After days of travelling and being shunted around the kids were in desperate need of a proper play in a playground. We’ve moved to the Milan Ritz to be with the BGTW AGM crowd and they will spend the whole day tomorrow in the hotel room while I attend the meeting, so we were very glad it was walking distance to the Giardini pubblici Indro Montanelli, where there was not just one but two well-equipped playgrounds, as well as BMXers doing tricks and fantastic kids bikes to hire that have a push pedal. The bikes cost €5 for 20 mins and I hired one for my 33-month-old daughter and the man let my 18-month-old son have one free – presumably because he would struggle to make go. However he surprised us and was soon zooming round the park. The guy is there every week day from 3.30pm to 5.30pm if it’s not raining and all day at weekends.
We could also have gone on dodgems and ridden a carousel, but my two were more than happy climbing and sliding and swinging with the Italian kids. Such a shame it’s just too far for my husband to walk with them alone tomorrow – they will have to make do in the hotel with colouring books and a bidet to play with.