My Word with Douglas E. Welch

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Arco della Pace at Sunset

Milano, Italia

We were walking through Parco Sempione on our way to dinner and caught the Arch of Piece in the late afternoon light. This is the front of the monument, facing away from the sunset, but it takes on a unique character in black and white. The details stand out quite nicely. 

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A tree returns to the garden soil

In the Orto Botanico In the Brera District of Milan, a tree is felled but left in place to benefit wildlife, fungi and the surrounding soil. It is also a great educational tool for explaining the soil cycle and other garden concepts. Even as it decomposes, it lends a beautiful, architectural element to the garden, too. This is definitely an argument for leaving downed trees and snags in your own garden, when possible. 

In a similar fashion, I use wood chips to line the paths in my garden—an method I started after seeing the same at nearby @descansogardens. It is a great way to make use of what otherwise might go into your garden bins or, perhaps, the composter. 

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Arco della Pace at Sunset, Milano, Italia

We were walking through Parco Sempione on our way to dinner and caught the Arch of Piece in the late afternoon light. This is actually the back side of the arch. I would have had to be there in the morning to get light on the front . That said, I think I have photos of that illuminated later in the evening. 

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Castello Sforzesco di Milano, Milano, Italia

Another angle of this castle as we walked around it on our way to dinner with family. 

The late afternoon sun makes it bricks glow and highlights all the crenelations, mortar joints and scaffold holes in its exterior. 

Working to see architecture from many different angles can lead to some amazing photos. Sure, take the same pics that all the other tourists are taking, but then dig deeper, move around and find something that speaks directly to you. 

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Chiesa di Santa Maria del Carmine, Milano, Italia

Rosanne and I had stumbled upon this 1446 church a few days earlier on our wandering, but I returned on my way to a second visit to the Orto Botanico (Botanical Garden) in Brera.

This morning, though, I took the opportunity to stop, order a caffé (espresso) and a chocolate croissant, and just sit people watching and taking in the architecture of the church and the art in the piazza.

I was on my own on this visit, but it is one of my favorite memories of the trip. Even alone I found Milano to be friendly, welcoming and very livable. I felt more comfortable there than perhaps any other European city I have visited besides, perhaps, Bath and Leeds in the UK. London is fun but can be a bit too much after a few days.

When out on my own — and not looking a bit Italian in any way — I found it fun to joke with the wait staff at restaurants and museums. They would always start out in English and then expressed surprise and pleasure when I spoke Italian — even my first-grade version of it. Just another way I came to feel comfortable. Joking with everyone and generally having a great time.

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* A portion of each sale from Amazon.com directly supports our blogs
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Chiesa di Santa Maria del Carmine, Milano, Italia

While the exterior of this 1446 church is fairly plain, the interior is amazing. The light and shadows effect on the architecture are so dramatic is almost, literally, takes your breath away. We stepped in from the bright sun on a hot afternoon and it was like entering an entirely different world. The temperature dropped 10 degrees and it took several minutes for our eyes to adjust. We had entered from a side door, so we didn’t get the full effect until we moved up the enter aisle and took in this view. 

This is one of those photos that you easily remember taking. Unlike some, I believe that photography doesn’t take me out of the moment when I am Travelling, but rather makes my memories more vibrant and concrete when I return home. 

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Into the courtyard, Museo del Risorgimento, Milano, Italia via Instagram

From our September 2018 trip to see family and attend the SRN Conference.

So many small places away from the bustle of the city. For me, discovering these places is one of the most exquisite joys of travel — whether far abroad or in your own hometown. 

Milan is a great place to explore and discover. Some interesting places are on tourist guides and known to many others. These are wonderful, but it is the doorways, the courtyards, the side streets, the facades glimpsed at the end of a street luring you onward. I often find myself being pulled off my carefully planned path to one sight or another as it catches my eye.

This courtyard is the entrance to the Museo del Risorgimento (Museum of the Reunification of Italy – Google Translate). We explored its corners, finding steps to rest upon after thoroughly exploring the museum for research for @drrosannewelch ‘s latest book On Garibaldi. It was a hot day and the cool shade and stone were welcome discoveries if the mosquitos were a bit fierce. It is these experiences that stick in my memory and my photos. 

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How does it feel to be surrounded by history every day? Share in the comments!

Piazza Mercanti, Milano, Italia

From our September 2018 trip to see family and attend the SRN Conference.

Even with some buildings covered in scaffold and sheeting, this Piazza carries the weight and grandeur of its medieval origins.

After visiting Milano for a week, I wonder what it would feel like to be constantly reminded of history as you go about your normal life? Would you begin to ignore it or come to see it as something commonplace like so many of us do in our home cities. I would hope not, but I can guess they treat historic sculptures and buildings much like I treat the Hollywood Sign, film studios and Rodeo Drive. These are simply places that were always “there” and don’t cause or require any great contemplation.

We’ll be visiting another historic town in April — Oxford, England — and I’ll think more about this as I wander streets, churches and colleges that have hundreds of years of history. How do I see them differently than the locals? Or in similar ways? We shall see. 

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* A portion of each sale from Amazon.com directly supports our blogs
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Hmm. A hidden message?

Piazza Affari, Milano, Italia

More information this sculpture

From our September 2018 trip to see family and attend the SRN Conference.

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* A portion of each sale from Amazon.com directly supports our blogs
** Many of these books may be available from your local library. Check it out!
† Available from the LA Public Library