Ciao Italia... Grazie

I am sitting in the gate area at Milan-Malpensa Airport awaiting my gate assignment for my flight from Milan to Paris, which will hopefully lead me home today. Thought it would be a good time to say thank you to Italy.

Thank you for finding the perfect hotel for me in the mountains. It was a bit out of the way, but everything else about it was great. The small local hotel was the perfect counterpoint to the large chain hotels you often find yourself in. With gracious and kind hosts, fellow guests who were interesting and varied (as best I could tell I was the only US guest there) and absolutely spectacular scenery. It allowed me to take it easy when I needed to and work when I needed to.

Thank you to my hotel in Milan for the absolutely massive breakfast buffet choices. There was absolutely no shortage of food every morning and it allowed me to "stock up" for the day and not get hungry early on. From eggs, bacon and mini pancakes to croissants, fruit and everything in between, it was a nice way to start the day on my days in Milan.

Thank you for providing such incredible mountain venues. The places I got to watch biathlon, alpine skiing, curling, sliding and even one day, cross-country skiing, were absolutely beautiful, tucked in these relatively small mountain towns and villages and packed with people every single event. The Italian people turned out for these Olympics much like the French did in 2024 and the atmosphere was electric.

Thank you for providing a true winter experience at a Winter Olympics. Yes, it was 50 degrees in Milan and I wore a t-shirt everywhere, but up in the mountains there was plenty of snow (including one big storm while we were there) and plenty of the winter experience that you want to see at the Winter Olympics. That was kind of lacking for much of my previous three Winter Olympics.

And thank you for giving me a little appreciation for the laid back style. I am not that person. I plan ahead, I am early, I make sure I leave myself plenty of time. The transportation not arriving on time (or at all) was frustrating, but I get it, Italy is just a little more laid back than I am used to and I can appreciate it now that I am on the other side of it.

Ciao Italia, Grazie... Hopefully I'll come back someday.


Waiting on a plane at Milan-Malpensa Airport hoping to be on the way home soon.

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