To begin our final day in Milan, we packed up and checked out, leaving our luggage for safe keeping at the front desk, as many others had as well. With the intent of taking the long hike up to the top of the Duomo, were deterred by the long line for tickets and gray skies above. Instead, we settled for some people watching and Duomo photo-taking. We witnessed a dance routine that appeared to be an advertisement for a purse, as well as a slew of model-types (well, they were almost certainly actual models) ascending a guarded staircase with photographers and their mothers in tow. We came to eventually notice the giant “Milan Fashion Week” signs on either side of the staircase, that shed light on the seemingly bizarre wardrobe selections.
After awhile, we retrieved our luggage and set out for the long walk to Milano Centrale Station in order to catch a bus to Bergamo Airport. Requiring a few stops along the way to rest with heavy bags, we strolled through the Teatro alla Scala gift shop, and people watched in the garden. The roughly 45 minute walk (that took us over an hour) led us from seemingly old-world Milano to a new, modern Milan. It was so very interesting to watch the landscape of a city change in just a few kilometers. The bus to Bergamo was easy riding; at only 5 euro a person, it was an easy choice.
Arriving hours early to Bergamo, we b-lined it to the VIP lounge, where we snacked and checked in for our flights (a terrific perk of that lounge access). After watching two people pass through an unmarked “back door” I deduced that was the way out, and oh lawd, was it ever. We stepped out of the lounge into the front of our very own security line. Best. Perk. Ever.
Eventually we made it to the other, post-security lounge, where trays of mini sandwiches and wine were brought out. We got a little tipsy just in time to wait in line for our Ryanair flight, which began “boarding” while we could see our plane disembarking the previous flight, us waiting on a staircase.
Though a bit bumpier and further delayed (by weather) than our last flight, we still have little to complain about with Ryanair’s service. They sure beat Spirit or Frontier any day.
On to Poland! First stop: Warszaw.