Monumental Cemetary

After this we were let loose and John and I went to do the one thing that my mother who lived in Milan for several years said we had to do.  We went to the Monumental Cemetery on the tram, which was figuring out another transportation system in Milan with my limited Italian 

vocabulary.  But I could string together, Linea dice, prossima fermata?  Line 12, the next stop?  Which got us to the right place to catch this tram.  This cemetery was unbelievable.  It costs about 28,000 euro to be buried here and they are kicking 

 some people out of it for nonpayment.  Plus, you then have to design and have completed a tombstone, mausoleum, or other monstrosity to compete with the Sforzas next to you.  I told mom that it was “obscene”.  Don’t get me wrong, 

it was beautiful and definitely monumental, but who takes up this much space and pays this much for their resting place?  It’s like the Italians are holding on to the Roman idea that you live on as long as someone spends time at your grave or 

 sees it.  It was creepy, but we were still able to make it back to the hotel, buy some groceries, and have some cheese, prosciutto, and olive with wine and beer in the room.  This was a nice, easy day and we needed it.