Our week in Milano is over, but we had a great time despite the incredible heat and humidity. I certainly will not miss the over-crowded Metro and the commute, but I will miss having an espresso every morning with the girls in the office. Our evening at La Scala was quite nice and the Romeo e Giulietta ballet itself was beautiful. Having bought tickets late, our seats weren't that great - we were in the highest tier and on the side - so we had to stand and sometimes crane our necks to see the performance, but it was well worth it. Honestly, I don't know how people can make their feet and bodies so supple - the dancers were amazing and so fluid. The opera house is beautiful inside, decorated in ornate burgundy and gold, along with a stunning chandelier - simply gorgeous. It was almost like you could feel history all around.

Last night we visited the Naviglia Grande area of Milano, a canal system that was started in the late AD 1100s to connect the city with the Ticino River in Switzerland. Leonardo da Vinci designed part of the system, which still carries water to the city, although many of the canal segments have been filled in. Barges once used the Naviglio Grande to transport the marble used to build the Duomo. Today, it is a lively area filled with bars and trattorias that cater to the "Happy Hour" crowd. After visiting the area, we stopped at a bar along the canal and had a glass of chardonnay and some really great appetizers. If you ever come to Milano, don't miss the Naviglia Grande area.

We are returning to Berzo today for family events this weekend. On Monday we head to Torino to visit the University (where Rachel hopes to become a student someday) and then the event I've been waiting for all summer - the Eros Ramazzotti concert in Bergamo Monday night. I'm not sure what our internet access will be like next week, so I might only be able to post text instead of pictures too.