Sforza castle

 Today we got up and at ‘em at 9:30 after another great breakfast at our four star hotel and got on the metro to go to the Sforza castle here in Milan.  We came up very close to it and were able to walk around the castle, inside the courtyards, but

 did not go in to the castle proper or the museums.  This castle reminded me of the castle of William the Conqueror in Normandy.  Towers, ramparts, a drawbridge and moat.  You realize that this was a very rich duchy and why there was constant fighting between the 

 city states.  The paintings in the courtyards also had that interesting sun design, so it must be part of the symbol for the ruling family of Milan.  There’s a big expo going on here and this area has been turned into a big park for the people of Milan.  We got to see a bulldog while  we were there which is a new tradition that John wants to keep on the study abroads.  He thinks that there is something special about Ferris State Bulldogs seeing bulldogs abroad since we ran into one in Paris when we were there three years ago. 

Back on the metro and then to the end of the urban city limits to go see Leonardo’s horse that the Americans gave Milan as a gesture of goodwill.  You Michiganders will recognize it as an exact replica of the one in Meijer gardens because if you’re going to make one giant horse, why not make two and keep one for yourself?  We got off the 

metro and then tried to find the bus stop for the 423, but Rachel had to ask to find out that we needed to get on the 91 for one stop and then get on the 423.  Once on the 423, we needed to find out what stop to get to the horse and the bus driver let us off and told us to walk.  At a

corner when Rachel was trying to decide which way to go and I was saying that this horse should be visible, John just looked for the horse and found it through some trees.  The horse sits in a sports complex that includes a hippodrome for racing and other chases on horses and then the San Siro stadium where AC Milan plays.  This is in the middle of no where otherwise in Milan.  No metro or bus station comes out to it and there is some controversy surrounding Milan’s treatment of the horse, the fact that it is not Leonardo’s horse per se, and if it should be moved, yada, yada, yada.  Talk about realizing that every country has the same problems of talking, talking, talking and not really doing anything.  John’s right, you can see how dictator’s come to power when decisions get made by a charismatic leader.  It doesn’t even take desperation really, just tired of letting democracy take it’s sweet time not making decisions…well, that’s the philosophical journaling part of my class for the day…