So now that the Olympics have finally ended, my thoughts from our visit to Milan:
- This started during the Paris Olympics, where we registered for the ticket lottery for the Milan Games, and then promptly forgot about it. Roughly a year ago, we got notice that my wife had a winning entry, and that OPENING CEREMONY tickets were part of the draw. To make a long story short, we decided to go for it.
Our jet lagged selves arrived in Milan from Atlanta Thursday morning, and promptly had our first experience with crush-loaded trains on the Malpensa Express on the way into the city.
Our credit cards got a hard workout at the massive merch store in Duomo Piazza.
Somehow they ran out of solid food at womens hockey at the Rho Fieramilano convention center Threat. Plenty of beer for sale though.
So, the San Siro. Legendary stadium. World Cups, UEFA Champions League finals, U2, Taylor Swift, the Stones, Bruce Springsteen. AC and Inter titles. Historic football ground. And it's very clear why AC and Inter are building a new stadium. Think of the most run down, smoke filled, cockroach-infested beer joint you ever got drunk in. That place is downright palatial compared to the San Siro.
The opening ceremony was one of the most moving things I've ever been part of. I now know why people make a habit of going to them, Olympic cycle after Olympic cycle.
I'll admit that going to figure skating on the first Sunday night was an idea that my wife really had to sell me on, due mostly to the cost of the tickets. Well, I wasn't a skating guy going out there, but I left VERY impressed. It didn't hurt that it had the top pair, man, and woman of the top 5 teams, so it was basically the All Star Game starting lineups.
More thoughts later. Very glad we went.
