45 minutes standing-room only, Como to Milan.  Not the ‘Eat Pray Love’ commuter experience to Switzerland days ago.  Weekend train to the Region’s big City.  Steady, reliable & clean – just less Euro-glamour ‘packed in’ standing with your luggage.  Ticket on the Express train.

Como San Giovanni ➩ Seregno ➩ Monza ➩ Milano Centrale

Arrived Track 2.  Station abuzz, reminiscent of New York’s Grand Central.  Old electric lines & diesel still in the States, but day’s trek super déjà vu of my 9 year-work commute, New Haven to NYC.

Pulse, pulse, pulse.  Shop sounds, travelers racing, speaker-barked announcements.  So much ENERGY.  Transportation hub of Northern Italy’s Lombardy region.  Metro transfer/travel ‘round Milan or other dream train connections: Rome, Florence, Venice, Naples.  Buzz, buzz, buzz.

Taxi’d to my hotel digs, beautiful Italian-owned building steps from Sunday’s Marathon Start.  Bag drop, mental regroup.  Milan Day.  Just a few gotta/haftas on the list but ALL happening today.

Teatro alla Scala.  da Vinci.  Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.  Milano’s il Duomo.

Mini-break before attempting [marathon] bib pick-up.  Nutella crepe & an outdoor cappuccino (new day, new city, same Italian diet).  Metro ticket in-hand.  No stopping.  Go, go, go!

Absolutely anything is possible…with Nutella ❤️

Stazione Centrale & Milan’s il Duomo