Gail and I arrived at Milan's Malpensa Airport early in the morning, checked into Casa Mia and took off sightseeing. 

First to the Piazza  Duomo,  Italy's  largest and most intricate example of  Gothic architecture! This huge piece of gingerbread gothic, with all those pigeons is pictured above.  It took 500 years to complete illustrates the passage of time through a mixture of architectural styles. It is said you can see as far as the Alps from the roof.

We strolled  through the glass domed arcade Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, which is one of the elegant glass domed shopping arcades built in the 19th century.

Next stop LaScala and Sforza Castle where we saw Michelangelo's unfinished Pieta (Pieta Rondanini).  Since this was the first city we visited, we tried to get as much sightseeing done as possible.

This city was the last stop on Ray's and my trip; we took a hotel near Malpensa Airport, drove to a commuter parking lot and took the Metro into the city. 

We arrived early enough to visit S. Maria Delle Grazi and were the last group allowed in that day (they close at 1:45).  Even in it's state of deterioration, Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper is worth the visit.  

The Duomo was as magnificent as it was last fall, LaScala had standing room tickets for that evening's performance, and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuel was packed with shoppers, tourists and street vendors narrowly keeping ahead of the police.