As mentioned in my previous post, bicycles are available throughout Milan for easy rental. I’d said they were free. And while this is completely and utterly in error, it is true that they are priced very reasonably. Please see the BikeMi site for further, correct information.

You may be wondering why I even mention this. If this site is dedicated to all the small details about Italy and France that make me happy on a daily basis, why on earth would I be mentioning bikes that I’ll never be renting. (This isn’t a tourist blog, after all.)

I mention it merely because sometimes it’s what something represents that means the most to you. I’m thrilled to know that these bicycles are simply there. I’m thankful to live in a city that has this mentality, that thinks an investment of 1000 euros a bike is money well spent. I’m peculiarly proud when I see other “converts” pedaling their way through this city, getting to know it from two wheels the way I am. And I’m relieved that every empty rack represents another person who isn’t using a car. Besides that, I love the particular yellows that they are. That old, pale yellow teamed with ochre, reminiscent of this city’s past and the old trams which circulated the city once upon a time.