January 2, 2024
In transition
Torino a Milano
Up and at it! There is an 11 am train with your name on it. A confirming text to Pietro that the “big” taxi for the silly American tourists with too much luggage will be at the Airbnb at 10:15. Yes, the Porta Nova train station is five hundred and fifty meters away. Yes, Harry V is coming to assist us; and as it turns out George is coming as well.
Harry V arrives, not only with his stuff, which includes the Legos George gave him for Christmas, but Harry IV felt Harry V should being some of Oliver’s extra things as well. Unfortunately, Harry V doesn’t have an extra suitcase for all those things. Let’s examine the situation. Three adults, none of whom are small. Two of whom are old and anything but small. Seven suitcases, and several assorted bags, Yes, the taxi was a good idea.
Serra, Pietro, George and Luisa stop by the say goodbye. Everything is out of the Airbnb before it had gone ten. The cleaning lady, early, was sitting on the stairs outside the unit when the door was cracked. George helped get the first load of bags into the elevator. The second group of bags was then taken down. Remember it is Italy and an elevator retrofitted into a pre houseless carriage building. Think small.
Serra and family parted company with us before the taxi arrived. A little maneuvering and the bags were fitted into the taxi. A couple attempts of fitting everyone into the taxi, before the driver was encouraged to release the front seat for occupancy. And yes, five minutes later we were at the train station.
After getting the luggage all sorted out, we made our way to the main body of the terminal. The train was listed on the big board, but the platform wasn’t yet. Harry V went off and got a sandwich and coffee while Nonna and I watched the board. There is no point the board doesn’t go anywhere, and it isn’t going to show the platform anything before 10:45. But it gives the old folk something to do.
10:45 – oh look, platform 17. We make our way, somewhat efficiently, out to car three and get ourselves on board. A few tense moments but all is ok. Once on board it is easy and quick to stow the luggage. The seats are booked as a group of four, two on either side of a table in executive. Yes, executive class. Only did this because we have so much luggage, and there is usually more room for the luggage in executive.
The seat map had indicated the train was nearly full and there was the expectation that the empty seat out of the four would be taken. However, the train got underway without any taken the seat. It was then that it was realized that there is one stop, at the Porta Susa station, here in Torino. Again, the train stopped, and a few people gone on, but the seat remained empty. That meant it would do so for the next hour.
Three handed canasta isn’t my favorite, but with three people that is what you play. The play is slower than two- or four-handed canasta. We managed to get two rounds in before arriving in Milano. We were just finishing the second one when we started pulling into the station. We quickly gathered up the cards and go organized for getting off. Of course, the train stopped outside the station for five or so minutes before getting to the platform.
Once there we made our way to platform one which is the platform for the Malpensa Express. As usual it is quite crowded, but we found a car with an empty luggage rack. We filled the luggage rack and took our seats for the fifty minute ride to Malpensa. We missed the stop for Terminal 1 and ended up at Terminal 2 by mistake. So, we got back on the train and headed to Terminal 1. The train stops at Terminal 1, then Terminal 2, then turns around and goes back to Terminal 1 and Milano. No big deal but you would think by now we would have it down pat.
Once at the proper terminal we headed directly to the Sheraton and checked-in. We had talked about the fact Harry V had all these extraneous packages and how is suitcase was over stuffed, and how it was going to be difficult for him to transport it on to Kansas City, while we made the trip from Torino. It was suggested we get him a suitcase. A better suggest was to buy me a new suitcase and let him take my old one to KC.
We made plans to go to dinner at Il Tavolino at 5 pm in Milano, not far from the central train station. Somewhere around the train station there would be a luggage store. Since the rooms wouldn’t be ready until about 2:30, it was now about 1:45, we decided to head out for Milano. Prior to doing that however it was suggested we try the Bric’s shop located in Terminal one. It just so happens the suitcase I am using is a Bric’s suitcase.
So we head out the door of the Sheraton, through the tunnel over the roadway and into the terminal. In order to get to the American Airlines check-in desk you have to walk past the Bric’s store. This we have done what seems like a million times. And I always marvel at the prices of the suitcases. Really a $900 suitcase? Not unless it comes with an escort service. But just in case.
So the first bag the sales person shows me is €990. There is no way! I inquire about its ability to expand. Oh no it doesn’t do that. Do you have one that does? This model does. Wheels, handle, expandable, durable not material outside. How much? €199. Open that sucker up and lets see what is inside. It is a clam shell type, which is preferred. Looks good. How much is the larger one? €199.
Well $210 seems like a lot to pay for luggage. We have been purchasing the Away brand recently because they see to work so well, and they are, I must say, significantly more expensive. The Bric’s we have have always been good. The one I am using is probably ten or fifteen years old. Oh, ok. Sold!
Once the purchase is complete, we head back towards the hotel. It has just gone two. It seems that everyone is a little hungry. No one really wanted to spend an hour each way on the train back to town. Mary said something about Pietro saying the restaurant in the hotel was very good. Not my experience, but ok. Grace and I have had the veal cutlet Milanese there. So the food selection option was available. Well there is a food court in the airport. Mary suggests McDonald’s. Probably was a joke, but it sounded good to Harry V and I, so we were off to McDonalds.
Mary ordered a Big Mac, Harry V got a double burger and I got the fish sandwich. We all got meals, meaning with a drink and fries. We sat down and very quickly devoured our meals. While watching those two eat I made the mental note that the burgers seemed smaller than I remember in the states. While at the same time I thought that the fish in the sandwich seemed much bigger. It wasn’t said out loud.
Mary made the comment that this was the first Big Mac she had had in a long time. There was the discussion about the size of the burgers and fish. Both agreed with me that the burgers seemed smaller and the fish larger. After lunch we returned to the hotel and got to our rooms. The bags hadn’t been delivered so I called down and a few minutes later they arrive.
We started by unpacking my suitcase and organizing Harry V’s things. Once my suitcase was emptied we loaded it with Harry V’s things; clothing, legos, shoes and the like. Once that was done it time to reorganize many things. Since the new suitcase was bigger than the old one, I thought it would be best to make my soft-sided carryon a check-in, my small carry-on sized wheeled back, my carry-on and the new back would be everything else. So, the soft-sided bag became the day bag. That is the clothing for the next few days and toiletries necessary. The small-wheeled bag was filled with our prescriptions, charging cords and other things which are necessary to carry-on. It will be easier to use a wheeled bag than carrying the soft-sided bag.
The only question was how much would the new bag going to weigh. Probably not a problem since we have a 70-pound weight limit in business class. V and Mary went off to the bar for a drink while I finished up. Fifteen and twenty minutes later I joined them in bar, and we continued on with the canasta game. The bar we were in closed at five-thirty, when the dinner room and bar opened up. We managed to get a couple rounds in before they closed the bar down. Didn’t manage to finish the game however.
We then decided to go to dinner. The first thing I noticed was the restaurant had been redecorated, not just for Christmas, but more than that. In the past there wasn’t a bar in the restaurant. They has closed off part of the old restaurant and turned it into a bar.
We then decided to go to dinner. The first thing I noticed was the restaurant had been redecorated, not just for Christmas, but more than that. In the past there wasn’t a bar in the restaurant. They had closed off part of the old restaurant and turned it into a bar. The name of the restaurant was still the same, Il Canneto.
V and I ordered the shrimp appetizer, while Mary went for the soup. V and Mary went for the osso bocco served on risotto alla Milanese. They didn’t have the veal cutlet alla Milanese anymore, so I just went with the simple risotto alla Milanese. The menu was completely different than the other visits. The food was actually much better. Good job, Pietro, thanks.
After dinner it was time for some last minute adjustments to the packing and getting off to bed. We said good night to V and sent him off to his room, right next to ours. Set the alarm for 5:40, just in case somehow, I sleep past that. One of these days I will.
That’s all for today. Tomorrow is another adventure. Ciao Enrico
Kommentarer