Christmas in Italy
Part 2: Climbing to the top of the Duomo
By Sydney Kornegay
Cub@TheColumbiaStar.com

Sydney Kornegay spins around on the mosaic of the bull in Milan for good luck before climbing to the top of the Duomo Cathedral.

There is a magical mosaic in the center of Milan, or at least that's what some believe. Shoppers walking along in the outside arcade, arms laden with shopping bags, will suddenly stop dead in their tracks. They look down at a certain spot, spin several times on their heel, and then continue on their way.

"It's supposed to bring good luck," Francesco explained in answer to my confused look. "People always spin around on the picture of the mosaic bull when they visit Milan."

I followed his advice and took a turn myself, stepping into the well- worn hole in the tile caused by thousands of spinning heels. I think, judging by the quality of my experience in Milan, that there might be something to the legend.

The tile was just one of many "magical" aspects of the city. For me, Milan was a city of mythical proportions, a place where ancient history collided with modern life. I could hop on the subway to visit a castle and find that Michelangelo's last work was literally within reaching distance. Or, I could walk down the street to the Piazza where a McDonald's and a Ferrari store sat opposite to an ancient church. This blending of art and culture with fashion and industry gave Milan an almost surrealistic, storybook feel.

Nowhere was this mix more evident than when visiting the Piazza del Duomo, home to the massive Duomo cathedral. The square itself was full of busy activity: Street vendors sold tourist souvenirs, shoppers bought last minute Christmas gifts, and teenagers ducked and ran for cover as flocks of pigeons flew over the square. But the Duomo, which sits on the northern side and gives the plaza its name, stands in stark contrast to the bustling crowds. Its striking white marble walls and Gothic architecture hail from the 14th century.

As we stood in the middle of the Piazza, looking up at the Duomo, my friends had an idea. If it were this beautiful from below, it must be incredible from the roof. They suggested we take the trip up to the roof.

As we entered the cathedral, we were warned there was no lift. We shrugged our shoulders. How many steps could there be?

We lost count around step 400 and listened instead as the energetic group in front of us called out each stair in succession.

At "600, 601, 602…." I was starting to get out of breath. At "708... 709… 710," the spiraling stone staircase was making me dizzy. When we got to "809, 810, 811" our legs were starting to hurt a bit. Finally, at step 919, the stairwell opened up, and we were on the roof.

The view was worth every labored step. Being on the roof was like standing on top of a 600- year- old piece of art. The white marble glowed golden in the sunlight making the cathedral look as if it were an ice castle chiseled out of a storybook. Every inch of the cathedral's spires was covered in intricate and ornate carvings. The Plaza seemed far below, and the cathedral's height offered us an unhindered view of the rest of Milan.

It surprised me to learn this was actually my friends' first time to the top. Though the Cuomos had lived in Milan their entire life, they had never been on the roof of their most popular tourist destination. They said they had just never tried it before. To them, the cathedral was just one of the many aspects of living in Milan.