milano. I ended up getting a La Scala (homeless shelter) magnet for my Dad.

I returned to Santa Maria and found that my allotted time was quickly approaching.
 

Since I had an extra ticket that was going to be unused, I found a group of oriental travelers trying to find if anyone was willing to give up an extra ticket. They were in luck!

The entrance of the exhibition truly showcased the importance of Da Vinci's THE LAST SUPPER. There were numerous receptionists on hand responding to questions, security guards surveying the area, with travelers from all of the world gearing up to be moved into the actual exhibit.

My time was called and I soon proceeded deeper into Santa Maria delle Grazie with my group. We went through two security checkpoints which made sure no sharp or violent objects were with us.

After the security screenings, we finally entered into sacred room.

The long room was exceptionally quiet, with only two guards surveying the area.

The fresco lay to the farthest wall to our right. The first thing that surprised me was size of the piece. It's gigantic and covers the entire wall!

I was thoroughly impressed with scale of the piece, full of impeccable detail and jaw-dropping atmosphere.

Observing all the subtle gestures blown up to its actual size was fascinating. Every little positioning of the apostles represents a key characteristic of the specific depiction. You could sense the feminine strokes of John the Baptist and feel the delicacy of Christ.

Da Vinci wanted to capture one of the most striking historical moments in motion: Christ telling his apostles that one will betray him. In this ambition, Da Vinci has undeniably succeeded. I could hear the commotion as the apostles roared and ejected their displeasure. I could feel as every apostle responded in fear, shock, and unease. The movements of the scene provide a sense of intensity like nothing I've seen before in art. Many paintings tend to stick to the static image, afraid to show anything in full motion. Da Vinci not only formulates an enchanting piece that loses you in the scene, but does so with one of the most heartbreaking moments in time.

Our guide discussed the interesting perspective Da Vinci chose with The Last Supper. The mathematical depth provided by Da Vinci gives this incredible illusion that the wall is a window into totally different room. Almost like an extension to the actual room. Magnificent!

Unfortunately, time has certainly done its worst to Da Vinci's masterpiece. The amount of peel, deterioration, and lack of color really asks, how much of Da Vinci's original vision remains intact? At least we're able to get a taste of Da Vinci's wondrous work.

Another interest tidbit was mentioned. During WWII, the Allies forces bombarded Milano consistently, since Mussolini headquarters was located here. Well, a bomb struck Santa Maria delle Grazie in 1943, destroying much of the refectory and covenant. To everyone's surprise and wonder, the wall that held The Last Supper remained untouched!

I have to say that The Last Supper by Leonardo Da Vinci showcases the power of art. Its ability to combine history, beauty, immersion all within a single piece just astounds me. And on-top of all of this, The Last Supper does the impossible: conjures a window that peers into a fabled past.

Upon leaving the celestial work, we were introduced to a replica outside. This area is where our tour guide could explain some of the more interesting details of the painting without the constraints of the allotted time given with the original piece.

A gift shop was located there here, full of all sorts of memorabilia dedicated solely to The Last Supper. I picked up small magnet.

After such a fabulous experience, I returned to the Milano train station for Florence. My time in Milan had come to a close, but what a phenomenal way to end it!

Getting to experience Leonardo Da Vinci's Last Supper on my birthday will absolutely rank as one of the most memorable birthdays of all time. Wow!

A Snowy Serie A

The looming time had arrived. My final days in Italy had emerged and everyone was packed up and ready to return home.

My mom, brother, and uncle were going to be flying into Italy as soon as school ended. We were going to travel a little around Florence and then spend Christmas in Rome before heading back to England. It would be a pleasant conclusion to an unforgettable semester.

Yet, misfortune struck once more. Everything crumbled, I mean EVERYTHING.

One of the hardest and most fearsome blizzards struck through Europe on the eve of everyone's departure. All flights were cancelled indefinitely, with countless travelers, students, and my family stranded in airports with absolutely no clue when they would be able to leave.

The snowy atmosphere throughout Florence was sublime, though:

The deadline to leave my apartment was exactly one day after school got out, so we decided that the best option would be to wait in a hotel until my family arrived.

It was impossible calling a taxi to come to my apartment, since almost everyone was trying to get a hold of one in the snow madness. So in the bitter snow, I hiked to the train station and waited in a humungous line for the taxis. Finally, I was provided with one and soon returned to the street where my apartment was. I told the taxi driver I'd quickly grab my luggage, so I quickly ran up to my apartment and lugged down 3 colossus suitcases down those evil stairs.

After nestling all the suitcases into the taxi, we then proceeded to the hotel.

What came next was the most absurd decision in all the history of taxi-drivers. The driver decided that he could only go a block away from the hotel. For some reason or another he refused to drive any further.

So I was forced to handle my 3 suitcases and 2 backpacks up a snow-covered, slushy, traffic-jammed street. This ordeal was crushing, annoying, and downright absurd!

After executing the complex formula of: Step a few feet, pull 2 suitcases, stop, get the other suitcase, I slowly arrived at the entrance of the hotel. This ridiculous maneuvering provided me numerous onlookers thinking I was either mad or just plain handicapped.

I checked into the hotel, found my room, and immediately collapsed into a dazed state.

The initial plan had been for my family to arrive during this period and for my brother and I to attend a Serie A football match in Milano. You see, my brother's favorite team is Roma, so getting a chance to watch A.C. Milan vs. Roma live would obviously be a rare and absolutely delightful opportunity.

Since the blizzard had crushed any hope of my family arriving in time, I was left to attend the match in Milano by my lonesome. :(

I arrived in Milano at around 6pm. I first traveled to the hotel that held my tickets, picked them up and jetted straight to the San Siro stadium.

While I didn't know exactly how to get from the closet metro stop to the stadium, I immediately recognized other A.C. Milan dressed fans rushing towards a certain direction. I knew whatever direction they were heading was probably the right one.

We rushed through a couple of blocks at full speed. I noticed by my watch that the match had already started. I accelerated.

Soon, I heard booming cheers in the distance coming closer. We suddenly turned into the San Siro Stadium. The giant arena stood boldly us. We quickly rushed to the gates, scanned our tickets, and proceeded to find the correct entrance to our seats.

I hurriedly spiraled to my seat location and entered into the inner stadium. The game was in motion. The entire Milan and Roma squad were suddenly playing before my very eyes. The sight was quite shocking. I quickly found my seat number and nestled in to fully absorb the bursting atmosphere.

The stadium, akin to my previous football adventure in Rome, was full of cheering, whistling, and mad enthusiasm from all fans.

 

The game turned out to be quite an eventful affair. Getting a chance to see the likes of Ronaldinho, Ibrahimovic, Pirlo (who was injured and subbed early), and Robinho was an extraordinary experience. Having followed these players through countless championships and tournaments, I was fully sucked into the game.

I recorded some glorious HD footage of the striking ambiance within the San Siro:

Milan vs. Roma

I also have to say, while Adriano may be in the final stages of his career, at one point he pulled off an incredible move that allowed him to maneuver through three Milan players. A shocking piece of skill that silenced the entire stadium.

The game ended with, Milan 0-1 Roma, a tap-in goal from Boriello. Although the game was nowhere near the sheer excitement of the thrilling Champions League match back in November, it was still thoroughly enjoyable and sincerely memorable.

I should also mention that the weather in Milan during the game was downright horrible. I spent the entire match covering my nose with my scarf, shivering from the bitter cold. It was practically sub-zero. No matter how many layers of clothing I wear, the coldness always seems to slice right through me.

After the game, I picked up an A.C Milan scarf for my brother and boarded a packed bus back to the hotel.

While I'd be spending the night in Milan, by tomorrow evening I'd back in Florence. My brother and I had initially planned this following day to see the Last Supper by Leonardo Da Vinci. Since this seminal work is one of the most popular attractions in all of Italy, booking waaay in advance was imperative. This was going to be a riveting experience!

Yet the atmosphere of the trip remained somewhat awkward. It had originally been coordinated with my brother in attendance, so the trip felt half-empty without him. Such is life, have to make the best out of the worst situation...

Wait a second! I just realized, my birthday's tomorrow! Going to see Da Vinci while in Milan is surely not the worst way to spend my 21st, right?

The Fashion Capital of the World

OK, the title's a bit of a stretch. While Milan may host some of the finest designers in the world, I didn't really explore the fashion side of Milan's offerings. What can I say, I'm not a girl and I just don't go weak in the knees when the words Prada, Gucci, or Versace are tossed around.

With the breathtaking concert now over, I took following day to explore the main sights of Milano's city centre.

The first place I headed towards was the famous Milan cathedral. It's the world's largest Gothic cathedral and was also the cherished location where Napoleon declared himself emperor of Europe.

This magnificent piece of architecture had an incredible impact as soon as I stepped up from the Metro.

 
This imposing structure reaches to incredible heights and defies the general notion of what a church should look like in Italy.

The heavy Germanic influence on the entire build is unquestionable.

After experiencing the size, scope, and complexity of the exterior design, I ventured into explore what the interior had to offer.

I picked up one of the available audio guides and began my exploration.

Each stained glass, spread throughout the church, represents a certain biblical story. They were incredibly detailed and quite attractive. Observing all sorts of colors bursting through from the sun rays was a splendid sight. It's also the only church in Italy I saw with stained glass.

Many imposing statues, sculptures, and pieces where nicely nestled throughout the church.

One of the most striking pieces on display was this phenomenal statue of Bartholomew, carrying his own skin.

The amount of detail developed for the statue is staggering. The veins, muscles, and bones are all shockingly life-like.

He holds skin, with disturbing pride.

It's quite chilling and horrific, yet utterly absorbing.

I also ventured into the underground of the cathedral where some of the most influential Milanese church figures are entombed.

I stepped out once more into the open and found that it's actually possible to ascend to the very heights of the towering cathedral.

So off I went, hiking up the endless spiral of stairs, until I reached the slippery slopes of Milan's highest. A steady stream of drizzle pervaded all around, making it quite uneasy and edgy while up there. The only sense of security was a very shallow railing, which didn't seem too sturdy.

Although I was thoroughly impressed with the ability to view Milan from a such vantage point, I was disappointed with the actual view.

While Rome, Florence, and Venice have many recognizable and lush locales to spot when viewing from atop, Milan's view was quite static. Milan doesn't have a strong visual palette and seems very generic.

To put it simply, if I didn't know I was in Milan, it would be impossible to tell.

I soon backtracked and found myself at ground level yet again.

You could tell Christmas season is just around the corner:

I decided to visit the prestigious Brera Accademia, for it houses some key works by Caravaggio, Raphael, and Mantegna.

On the way, I decided to take a de-tour and visit the famed La Scala. Considered by many to be the finest opera house in the world, La Scala has held world premieres for classic works by such prestigious names as Verdi, Puccini, and Rossini.

As I ventured down the street which supposedly held La Scala. I saw a statue of Leonardo Da Vinci posed towards a quite odd-looking building. I walked closer to this very boxed and unattractive structure. The building was bolted up with wooden doors, no entrances, windows, or lights. They were only a few framed posters on the wall, which wrote, "La Scala."

I couldn't believe that this building, which could have easily been mistaken for a homeless shelter, is considered the greatest opera house in the world.

I've been to The Metropolitan Opera House in NYC and Covent Garden in London, and both are infinitely better than La Scala in very imaginable facet. These have lush entrances, elaborate stores, beautiful designs, and look visually outstanding. La Scala, from its design all the way to its color scheme, fail miserably in every department.

Talk about a ridiculous disappointment. I guess it's history is what makes it so famous, but trust me, the $700 tickets being charged for the forthcoming Carmen production is a bit of a joke.

I also walked by a poster showcasing the excellent Caravaggio exhibition taking place in Florence:

Works by Caravaggio from all over the world have been brought to Florence for this rare exhibition. Without question, one the finest exhibitions I've ever attended.

I continued on and soon found myself at very secretive entrance of the Brera Accademia.

Before I was stopped by the evil witches of the Accademia, I snapped one shot of the "Lamentation over the Dead Christ" by Andrea Mantegna:

This outstanding piece is revolutionary for its ingenious sense of perspective.

While I explored the entire gallery, I was very impressed with what the Brera Accademia had to offer, although it doesn't hold a candle to the wonders found in the Uffizi or the British National Gallery.

Taking to the Milano streets yet again, I began back to the train station for my journey home.

Along the way, I stumbled by some wicked retro art that caught my eye:

Milan is very eventful city, that has a lot to offer when you peer within. The only problem is, it doesn't exactly look that inspiring.

I guess looks can be deceiving. Just look at La Scala. On second thought, I'd rather not...

The Ectasy of Ennio Morricone

Italy is famous for many things. Whether it's their food, art, or architecture, Italy holds distinction in quite a few areas. One area the Italy holds much repertoire in is film, and with it, they play host to the world's most accomplished film composer, Ennio Morricone.

When I discovered that Morricone was going to be performing a concert in Milan on Nov. 19th at the Millennium Forum, I flipped out. Not only has this man been the single most played artist on my iPod, but also the one who practically defined the Western genre. Regardless of whether or not you know who Morricone is by name, I guarantee you've heard his music.

Booking my tickets well in advance, I anxiously awaited the event. I traveled straight to Milan right after class on Friday and arrived fairly early in the afternoon. I took a short nap at the hotel in order to prep for the anticipated event.

The TV in the hotel welcomed me in many languages:

Awesome!

I soon marched forth to the Auditorium, but not before traveling through this scary hallway:

As I arrived at the Millennium Forum, I was happy to see quite a few attendees queuing to pick up their tickets. I joined the line and soon jumped with joy as I was provided with my very own ticket.

I tunneled into the forum, climbed the endless steps, and found myself inside the huge auditorium. I located my precious seat and settled in for what sure to be an unforgettable 2 hours.

Soon the auditorium filled up and before I knew it, the entire auditorium was filled with attendees.

As the clock struck 9, the lights dimmed and with it, the concerto commenced.

First the orchestra took stage and soon followed the man himself, Ennio Morricone, who was welcomed with a resounding applause.

He first began with some earlier works and even conducted riveting pieces I'd never heard before.

Morricone holds a staggering resume, having composed over 500 film and TV productions. If Morricone was to compose his entire career, we'd be here for the next year, so it's only fitting that certain key works be chosen for the concert.

Some certain pieces that I hold dear were left out (Cockeye's Theme or Man with a Harmonica), yet it was understandable.

Before the half-way break commenced, Morricone entered into his classic Western compositions. The first piece he conducted was the ever immortal theme from THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE UGLY. Hearing the rousing whistles, tunes, and eccentric sounds from Morricone's orchestra was gorgeous, spectacular, and full of lush color. The unfiltered music beautifully rung through my ears as I observed the maestro enthusiastically conduct his most famous work.

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

Afterwards, the orchestra silently paused with Morricone oddly leaving the stage. There was an awkward moment for I'm not sure anybody knew what was going on. Ah, but then suddenly Morricone re-emerged, escorting a very dignified lady on stage. It turns out she is world-renowned Soprano who has sung in Opera houses as The Met, Covent Garden, and La Scala (the homeless shelter), and was going to perform the vocals for the next piece, The Ecstasy of Gold!

Without a doubt, the experience of being able to view Morricone and orchestra perform Ecstasy of Gold is one of the highlights of my entire semester in Italy.

The moving aura of the beautiful vocals, along with pitch-perfect musical cues by the orchestra was both surreal and utterly absorbing. As the piece reached varies climaxes, observing Morricone conduct to the rhythmical tunes of the masterful piece was downright godly. Every subtle gesture and movement from Morricone cued such a grandiose response from his orchestra. Bells were ringing, violinists striking their cords, horns being blown to the height of their apex, along with a choir that rung through the halls of the forum. Yet, it wasn't mad or chaotic. It was strung all together beautifully by the intricate design of Morricone's work.

I was able to encapsulate the moment through the wonderful wonders of technology:

The Ecstasy of Gold

I even remember saying to myself, "this is the greatest thing ever." While the statement may be a wee-bit exaggerated, the emotion and sheer impact it had me on is quite clear.

After having tasted a bit of heaven, I was brought back down to reality when the mid-break commenced.

Anxiously awaiting what other wonders Mr.Morricone had in store for the second part, I remained glued to my seat, staring at the now-empty stage.

Soon, the orchestra returned to the stage, along with the Maestro, to officially begin the second act.

He performed other famous tunes, including pieces from THE UNTOUCHABLES, CINEMA PARADISO, and most importantly, THE MISSION.

While I have yet to see THE MISSION, I was at awe by the swiping musical composition. It's epic, atmospheric and quite spectacular. One thing of note was the final strokes of the piece, where the entire orchestra and choir reached its apex. It was a moment of wonder, visceral emotion, and the perfect fusion of the entire symphony.

After such a rousing finale, Morricone bid the audience adieu and closed his concert. But with a continuous stream of praise and applause from a standing ovation, he returned for three more encores! He returned to play climaxes from The Ecstasy of Gold and The Mission.

Being able to hear these ethereal pieces once again, was the equivalent of revisiting a favorite moment once more.

After the final musical strokes, Morricone and his orchestra took their final bows and officially bid Milano, adieu.

After the concert, with many attendees leaving the forum, I stepped out into the night to find many musicians from the orchestra exiting. I was lucky enough to meet a bass player who signed my ticket.

Wandering around the forum, I soon found myself within the back-stages of the auditorium. Many workers were dismantling the sound and stage equipment.

 
Weird to see such background work.

I again, returned outside and began heading back to my hotel, when I was stopped by a group of attendees. It seemed one of them was a player in the orchestra and they were all trying to find directions to their hotel. Struggling with my Italian and with them using the little English they knew, we used my iPhone to locate the hotel. Oh the wonders of the iPhone!

After everything seemed in order for them, I asked the musician how it was like working with Morricone. He explained, "We talk and it's very nice. He can be funny on some days we practice, but some days he can be very angry. It depends." I also asked how long they have been rehearsing for this concert. He replied, "We are touring throughout the year, and we practice very much."

When I asked if he could sign my ticket, he responded with a "thank you," and enthusiastically signed it. With many thanks exchanged, we bid each other goodbye and I continued on.

As I strolled back to my hotel, thoughts flooded my mind with what I had just experienced. One of finest, most consistent, and my personal favorite composer had just performed before me. Morricone is a quite old and there are not going to be many opportunities to experience the maestro perform his musical magic. The fact that I was actually able to witness such a rare spectacle is a humbling, thankful, and surreal thought for me. I don't think I'll be able to fully grasp what I witnessed that day.

Top 10 experiences of all time? Maybe, just maybe...