My train arrives at Milano Centrale station around 6:00pm. As I walk down the long platform I am keeping an eye out for my friend Catherine - god I hope I have gone to the right station! Soon I see here smiling face as she waves out from the sea of people making their way to and from the station. After a quick greeting we weave through the crowds to another platform underground to catch another train to her house. It takes around 20 minutes and soon enough we have popped back up into the land of the living and in about 50 metres we are standing outside her apaprtment. We walk up the red carpet and squeeze into the cute, ornate little elevator. The lifts are bizare here. There is a door you have to manually open, the two glass doors that open up and are held by magnets while we entre, then all the doors must be closed before any buttons are pushed, at which point we get loudly locked in and the slow elevator ride begins. After the elevator adventure we arrive at her door. Her appartment is beautiful. Marble floors, wooden accents, two bathrooms, decent sized rooms and a lovely view. I am very happy to be here.
I settle in, put my stuff down and enjoy a nice warm shower to freshen up. We get changed, do our hair and makeup and go back to the train station to go out for an apiritvo and a few wines. We catch a bus and a tram and end up along the river side. The river side is lined on either side with bars and clubs. We find a nice looking little place and sit down to enjoy apiritvo. We order a bottle of wine, fill our plates with food and clink glasses - to a great night out! I then realise I am not the only one enjoying dinner. A swarm of mosquitoes are happily feasting on my legs and draining me of blood. Luckily there is a convinience store next door, so 10 euros later I am drowning myself in insect repellent and they no longer bother me. I think I have drowned half of the other guests at this restaurant as well due to the looks I am getting - they will thank me when they are not covered with welts tomorrow!
After our dinner and wine, we wander down the river side in search of somewhere to enjoy another drink. We find a little place and indulge in long island iced teas - always a garunteed way to start the night off well! We finish those and choke down another free shot from the lovely bar tender. We wander around in search of some form of club. A group of local guys inform us of a good club up the road called Bobino, so with them leading the way we head to check it out. The club is fun, lots of people are dancing and the music is really good. When it closes at 3am we go in search of chocolate banana crepes - my new obsession! After searching and finding nothing of the sort, I end up with a burger in my hand from a local mc donalds and we head home.
The next day is spent sleeping, doing some grocery shopping, eating and then sleeping again. At 5pm I manage to roll myself out of bed and make myself semi presentable. We decide to catch the train to the Duomo and then do appiritivo with two of Catherines friends.We reach the Duomo station and climb the stairs back up to ground level. At the top of the stairs I am struck in awe of the beauty of the Duomo Cathedral. It is a huge, and absolutely breathtaking old building. It is so amazing spending time in these gorgeous old cities that are filled with so much history. I am so greatful for the opportunity to have all of these experiences. Catherine shows me around the centre and over to the old theatre, where a show is about to begin. We decide to go get dinner and find a nice little place up the street to sit, eat and wait for the girls. They meet us about an hour later and we make our way to a gorgeous roof top bar on Catherines suggestion.
The next day we get ourselves ready and race to the train station. We are off to spend a day in Lake Como - hopefully George Clooney will be there at his holiday home! We get to the station and jump on the train. We are racing against the clock to reach the station we need in time. We get off our train and make a run to the next train - 6 minutes, we are really cutting it fine now. It arrives, we jump on and head to the next station. The clock shows 12:30 and that is the time our train leaves! We make one last effort and sprint through the station, up the escalator and down the next set of stairs. we are in luck! The train is still there! We jump on with seconds to spare, find a seat and plonk ourselves down. We can now relax and watch the rolling green country side fly past us.
An hour and a bit later we arrive in Como. It is a beautiful little town, filled with little houses speckled all over the tree lined hills. The lake is like a huge mirror with small ripples being made from the various holiday makers out on their boats. Little restaurants line the street side and as we look for a place to refuel ourselves we are called over and seated at a nice little place with 180 degree views of the lake. The waiters are very attentive and although they have run out of pizza, and the pasta I want - they go next door to get us pizza and make me a special batch of tomato and basil spagetti.
After lunch we head down to the 'beach side' area of the lake. We find the hidden little pathway next to and icream store. When we arrive we pay our 9 euros and a friendly African man comes out with two lounge chairs for our sunbathing convenience. We set up in a nice little spot close to the lake side. Shortly after we have settled in the girls arrive with their chairs and set up camp. The people watching opportunity is hillarious. Old leather handbags lie there in the sun, baring their 60 year old boob jobs and years worth of sun damaged skin. Italian men in their speedos parade past, their hair blowing in the wind (not just the hair on their head either). Other men stand around, one hip cocked to the side and a hand fabulously placed on their hip.The children run around and enjoy swimming in the murkey pool. The picture as a whole is amazing to take in. After an hour or so of sunbathing we decide it must be cocktail o'clock. Apparently we can' t get served in our bikinis, so we throw on our dresses and head up to the restaurant. We order a couple of Pinky coladas, cheers, and enjoy the show of people that surround us.
After a couple of beers in the sun it is time to head back home. We pack up and go to the station to wait for our train. Its been a long day so we head straight home. The next couple of days are spent catching up on domestic chores such as washing, blogging, and taking some time to relax. After three weeks solid of activities, tasks, partying, bad food and not enough sleep - my body is very happy for the break. I decide to get outside and do some much needed exercise. So I don some shorts, sports top and shoes and head out equipped with a bottle of water and my ipod. As I begin my run down the street in search of a park, it occurs to me that I am the only person out running. No one else even slightly resembles exercise clothes of any kind. So naturally, being the alien running down the street I get a lot of stares, random conversations in Italian that I can't understand and a few toots. After twenty minutes I find a small park. I run a few laps around the park and then due to the decrease in my fitness and the scorching afternoon sun I decide to walk and take in my surroundings. It feels great to get the blood moving around my body and after two hours I manage to find my way home, indulge in a cold shower then relax for an afternoon siesta before Catherine gets home from work.
The next day a friend of mine has kindly offered to take the day off work and give me a guided tour - via scooter around Milan. At 12:30 he arrives, hands me my helmet and the tour begins. We wizz past old monuments, parts of the ancient wall that once protected the city and other historical features of the city. We park the scooter near castello Sforzesco and take a nice walk through the castle grounds. We come out the other side and head towards the Duomo. We make our way through the many levels of the mall next to the Duomo. The first lever]ls are makeup and perfumes. Then the torture of a level of handbags. Next I am drooling over Jimmi Choo, Prada, Gucci and hundreds of beautiful shoes. Next is a level of beautiful clothing - this really is heaven and hell wrapped up in one. The final level is full of beautifully displayed novelty and luxury foods like heart shaped sugar sticks, coffee and tea, pastas and chocolate shaped like shoes (love). I am drawn to beautiful sparkling crystal bottles. It appears to be luxury . . . water! The price ranging from 35 euro to 250 euro!!! the things some people will pay money for! So after escaping the amazing mall and using every ounce of discipline not to purchase anything sparkly, shoes like or chocolate we stop for a lovely roof top lunch with a spectacular view of the duomo.
After lunch we make a hasty exit down the many escalators to the bottom of the mall and burst out into the street. We make a quick pit stop into chocialto italiano - best ice cream store in the world!!!!!!!!! The waffle cone is filled with melted chocolate and the amazing smooth, creamy ice cream is topped with nutella. I am in love. With the ice cream steadily melting in the heat and running down my arm I am now equipped with lovely sticky hands as I head to explore the Duomo. I change into a maxi skirt and cover my sinful shoulders with a sarong I have pre packed. We then join the line to enter the cathedrial.
I am awe struck again. It is just so beautiful and intricately designed. Gold lines the roof and walls of this spectacular, artistic masterpiece. Huge stained glass windows let in brilliant shades of light from the sun outside. Sculptures stand, frozen in action. I wander around and take in all the beauty to be seen. There is a glass case behind a roped off area. I step closer to get a better look. Inside the case, lying at peace for the world to see is the body of a past pope. He is dressed in his traditional robes and a silver mask covers his face. Resting on his pillow I can see the back of his head and his hair. The only other visible part are his hands, a greyish brown colour, resting on his torso.
We then go into another small room. It is a shrine to another couple of past leaders. The room is beautiful, every inch paying attention to detail. At one end, behind bars is a large, beautiful room. Lit with candles, intricately and artistically designed and housing a glass case which contains the remains of another past leader. At the other end of the hall, another body lies still in a case for the world to see.
After the Duomo we head back to through the castle and back to the scooter. We zoom through the streets, ducking in and out of the traffic to make our way home to meet Catherine. A quick distraction at a beautiful shoe store - there was a sale, so it had to be done, we continue on our way home. The night is then spent relaxing with a wine, and organising the next leg of my trip. Where to go? how to get there? where to stay? The options are as endless as the transportation methods. After about four hours of researching, my brain is about to explode. So I put the computer away and fall into bed.
The next morning the decision is made! I will go to Venice for the weekend! The train ticket is booked and I feel a lot better knowing I have a plan in place. I throw on my running gear again and head out to pound the pavement once again. The stares are back in full force of my alien running routine down the street. On my way back I stumble across a small store that is having a sale. I all but sprint home, shower and get changed, then power walk back. I spend the next hour trying on dresses, shorts, tops and a million pairs of shoes. My tour guide has to come and drag me out of the store - but not after making a few purchases. After a month of wearing the same outfits I really needed to go shopping. Back on the scooter and we explore Via Monte Napoleone, a beautiful street lined with all the top designer stores. After an hour or two of torture looking at all these beautiful things I head home and get ready for my final night in Milan.
Catherine and I decide to go out for a final Aperitivo. We order our drinks and go inside to pile up our plates. The food selection is amazing. Salads, meat, pasta, pizza, vegetables, bread and chips. After a few plates of food it is time for dessert. I notice a huge jar of nuttella - heaven! I load my plate with a couple of waffles and absolutely smother them with nutella. The waffles are really just an excuse to eat a plate load of nutella - I just didn't want to look like a complete pig. After dinner and a couple of drinks we head home for an early night. Time for a decent nights sleep before my next big adventure . . . Venice!
Life is what happens when you are busy making other plans xx
