When in Milan...

Raul Dias gets a healthy dose of decadent fashion and a whole lot more in scintillating, fascinating Milan — a city that demands all the hyperbole that is bestowed upon it

If one were to judge the 'chicness' quotient of a city by merely looking at the way its airport is kitted out, then Milan would find itself way down at the rock bottom of the 'hauter than haute' scale. Yes, Milan's incredibly ugly Malpensa International airport is an eyesore that belies the beauty and stylishness that this fashion mecca, nestled in Italy's Lombardy region, is so amply blessed with.
Stepping out of the warm womb-like environs of the cosy aircraft cabin onto the near-frozen tarmac, my jaw dropped to the level of my furry Emu boots as I stared in wide-eyed horror at the grey concrete monstrosity that wore the garb of the arrival terminal. Was I truly in Milan? Or did I just land in a 'one horse town' with a serious Soviet hangover?
My fears were soon rubbished at the passport control desk. I just had to be in Milan! And not because of the obvious stamp on my passport. My sleep-bereft, but fashionably-alert eyes quickly caught the 'GA' insignia on the coat lapel of the suave immigration offer. Was he sporting Giorgio Armani togs? Did they all wear designer uniforms? Before I could fire a volley of such questions at him, I got my answer. "It is a Giorgio Armani, Signore," the officer said with a "I'm-better-dressed-than-thou" smirk. I, at once made a mental note to myself — I'd better get used to having all that überchic style and glammed-up fashion being smacked into my face for the rest of my one day Milanese sojourn!
Not wanting to waste any time, my first stop after a quick freshening up session was... where else but the holy grail of all things fashion related — Quadrilatero d'Oro or to use the monicker Milan's 'Golden Quater'! This quarter bang in the centre of downtown Milan is home to numerous impossibly glitzy boutiques running between the Via Monte Napoleone and the Via Della Spiga, incorporating the Via Sant Andrea, Via Borgospesso, Via Gesu and Via Santo Spirito. Between these meandering streets (or to use the Italian word — Vias) are a virtual cornucopia of big international names: from Gucci to Salvatore Ferragamo, from Armani to Prada, from Tiffany and Louis Vuitton to the hip-n-happening Dolce & Gabbana. After what seemed like eternity, sifting through the wearable goodies off the racks, it was time to indulge in some goodies of the edible kind or so my rumbling tummy told me.
Finding myself ogling at the beauty of the magnificent Duomo Cathedral while munching on a crisp, hunger-satiating, authentic pepperoni pizza, minus any of those aberrations like pineapple chunks or worse cherries (!!), I couldn't but help chuckle at the diversity of Milan. On one hand you have shops upon shops hawking designer wear that are so ahead of their time, revelling in all their futuristic glory and juxtaposing all this is a monument that has such a richly-textured story of yore to tell.
The second largest Catholic cathedral in the world, the Duomo, although commissioned in 1386, by Gian Galeazzo Visconti, was only finished in the early 1800s. The building began life as a Gothic cathedral, but over the centuries the designs went through several modifications, and the finished Duomo is a strange mixture of styles, but breathtaking none the less. I was quite surprised that the rather gloomy interior of the Doumo was not as convivial as its bright exterior. Its vast spaces are dominated by huge stained-glass windows, that gently filter in the mid-day sun into the four aisles. Just inside the entrance a staircase took me down to the remains of the battistero (baptistery), where one can still see what is left of the earlier church. The Museo del Doumo that is just next door to the cathedral was my next pit stop where I took in a whole host of 14th century sculptures, furniture and stained glass pieces that spoke of the fantastic craftsmanship that Italy is so famous and proud of.
Suffering from a wee bit of 'monumental fatigue', the remedy presented itself in the form of the the Gallery Vittorio Emanuele II, who's cross like roof was something that attracted my attention while I was up on the cathedral's roof. Built in 1877, the gallery is Milan's elegant lounge with luxury boutiques and restaurants. In the centre of the gallery, the charming mosaic floor with the aspect of a carpet, shows in the center the symbol of the Savoia Royal Family. The four symbols in every part on the floor represent the capitals of the Kingdom of Italy in various periods: Milan, Turin, Florence and Rome. I was told by a friend that rubbing the groin of the bull in the central part of the floor with one's heels brings good luck. So there I was busy balling a bull, when I realised that I had barely minutes to spare before I joined the guided tour of the Chiesa di Santa Maria delle Grazie!
If there is one things that you must see while in Milan then it would have to be Leonardo Da Vinci's masterpiece — The Last Supper that is housed in the Chiesa di Santa Maria delle Grazie which along with the convent adjacent to it are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Spellbinding is the word most people use to describe it. I choose humbling. Humbling because Da Vinci's mastery is evident in each and every brush stroke of the painting, leaving you with a severe case of feeling worthless.
And humbled I was once again when the vastness of the Milano Castello Sforzesco surrounded me as I explored its bowels. A great significant feature of the historic memory of Milan, for over a century, the Castello has been an example of a monument restored to become a cultural receptacle — not in a static sense but one of on-going renewal. It was only at the beginning of the 20th century that the Castle assumed its distinctive role, becoming a place of culture, which hosted numerous Lombard art collections which are well-preserved till today. You can't but help go into a dream-like state while marvelling at art the way art was meant to be, I know I did! Jousted out of my reverie by the security guard who pointed to his (Cartier!!) watch signalling to me that my time was up here, I bid fond adieu to the Castello.
So, as dusk began to bathe this city that exudes elegance, style and history from every pore, I sipped on a warming capuccino and nibbled on a biscotti at a roadside ristorante. "Have you had enough? Is there anything else you would like?" asked the charming waitress in her lilting Italian-accented English. "Can one ever have enough?" I answered her question with another question. A question that is best left unanswered. And I challenge anyone to answer it once Milan is done with them, because you can never be done with Milan!

(First published in Time'n Style)