Milan: A Day of Firsts

Living in Italy has many advantages.  One of them being that I’m fairly close to many amazing places that can be day or weekend trips.  Since many of us at ISG want to utilize our personal time to the best of our abilities while here, we like to get out and explore during the weekends.  This weekend we found ourselves drawn to: Milan!

The great thing about Milan and Genova are that they are only a 1.5hr, 20 euro (there & return) train ride away from each other.  Perfect for a day get-away.  So a few of us decided we’d take in a little retail therapy there this past Saturday.

It is SO convenient being able to hop on a train and ride to another city.  The train stations are an interesting place though and always provide for a lot of firsts, entertainment and bag clutching. (These are the usual places for pickpockets so always be aware). 

On the train, ready to go!

Ticket for two!

On the way there, it was interesting to see the countryside change from hills to flat land.  There were corn fields, crop fields, hay bales, tractors and combines the closer we got to Milan.  Interesting that we’re headed to the fashion capital of the world, yet it starts to look more like Saskatchewan prairies.  (Of course the fields were much smaller, but still many similarities to back home).

Hay bales! Feels like home! :)

Corn

Silos

So this was my first train ride with a major ticket to a major centre within Italy.  First time having to find the correct carriage (train car), section and seat.  It was pretty cool as there are 6 seats within each mini section on the carriage so you often get to hang with strangers for the duration of your trip.  The seats weren’t that close to each other, which I found very nice, however conversations are definitely not private.  Also, when you ask for seats together it can mean you are facing your friend. Lol.

Train station in Milan

Once we got to Milano Centrale (the main train station in Milan) we took the Metro to our stop.  The Metro (subway) was interesting as it was completely the same as the ones I’ve been to in Toronto but…… a) gypsies were everywhere – especially at the ticket booths to try and “help” you but taking/requesting money from you for their help at the same time (word of advice: when you’re at a ticket booth: be firm, if a gypsy tries to budge you be firm and say NO, don’t stand in a line where one is waiting to help you – regardless if your line is much longer, have money out and ready – don’t count coins here just use a bill and go), and b) you need your ticket to enter into the Metro area AND to leave.  You just put it in the machine, it swipes it through, you grab it and then the doors open so you can enter/exit.  Quite the interesting process.  And no, there is no live person from whom you can buy tickets.  At least not where we were.

Upon ascending the steps out of the Metro into Milan there it was….. The Duomo!! Words cannot explain the feeling one gets when seeing it for the first time.  There is was: large, daunting, amazing, breathtaking, etc. etc. etc.  That was definitely a way to introduce one into Milan!

The Duomo

The Duomo - amazing architecture!

 After a few photo ops, we headed down the “street of flags” to start our retail therapy.  The stores along this one strip we ventured down varied from “nope, my credit limit won’t buy even one shoe” to H&M, Zara and “Yes! I can afford this place”.  There were people of all walks of life and every kind of street performer you could think of.  I LOVED the energy of the place! 

Yep! Disney is EVERYWHERE! Even

the major tourist shopping strip in Milan.

Right on time: in Milan for fashion week ;)

 After a few hours of shopping, we found a terrific little place for lunch with a menu of wide variety.  (See how I did that - _____ of ______; starting to sound like an Italian here lol).  The food was SO good and the staff was great on the eyes (all male, all good looking).  DEFINITELY a place we will return to ;)

The day continued with more shopping and then we hopped back on a train to head home.  By the time we left, our bags were full (or a good start before a return trip in the near future) and the people were coming in full hordes.  It was a good thing we came early since by the time we left you could barely move in the stores anymore.

It was very nice not to have to drive home, worry about traffic or pay for gas.  A 10 euro ticket (part of the original 20 euros I paid – really 10 euros each way) got me back home AND I had a nap along the way lol.  (If you nap be sure your purse is somewhere safe).  Also, note:  Buy your tickets to major destinations AHEAD of time.  The price doubled for one of our friends since she bought hers the day we left and we bought ours the day before.

Milan Centrale train station architecture.  One word: beautiful!

We completed our day with a couple of stops in Genova (needed a few minor things and since many shops are closed on Sundays, decided to do it now).  Then, we hit up Oktoberfest for a pretzel.  Never in my life have I had such a good, salty pretzel. Yum!  A fantastic end to a fabulous day!  Can’t wait to go back again.

The next adventure awaits as I experience more of the Italian culture here.  We’ll see where life takes me next! J  Ciao!

P.S. Other Firsts
There were some other firsts for me today.
1) Pay toilets - first time having to put 1 euro in the slot to enter into the bathroom area so I could use the facilities.
2) First time being yelled at in Italian that I didn't pay to come into the bathroom area.  
3) First time being asked by another native english couple for directions. And being called an angel for helping this elderly couple out because they were SO grateful to find someone who spoke english.  I completely empathized with their relief.