At our metro stop, Cadorna (though Ross and I had a habit of calling it Cordona), we rose on the escalator to see the tents that had been closed all week now open. They were normal tarp tents set up around the metro and the tiny plaza Cadorna. On impulse we decided to see what the tents contained. I think I was never so happy to see pastries and chocolates in my life! While we'd been searching for the last couple hours for my chocolatiers, here at our hotel metro stop sat a tent overflowing with pastries and delicious sweet things. Ross saw my eyes light up and I think he knew we'd be buying 'snacks'. The options seemed endless. Chocolate filled doughnut sandwiches, marzipan fruits, chocolate dipped sugar coated pastry ovals, nougat squares, peanut brittle....my mouth watered over all the sugary decadence. Finally we chose three treats. Neither of us had ever tried marzipan, so Ross nabbed a marzipan apple. I then chose a pastry formed into an open cylinder, filled with a white cream, and topped with chocolate and two cherries. The last was a square pastry with chocolate inside and powdered sugar and almond shavings on the outside. We couldn't stop with just that first tent.
Ross and I moved through the other tents with little interest at their wares. We didn't need hats or pj's or hot wine. Then, before us, loomed a bright tent with rows of hand made chocolates. Poor Ross, there was no tearing me away. Charging ahead straight for the truffles Ross watched as I drooled over every single identification card. Spiced Rum, vanilla, dark chocolate, caramel....yum yum YUM! I picked out a coffee flavored dark chocolate truffle, Ross chose a snowy coconut white chocolate one, and we compromised on vanilla for our third. By now it was dark, and though the hours after lunch had been a total loss as far as sight seeing had gone, I was pleased with our tent purchases and the hours we'd spend just walking and talking in Milan.
As we neared our hotel it dawned on us that we needed to see the Maria. I was really nervous the church would be closed, but thankfully her doors were open. We entered the quite space with other tourists. Some admired the nativity scene, some were in the smaller chapel praying, others will milling about just like us. Our visit was fairly quick. I thought there might be a reproduction of the Last Supper or pamphlets about it but there was no reference to it at all. I took pictures of the decorated walls and ceiling, thinking to myself that it looked like a very talented child had been allowed to run free in the space marking wherever and however he liked. It was a very pretty church even without the sunlight lighting up the stain glass. To the hotel we finally went. Finally, some rest for our feet. While Ross ran up to the room to use the facilities and grab our soda drinks from Rinascente, I was assigned the task of asking the desk guy for a dinner suggestion. Ross wouldn't allow me to go up to my room for fear that we'd end up napping. I didn't say so, but he was right. I was quite tired and we still had dinner and the night ahead of us.
The guy at the desk suggested a Monti street nearby for food but oddly refused to name any particular restaurants. In fact, he intimidated me with his formal manner and his lack of smiles, so I just sat back down on a sofa in the lounge and marked it on the map while waiting for Ross. Sitting there in the lounge Ross and I ate the first pastry (the one with almonds) and tried our soda drinks. To my disappointment I had bought a ginger drink. I don't like ginger and I didn't like the the drink. The first few sips were bearable, just the first few though. My boyfriend, who has amazing luck at blind food and drink orders, had gotten exactly what we thought. His drink was something between sprite and lemonade, and a yummy choice indeed. next, we moved on to the marzipan apple. Marzipan turned out to be the same as cake icing, something I can only handle in small doses, so Ross ate more of the apple. Still, we could only finish half of the heavy little sugar bomb. The third pastry and the truffles were saved for the next day's train ride.
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