Metz, France and Milan, Italy
/After leaving the Netherlands, Samantha and I were feeling like we wanted to slow down a little bit and have some down time. We also only had to return our rental car back in Milan, so we figured we'd head south and spend some time in the small French town of Metz. On our way we stopped at a third trappist monastery, Orval Abbey, for a couple beers and some trappist cheese. I have a feeling I will miss the wonderful beers we have enjoyed in Germany and Belgium, but I've heard the wine in Portugal doesn't suck. We had an awesome Airbnb that was perfect for some R and R. On the recommendation of our host we decided to head to the slightly larger town of Nancy, about 40 minutes south of Metz. We had never heard of it, but our host was so adamant we couldn't resist. It was wonderful, a gorgeous square surrounded by gold fences and ornate buildings. We also enjoyed a truly French dinner of fondue. We both agreed we probably ate to much, but it was absolutely worth it.
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After we left France we finished our European road trip in Milan. We only had a few days here before returning the rental car and taking the train to Venice. We were technically staying out in the suburbs a bit, but we did get a full day exploring Milan itself. Samantha and I had both recently finished reading "Under a Scarlet Sky"(Which is fantastic and we both would highly recommend) and it was quite cool seeing so many of the sights described in the book. We both were really glad to see the Duomo, and really lucked out with a short wait. We are both a little sad to be finishing up our time in Europe but are really looking forward to our time in Venice and Portugal. We will be meeting up with my older brother in Lisbon for a few days which promises to be a blast. Stay tuned for photos from Venice!
