Today was one of the longest days of my life. Literally. Because I've slept for 4 hours in the last 48 hours, and probably walked around 5 miles today (not to mention the 4000 I flew overnight and the 20 I spent on buses and trams getting lost in Milan), which isn't that much I know. I need a pedometer. It just felt like forever because I was lost for 4 of those 5 miles.
So it started with my flight out of Newark, which was fine. Pretty average. I was uncomfortable and tried to get some sleep; ended up with 2-3 hours. I watched "Finding Nemo" and "Megamind" (at the same time. kinda. I just kept switching between the channels). Watching them in that way made me realize just how much better Pixar is than Dreamworks. Pixar tells basic stories with the most relatable and entertaining characters, while Dreamworks tries to tell original stories with stock characters; it really doesn't work. I was originally going to write a long, pseudo-intellectual post about "Discovery" but decided too much stuff happened today to write about that I wasn't going to bore you with my wannabe philosophy.
Anyway, like I said it started with my flight to Milan. As we were crossing the Alps the sun started to come up and cast this amazing pinkish haze over the Alps, and I took something like 30 pictures. I'll upload them to my computer soon and put my favorites on here. (Edit: Uploaded! My 3 favorites are below)
So we land, successfully, and I go get my bag and get my ticket for the Malpensa Express (the train from the airport to the city center) during which I sufficiently embarrassed myself when I tried to speak Italian to the clerk at the ticket counter and he just went straight in to english. Whoops. On the train, I sat and watched the world go by, saw some cool graffiti (in the land that invented the word) and lots of farmland.
Not the most visually stimulating train ride but I was so excited to be in Italy I didn't really care how drab it all was. I got to Milan around 9:30 am, wandered out of the train station and immediately was disoriented. I had directions from my hotel on how to get there from the Cadorna Station (where I had arrived) but I left through the wrong exit. So I was in Piazza Virgilio (as in the famous poet) instead of Piazza Cadorna (as in the I'm not sure what). In my infinite wisdom I decide to pick a random street and walk down it, thinking I would magically appear in Piazza Cadorna. I did not. So I pick another random street from the massive intersection I came upon (5 streets), and it was not right. So of course I wander down it for a while, decide that I'm being dumb and turn around. I get back to the intersection and walk around the whole thing, and realize that the street right after the one I went down is Corso Magenta, the one my hotel is on. So I walk down it and finally arrive at my hotel. (this took like 20-30 minutes, while carrying/pulling around my bookbag and two suitcases which are PACKED). I check in, leave reception and once again get lost. How do you get lost in a hotel? I'm not sure but I did it; luckily it's a square and I found my way to my room.
After getting all my stuff in the room, taking a shower, getting my new, cheap Italian cell phone, changing my money to Euros, skyping with my Mom and taking a nap, it was 4 pm. Time kinda flew. I had arranged to see an apartment at 6, and assumed I would get lost so I left at 5. I had an easy time getting to the bus stop near the apartment, but then wandered around for 20 minutes looking for the street the apartment was on. See, I didn't bring a map with me (dumb) and the directions I found online would say how far to walk to get to a certain point but never what direction to turn or what street you should be doing that walking on. It made things difficult. Luckily I eventually made it over to the apartment. It was pretty nice, a little small but completely furnished. And its only 550 euro/month. Such a good deal. I just wish I could live with someone like my age. He's 25 which isn't a big deal, but I feel like it could make a big difference in what our social lives are like...
Anyway, after that visit I made my way over to the Navigli district, where the second apartment I was visiting today is. I made plans with Erika, the girl who lives there, to meet at 7:30, but I got to Navigli at around 6:30. So I decided I would go find the apartment, then wander around the neighborhood a bit and see whats up. The problem is, I got lost again. This time it was really bad. I walked every possible direction except the correct one until I realized I could look at a map in one of the bus stops and figure out just where I was supposed to be going. So I finally did that, managed to get lost again, then started using my brain and finally found the place. At around 7:35. Perfect? Yeah. So I got to the building and went up, and immediately see that this place is nicer than the last (its also 800 euro/month. so...). Erika showed me around to the kitchen, living room (with a pull-out couch bed! and 36 inch flatscreen!), my room (huge, tall ceilings, giant closet) and her room (same as mine, except with more life). It was amazing. I want it so bad. But it is so expensive. And Erika is really cool, she even complimented my Italian! Which is definitely a good sign considering how the Malpensa Express Ticket went. I stayed there for about 30 minutes just talking and looking around, and getting to know her two cats (which makes me want to live there even more!!). Eventually I had to leave because I wanted to come back to the hotel and crash, so Erika found the best route for me to get home, to take the 3 Tram and the 94 Bus back to Largo Ancona (that huge intersection). Guess what? I got lost again!! While on the 3 Tram, I got distracted texting Deanna (the other Miamian in Milan) and wasn't sure whether I missed my stop. So the next stop we came to, I got off. Luckily there was a 94 Bus stop right there, and a bus had just pulled up. So I hopped on, thinking I would be home in 15 minutes. However... the bus was going the opposite direction I needed it to. I didn't realize this immediately, but soon figured out that I still hadn't gotten where I needed to be. Somehow I convinced myself that the 94 line was a loop (don't ask me why I believed myself) so I ended up sitting on the bus until I came to the capolinea (end of the line). Of course I had to get off then, so as soon as I did I wandered off to somewhere else I had never been. Eventually I found a 94 Bus stop going in the right direction (of course it was 2 stops from the start of the line, while my stop is 2 stops from the end of the line, but that's not too important) and finally got off at Largo Ancona around 9:20. So I finally made it back to my hotel room. Such a long day. At least I have a pretty good idea of the Milanese public transit system now!
Finally, when I got back I immediately went on facebook (obviously) and had a message from Pedro, who I had been talking with about rooming together. He says he found a great apartment, so I guess we're gonna go check it out tomorrow! Hopefully. I can't find my phone so I can't text him right now. How did I lose my phone?? Oh wait nevermind just found it ignore me.
P.S. For those of you who endured my rambling about today, here's a little story. Very little. Dinner on the plane was rice and chicken, with a side salad, a roll and for dessert? Milano: The Cookie. As soon as I saw them I cracked up, scaring the italian guy next to me, and whipped out my camera to get a Milano photoshoot. I'll post one of the pictures soon, as soon as I unpack the cord for my camera.
Sorry this is so rambling, by the way. I'm exhausted and I just kinda wanted to write all of today down. It just poured out of my fingers in to this really poorly written blog.
Also, bonus pics!!
The first two are exposures out the window of my flight from Newark. Both of the Manhattan Skyline.
This is a painting on the wall in my hotel. Notice anything off?
So it started with my flight out of Newark, which was fine. Pretty average. I was uncomfortable and tried to get some sleep; ended up with 2-3 hours. I watched "Finding Nemo" and "Megamind" (at the same time. kinda. I just kept switching between the channels). Watching them in that way made me realize just how much better Pixar is than Dreamworks. Pixar tells basic stories with the most relatable and entertaining characters, while Dreamworks tries to tell original stories with stock characters; it really doesn't work. I was originally going to write a long, pseudo-intellectual post about "Discovery" but decided too much stuff happened today to write about that I wasn't going to bore you with my wannabe philosophy.
Anyway, like I said it started with my flight to Milan. As we were crossing the Alps the sun started to come up and cast this amazing pinkish haze over the Alps, and I took something like 30 pictures. I'll upload them to my computer soon and put my favorites on here. (Edit: Uploaded! My 3 favorites are below)
It was a pretty incredible sight.
Some of the grafitti. Not the best I saw, but this picture turned out best
Not the most visually stimulating train ride but I was so excited to be in Italy I didn't really care how drab it all was. I got to Milan around 9:30 am, wandered out of the train station and immediately was disoriented. I had directions from my hotel on how to get there from the Cadorna Station (where I had arrived) but I left through the wrong exit. So I was in Piazza Virgilio (as in the famous poet) instead of Piazza Cadorna (as in the I'm not sure what). In my infinite wisdom I decide to pick a random street and walk down it, thinking I would magically appear in Piazza Cadorna. I did not. So I pick another random street from the massive intersection I came upon (5 streets), and it was not right. So of course I wander down it for a while, decide that I'm being dumb and turn around. I get back to the intersection and walk around the whole thing, and realize that the street right after the one I went down is Corso Magenta, the one my hotel is on. So I walk down it and finally arrive at my hotel. (this took like 20-30 minutes, while carrying/pulling around my bookbag and two suitcases which are PACKED). I check in, leave reception and once again get lost. How do you get lost in a hotel? I'm not sure but I did it; luckily it's a square and I found my way to my room.
After getting all my stuff in the room, taking a shower, getting my new, cheap Italian cell phone, changing my money to Euros, skyping with my Mom and taking a nap, it was 4 pm. Time kinda flew. I had arranged to see an apartment at 6, and assumed I would get lost so I left at 5. I had an easy time getting to the bus stop near the apartment, but then wandered around for 20 minutes looking for the street the apartment was on. See, I didn't bring a map with me (dumb) and the directions I found online would say how far to walk to get to a certain point but never what direction to turn or what street you should be doing that walking on. It made things difficult. Luckily I eventually made it over to the apartment. It was pretty nice, a little small but completely furnished. And its only 550 euro/month. Such a good deal. I just wish I could live with someone like my age. He's 25 which isn't a big deal, but I feel like it could make a big difference in what our social lives are like...
Anyway, after that visit I made my way over to the Navigli district, where the second apartment I was visiting today is. I made plans with Erika, the girl who lives there, to meet at 7:30, but I got to Navigli at around 6:30. So I decided I would go find the apartment, then wander around the neighborhood a bit and see whats up. The problem is, I got lost again. This time it was really bad. I walked every possible direction except the correct one until I realized I could look at a map in one of the bus stops and figure out just where I was supposed to be going. So I finally did that, managed to get lost again, then started using my brain and finally found the place. At around 7:35. Perfect? Yeah. So I got to the building and went up, and immediately see that this place is nicer than the last (its also 800 euro/month. so...). Erika showed me around to the kitchen, living room (with a pull-out couch bed! and 36 inch flatscreen!), my room (huge, tall ceilings, giant closet) and her room (same as mine, except with more life). It was amazing. I want it so bad. But it is so expensive. And Erika is really cool, she even complimented my Italian! Which is definitely a good sign considering how the Malpensa Express Ticket went. I stayed there for about 30 minutes just talking and looking around, and getting to know her two cats (which makes me want to live there even more!!). Eventually I had to leave because I wanted to come back to the hotel and crash, so Erika found the best route for me to get home, to take the 3 Tram and the 94 Bus back to Largo Ancona (that huge intersection). Guess what? I got lost again!! While on the 3 Tram, I got distracted texting Deanna (the other Miamian in Milan) and wasn't sure whether I missed my stop. So the next stop we came to, I got off. Luckily there was a 94 Bus stop right there, and a bus had just pulled up. So I hopped on, thinking I would be home in 15 minutes. However... the bus was going the opposite direction I needed it to. I didn't realize this immediately, but soon figured out that I still hadn't gotten where I needed to be. Somehow I convinced myself that the 94 line was a loop (don't ask me why I believed myself) so I ended up sitting on the bus until I came to the capolinea (end of the line). Of course I had to get off then, so as soon as I did I wandered off to somewhere else I had never been. Eventually I found a 94 Bus stop going in the right direction (of course it was 2 stops from the start of the line, while my stop is 2 stops from the end of the line, but that's not too important) and finally got off at Largo Ancona around 9:20. So I finally made it back to my hotel room. Such a long day. At least I have a pretty good idea of the Milanese public transit system now!
Finally, when I got back I immediately went on facebook (obviously) and had a message from Pedro, who I had been talking with about rooming together. He says he found a great apartment, so I guess we're gonna go check it out tomorrow! Hopefully. I can't find my phone so I can't text him right now. How did I lose my phone?? Oh wait nevermind just found it ignore me.
P.S. For those of you who endured my rambling about today, here's a little story. Very little. Dinner on the plane was rice and chicken, with a side salad, a roll and for dessert? Milano: The Cookie. As soon as I saw them I cracked up, scaring the italian guy next to me, and whipped out my camera to get a Milano photoshoot. I'll post one of the pictures soon, as soon as I unpack the cord for my camera.
MILANO!
Sorry this is so rambling, by the way. I'm exhausted and I just kinda wanted to write all of today down. It just poured out of my fingers in to this really poorly written blog.
Also, bonus pics!!
The first two are exposures out the window of my flight from Newark. Both of the Manhattan Skyline.
Which is better: 1 or 2?
I like 1 more, but let me know in the comments!
This is a painting on the wall in my hotel. Notice anything off?
I'm Redy Steady
Chris, you never said you had gotten lost SO MANY TIMES!
ReplyDeletelove, mom
Hi Chris. So glad you made it to Milan! Sorry you got lost so many times. Are there Italian GPS's? Take care and I'll enjoy reading about your exploits overseas. Sue Guttag
ReplyDeleteHey, Chris! Sorry you had a bit of a rough start. You will have a wonderful adventure, so keep up the blog for those of us who will follow from afar. A little sleep and the mental fog will lift. Good luck in finding a good apartment and room mate. Mrs. Cynthia Wagner
ReplyDeleteLove the posts and looking forward to reading about your adventures. I'm getting a kick out of the list of commenters...nothing like having your Mom and Dad's friends keeping an eye on you. ;)
ReplyDeleteCiao
Sarah Reks