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15th September

We went for a walk to Piazza della Scala, home to the city's famous opera house which was designed by Giuseppe Piermarini in 1776-1778, to hold up to 2,000 spectators. We decided that rather than take a tour through the theatre, we would try and get last minute tickets to the final performance for the month. The deal was you had to come back at 6pm.

We went for a walk, had lunch then went back for the tickets, after working out the system we finally managed to get some (which were close to the last ones!!) and then had an hour and forty five minutes to get back to the hotel using the underground, shower and get back for the show! It was a challenge but we’ve been under pressure many times in our travels last year and managed it with ease!!

The Last Supper...

Tav
2006-10-23 14:02:35

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an All American Breakfast… Not sure who they think eats lasagna for breakfast normally!!!!?!?!? But I was excited about the fresh fruit and banana - can’t believe how excited I was about the banana!! But guess since I can’t remember the last time I had one at home (because of the tropical storms flattening all the crops in QLD) it seemed like a bit deal!! Nat was unaware as to why I was soooo excited (think she just thought I was going a bit nuts!!)

We then trekked down to Santa Maria delle Grazie where the Last Supper is. Nat was skillful in getting the tickets!!! (good job again Nat!!!) there were lots of disappointed people down there who thought they could just turn up and get tickets - but rumour has it they are sold out 3 months in advance. They only take groups of 25 people for 15 minutes at a time.

We made our way into the refectory (dining hall) behind our English speaking guide, all eager to see the painting which Leonardo Da Vinci began painting in 1495 and completed in 1498, and the painting was at the northern end of the empty hall right there painted directly onto the wall… it measures fifteen by twenty-nine feet. I really hadn’t expected it to be like that... apparently the majority of the hall had been destroyed by a bomb on 15th August 1943 and the only bits to survive were the paintings at both ends of the hall - one being The Last Supper and the other being Giovanni Donato Montorfano’s Crucifixion. They survived due to the wall being braced and sandbagged as a precaution. After the bombings the painting had to face harsh conditions as the walls were not repaired for a year. The painting stands whole with the exception of the construction of a doorway (which has now been filled in) in 1653 which eliminated the lower central area of the painting! (which apparently was where the kitchen was, which also damaged the painting!) Whose ...