Wednesday 11 November

When I wake I research free walking tours and book one. The bites don't seem to be increasing so that's good. The ones here are already enough to drive me crazy! Then it's a mismash for breakfast of cereal, hot chocolate bananas and biscuits. We leave in time to walk to the tour starting place. At one of the street lights the green sign For walking is a marihuana leaf and not a green man! It's a bit odd but not as crazy out there like Amsterdam! We stop by a supermarket to get a few things and some change for tips after the walking tour. We walk through a nice park on our way there. We get to the stair monument fountain meeting point in time but see no one who looks like they are going to lead a tour. We sit to wait. No one shows and we decide to go. It's a little disappointing, but we didn't get the promised confirmation email, so who knows. We get approached by an African 'force band-er' who manages to get a band on us each despite our no's! We part we a few coins and get on our way! It does come in handy later in the day though. We check out the mall and cathedral by day light and a few surrounding attractions. We find some wifi and figure out a route for the day. There isn't much to do here if your not into buying fashion! We stop by a popular patisserie for some bread/pastry turnover thingys. Yum! We head off down fancy fancy lanes. Where doormen stand bored and eagerly await a customer. A few appear to lurch at us as we walk buy, only to holt when we continue on and do not enter their store. There is some very beautiful and old architecture here. New buildings just don't compare. We then head off in search of gardens and end up at the castle and surrounding park! Thankfully there are free toilets. In the mote inside and outside of the castle it's a cat 'I spy'. There seem to be a lot if them in various poses of cat behaviour. Sitting, sleeping, playing etc! They seem well contained in the mote. I wonder their purpose. Catchers one would think. We chill out and enjoy the park for a while, sick of walking. Walking through the park we encounter another African 'force band-er'. We keep walking and when he starts to follow we are able to show our bands from earlier in the day and shake him off with excellent cause! There isn't a come back for 'already got one'! Then we get some photos of the peace gate at the other end of the park and head back. We stop at a supermarket and purchase food. For dinner we have potatoes, peas, broccoli and cauliflower, lettuce and pesto. It's a bit tricky cooking with the microwave but we get there. Malcolm tries to apply for his Indian visa, but has trouble when they want a pdf photo and only opens the photo app. No luck on the tablet either. Have to wait for a computer. We shower and catch up on blogs etc and relax. Milan is an interesting city. The emergency services vehicles have a very different sound here. It has a good feel. Wish I was here to shop!