What a joy it is to travel by train in Italy! You use the app GoEuro to buy the tickets online, go to the train station, and 20 minutes before departure, your train’s platform is announced on the big screen, you walk to the platform and board your train!!! Today on the high speed train we had an assigned coach and seats.

Today, only one hour non-stop from Torino to Milan! We actually got in about 10 minutes early and had to ‘hover’ about a mile out of the station waiting for our platform to become available . . . just like a jet waiting for a gate to open to land!

The main train station in European cities are beauties. Here we are back at the impressive Milan train station . . .

. . . where in the plaza in front of  Central Station Milan, there is a giant, white, 11 ton apple with a bite that has been repaired with steel stitching. A sculpture by Michelangelo Pistoletto which was donated to the city of Milan in honor of the food and nourishment themed Expo of 2015.  The sculpture represents nature and the use of modern technology to save and replenish what has been lost.

Here is the newest fad . . . toast bars!

Hmmm . . . we obviously have work to do to get Wisconsin Toast added!

And we arrive back at Hotel Galles for just one night.

Not only have we been bumping into many, many places not open because of the August holiday . . . today is also a religious (and state) holiday, the Assumption of Mary. Even MORE restaurants and stores are closed for that! We found this café and had nice chicken salads. The more ‘rustic’ . . .

. . . and the more ‘refined’, a chicken salad, yummy with spinach, beans, olive oil-pesto dressing, sun dried tomatoes . . .

. . . and who could resist cheesecake topped with Nutella?! Not us. We shared. Last  lunch dessert of the trip!!!

After a rest and some shopping by emJay, we walked to dinner. And passed more electric community cars all plugged in for the night. Cute!

Our dining option was Mamma Rosas, the only place not closed for holiday or for Assumption Day!

It was cozy and sweet and we had a lovely dinner.

emJay enjoys wine while wearing her brand new frock from H and M Swedish department store.!!

We had an appetizer of smoked salmon and toast. Toast is in, you know?!

. . . I enjoyed sea bass with purple potatoes and a savory sauce.

emJay had slow-baked duck with potatoes and artichokes and veggies.

Mama Rosa’s signature dessert; see it spelled across the plate? Crème caramel.

. . . and we close things out with a fruit tart complete with figs!

emJay dips her toe at the site where a missing cobblestone caused my suitcase rubber wheel to completely blow out! Disintegrated! Gone!! The plastic inner wheel is still there. And of course TravelPro luggage no longer has wheel replacements!!!

Tomorrow it is on to Dublin!!!