Ciao Italy!

By, John M. Goralka
Sacramento, CA

Ainur, my wife, and I just returned from an amazing trip to Italy. We visited Milan and Lake Como, each providing a unique charm and experience. After this trip, I feel a renewed energy and clarity.

We enjoyed a walking tour of Milan. One of the first notable stops was the Milan Cathedral (Duomo Di Milano) (the Duomo). The Cathedral is dedicated to the Nativity of Saint Mary (Santa Maria Nascente). The Duomo is simply spectacular and truly not to be missed. Because we had a guide for the walking tour, he arranged for reservations ahead of time so we did not have to wait in any long lines.

The outside walls and arches of the Duomo are breathtaking. Many statues and carvings adorn the walls, ceilings, and doors. The Duomo is the largest Cathedral in Italy, even larger than the St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican City. The Duomo took six (6) centuries to complete. Napoleon Bonaparte chose to be crowned King of Italy there and compelled the completion, Napoleon assured that all remaining expenses would be reimbursed by the French Treasury which, of course, was never paid.

The tour of the Duomo included climbing the stairs and actually walking on the roof to see the many statues on and around the roof and the ones that are further elevated by long poles or spikes. The statues, cornices, angels, and other religious artwork at the top of the Duomo are simply incredible. Ainur and I found ourselves saying “Wow” around each turn. Very hard to imagine those being made by hand today, let alone centuries ago with the then available technology.

We viewed Leonardo DaVinci’s mural painting of the Last Supper. Truly beautiful and somehow painted to provide a 3D effect. The Mural appears as if it is another room with the participants. The painting itself tells a story as you look at the characters. Judas, holding his 30 pieces of silver, is the only participant not in the sunlight in the painting.

Milan’s role in Italy is similar to that of New York for the United States. We viewed Italy's stock exchange in Milan. A famous statue directly in front of the exchange can only be described as a large hand providing a “3 finger salute.” The artist felt the statue was a good representation of what the banks and companies were doing to the common man.

We visited the Galleria Vittorio Emanuelle II, which was the oldest shopping arcade in Italy. The Galleria was very distinctive with a four story high (though it looked taller) double glass dome with a steel frame. As you can see from the pictures, the Galleria’s appearance is unique. There is also an impressive Triumphal Arch at the entrance.

Lake Como was our next destination. This is a large “Y” shaped lake set against the foothills of the Swiss Alps. We stayed in the town of Bellagio. We were awakened each day by birds chirping and church bells. At 8:00 a.m. each day, the bells would play the theme from Ave Maria.

We enjoyed a boat ride on the lake seeing many historic private estates. We saw George Clooney’s Villa. Bellagio somehow makes you feel content and relaxed. We saw an elderly man playing the violin in the city square. His performance was worthy of any symphony! The town of Bellagio has only about 650 residents. The Church for this very small town is simply spectacular, as you will see from the pictures below.

Ainur and I loved the entire trip, but most especially the town of Bellagio and Lake Como itself. The last day there we experienced heavy rain. The lake had a different look but was equally beautiful. The clouds streaked across the mountains like wisps of snow and numerous small waterfalls came into view.

Ciao Italy, non vedo l’ora di rivederti!

Goodbye Italy, We can’t wait to see you again!

-John and Ainur

We hope you enjoy the photos of our trip below:

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Sacramento Estate Planning, Tax Planning and Business Attorney.

I’m John Goralka, a Sacramento Estate Planning, Tax Planning and Business Attorney at the Goralka Law Firm, P.C. If you have an estate, tax or business situation needing legal help, contact our team for experienced and friendly advice. You can contact us at 916-440-8036. Alternatively, you can use our convenient online contact form here on our website. We listen, and you can have your questions answered, your case evaluated, and explore your options for getting the legal help you need.

There are almost 200,000 attorneys in the state of California, and fewer than 100 of those attorneys are State Bar Specialists in Estate Planning, Trusts and Probate and State Bar Specialists in Taxation. I am one of the few attorneys with both critical specializations. I passed the California CPA examination and am a former income tax auditor and hearing officer. I am also recognized as a top attorney in the United States by US News and World Reports and by Best Lawyers and hold an AV rating from Martindale which is the premiere rating organization for attorneys. The AV rating is the highest possible rating for legal experience and for legal ethics.

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