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Another "only in Italia" moment...

Bulli e Pupe alleycat

Went to Milan this past weekend for the Bicycle Film Festival, where I made connections with many bicycle people. I also took advantage of the event to get a look at some of the bicycles ridden here in Italy. Many beautiful rides, but this one is my favorite:

It's a 1960s gold Cinelli frame tricked out by the one and only Giovanni Pettenella, whose name is on the downtube. NB the 3TTT mutant stem, in my opinion a deft and tasteful modern touch on a traditional lugged frame.

Sunday hosted the Bulli e Pupe alleycat race.

I raced on a beat step-through single speed I got on loan from somebody. Suffice to say, I did not win. But my partner Daniela and I did win an award for "la coppia più bella della gara," on account of our being so finely dolled up. (my skirt and lipstick were actually requisites for the race, not another manifestation of my splendid fashion sense.)

Special thanks to Daniela (AKA coda in some circles), whose knowledge of Milan's back streets helped us make it to the finish line at least in the midpack, if not at the head of the race. Without her as my guiding star, I would probably still be wheeling around the city today, tugging on the coatsleeves of strangers to ask "Kind sir, how does one find the Duomo?"

More photos here

St. Ambrose Church in Milan

While in Milan looking for the Museum of Torture (which it turns out has been closed for years) I happened upon the church of St. Ambrose. It's a very old edifice built in the early Middle Ages, beautiful enough in itself, but that is not the reason to come. The crypt, houses the relics of St. Ambrose himself, the great Church Father, personal friend to Augustine, and patron saint of Milan.



The crypt itself is spectacularly ornate: a glass coffin tented with a golden cupola of angels, and mass amounts of filigree all around. The ornamentation, however elaborate, is within the bounds of good taste. Unlike some of the Baroque sepulchers for self-important and long-forgotten popes that one sees at St. Peter's –whose more is more approach leaves one with an acute sense of esthetic indigestion– this tomb seems quite modest, considering the towering figure it houses.



Inside the coffin rest the entire remains of Ambrose, dressed in full bishop's regalia. He is flanked by two early Christian martyrs (whose names escape me for the moment). Here is a detail of their feet:



More pictures available here