South Africa, Mauritius and Italy.

[turtlemichael]

One of our traditions is to share a Florentine double T-bone steak in Italy, We did it tonight at Osteria Fara in Milan. We absolutely hated
it!

 

[ellen10]

I can see you hated it, but was just being polite in cleaning your plate!!

 

[turtlemichael]

The time in Italy is coming to an end. Very sad! Today we just wandered around Milan for a few hours and took in some of the sights we have been to before. I think this is the fourth time we have been here since 1978! Where do the years go?? It is a very laid-back city. The pictures below probably don't need much explanation.


The wedding cake cathedral in Milan.


Pigeon heaven
.

Why not!


The central dome in Galleria Victor Emanuel.


We need to know what is in that bag, madam.


Inverted bull. I read the description and I am none the wiser.




Some wonderful 400-600 AD mosaics in San Lorenzo church.


4th century Roman lintel in San Lorenzo


San Ambrogio.

 

[Straubs]

Am incredibly thankful for your lovely trip report, particularly of the Italian section ... my dream destination. I hope to one day be able to say I have been there four times. Congratulations on a fantastic trip ... the only question is ... where next?

 

[turtlemichael]

All good things come to an end. Today is our last full day in Italy and we fly to Hong Kong (Finnair via Helsinki) tomorrow night. After two days there it is on to Australia.

We were wondering what to do in Milan today on this last day. We even thought of going to see the Last Supper again but the concierge at the Hilton put us straight that you need to book days in advance. I remember the only time we have seen it, maybe 35 years ago, and you could waltz in and ogle. Now it is a timed entry and a few minutes there. So we decided to do something we haven't done before. We went to Pavia.

Pavia is a town of 70,000 about 40 kms south of Milan. It has a long history from pre-Roman times and is now a highly rated university town. The train down took 30 minutes and the trip was a little fraught as we realised, only as we pulled out of Milan Centrale, that we had not validated our tickets in the machine. We sat tensely trying to work out what we would tell the conductor when he came to inspect. Fortunately he didn't get as far as us so 3 months in an Italian jail was avoided.

We had an excellent lunch in a restaurant called Osteria della Madonna and after that spent some time looking at the Cathedral which had a dome which must have been about the size of St. Paul's in London. The small market was in full swing and we got to see the amazing medical and engineering museum in the old university which is one of the oldest in Europe and dates from 1361.

While there are many other places to go in Italy we enjoyed our day in Pavia.

Minerva in all her glory near the Pavia train station.


We couldn't work out who this was a statue of in one of the town squares. We did note that some naughty person had used some gold paint on a certain part of the horse's anatomy. It is a university town after all.


Fresco outside the restaurant we had lunch at.


Note that the impressive Cotella Milanese is opposite me, not in front of me.


In the University.


There were once 100 or so towers in Pavia. They were status symbols erected by the rich and famous. Now there are only 5 and these three are in the University grounds. The sixth last fell in 1987 and killed a number of people.


These exhibits were in the University museum. Volta and Einstein both spent time at the University and some significant medical discoveries were made here in past centuries.

 

[turtlemichael]

A quick review of the Hilton Milan.

It is conveniently located 5 minutes walk from the metro and mainline rail station Milano Centrale. The hotel is very dated. There have been some common area improvements since we ere last there 4 years ago but our room upgrade, from a standard king to an executive king left us with a room in need to TLC and updating. It was also very small and we couldn't work out a way to leave our two suitcases open without having to clamber over them in the middle of the night. Showers over the bath don't to it for me either. Diamond status was recognized by a small box of biscuits and an extra large water.

The executive lounge is small too and very crowded at happy hour. There was often a queue for a seat. Having said that the service, food and beverages in the lounge were all very good. We had breakfast in the main restaurant which was a bit above the average Hilton
in standard.

We used the concierge for a couple of questions and he was very happy to help. All up, this Hilton was just okay.


The smoking terrace part of the executive lounge.

The executive lounge.

 

[Milboo]

The horse appendage - I suspect it’s been the victim of being rubbed for good luck! The dog’s head on a statue on the Charles Bridge is like that, the right breast of Juliet in Verona etc.

 

[turtlemichael]

The horse appendage - I suspect it’s been the victim of being rubbed for good luck! The dog’s head on a statue on the Charles Bridge is like that, the right breast of Juliet in Verona etc.

I'd agree with you but for the fact that it is way too high above the ground and would require a herculean effort and a ladder by many to get to it. The other hint was there was gold paint splattered on the plinth

 

[turtlemichael]

We checked out from the Hilton Milan and had a nice farewell Italy lunch before heading out to the airport on the Malpensa Express. The only thing that was express about it was that it generally did not stop in between the 10 stations on the route. It takes just under an hour.

We were travelling on an AA award ticket. Check-in was easy and quick and we headed for the Monteverdi Lounge. Finnair contract it with others. There was not a lot to write home about there but the coffee was good.

Our initial flight was to HEL and then a very tight connection on the HKG leg. We left the gate right and time and were next in line for take off when an almighty clap of thunder followed by lightening and very heavy rain put paid to that. We sat on the tarmac for around 45 minutes as the airport had been closed. I was starting to think what a night at the Helsinki Hilton would be like as the connection looked forlorn. However, the storm eased and we were cleared for takeoff and were airborne a few minutes later. Interesting to note that the times on flight aware do not relate at all to our actual times.

We made up some time but were still at the gate around 15 minutes after boarding for the HKG flight was meant to have commenced. A route march from one end of the terminal to the other through immigration took another 10-15 minutes and we were amongst the last to board. All up we were on the ground for under 30 minutes.

The flight itself on the Finnair A350 was very good. Service was good and the bed was comfortable. I slept and missed the late night supper but the OH said the chicken said and appetiser were excellent. The breakfast, which I did wake for, was fairly standard.

We actually got in about 15 minutes early. Clearly HEL is very efficient in dealing with these short transits even though they may cause stress for the customer. To top it off our bags arrived in HGK. Well done Finnair.

Now for a couple of days in the Conrad Hong Kong to finish this trip.


The fairly plain Monteverdi lounge in Malpensa.


The appetiser and the chicken salad were judged by the OH to be very good.


Breakfast was standard.


The underbelly camera was very impressive on approach to HKG.

 

[turtlemichael]

I was trying to shake off the jetlag but I was awake at 4.30am. What better to do, as soon as the sun came up, than take a walk along the Bowen Road walking track. Many who have stayed at the Conrad and elsewhere would have done it. The walk up from the hotel is lung-testing at the best of times. After 10 weeks of relative over-indulgence on the finer things in life in South Africa and Italy I felt as if it was lung-busting as a I carried me and the spare tyre up the hill to get to Bowen Road.

But it is worth it when you get there particularly at this time of the year in Hong Kong when it is relatively cool and clear in the early mornings. The round trip walk is about 8 kilometres.

 

[turtlemichael]

We had a nice two night stay again at the Conrad Hong Kong. We were using points and got an upgrade to a peak view executive king on the 61st and top floor. Nice room though I think the bathrooms are becoming dated. At check-in we were offered, unprompted, a 3.00pm check-out. Subsequently I requested a later check-out in the Executive lounge and without issue was given until 6.00pm. That I thought was very generous and appreciated. We had breakfasts in the Garden Court Restaurant and they were fine.

In the executive lounge the drinks and substantial nibbles were improved on previous stays. I continue to think this is one of the best Hilton family hotels and enjoy it, particularly the staff. We are familiar with a lot of them and that adds to the experience.

QF118 back was uneventful and arrived 20 minutes early. The food was probably the poorest of any of the long range flights we had had on this trip and the staff seemed tired and a little over it. After a 747, an A380 and an A350, the QF A330 seemed the noisiest of all.

Now we have a few days in Sydney for a 70th birthday party and, unexpectedly, a funeral (Not the same person!).

We have loved our trip as much if not more than any. Despite the problems I enjoyed the cricket and our great time in South Arica. The highlight for me was probably the month in Italy.

Now it is time to get on with planning the next one from just after Christmas. It will be a big one - some time in San Francisco then a 133 day world cruise and some time in London and Paris at the end. There goes the first half of 2019!

So that is where I think I'll leave this trip report. Many thanks for the comments and to those who have followed along.

 

[tgh]

Thank you for an interesting and entertaining TR

 

[OZDUCK]

Thanks a lot for putting this together. It was very enjoyable.

 

[VPS]

Thanks - great TR - sadly as a long term cricket tragic even after contemplation I will not renew my cricket membership again and will probably not follow the cricket any longer

 

[ellen10]

Thank you I have enjoyed reading your excellent trip report about some new places and some old favourites. Loved seeing all the photos too. Thanks for sharing. I will look forward to the next trip, it looks like a big one!

 

[craven morehead]

Thanks - great TR - sadly as a long term cricket tragic even after contemplation I will not renew my cricket membership again and will probably not follow the cricket any longer

Another cricket tragic who was planning on doing the Ashes again next year in the UK but have since canned it !!

 

[craven morehead]

Many thanks TM for taking me along for the ride. Most enjoyable. Cheers CM

 

[drron]

Many thanks for another very enjoyable and informative TR.

 

[kermatu]

Great TR. Looking forward to the next one. 133 day cruise!!

 

[Jacques Vert]

Enjoyed the report very much, thank you.