Milan was the first Italian city I ever visited. Arriving at the Milan main train station was like being thrust into another universe. Unlike the images, I am used to of Rome and other Southern Italy cities and seaside ports, Milan was a rough metropolis. I was excited, but also nervous because it felt bigger than I had anticipated.
The Airbnb I had booked was not too far from the station. So I could easily pull my luggage and try to find the address, which I did. My luggage was heavy because I do not travel light.
I found the apartment after being lost for a while. By Italian standards, it was a modern apartment building, newly renovated. My landlord was an Italian gay couple. The one guy who took care of me was an Arab from North Africa, and the other guy was an Italian from Milan. I gathered from our conversations that the North African was not necessarily legal in Italy.
I had a big room, complete with a balcony. It was summer, so I was very happy to have a spacious room with a balcony. The apartment was clean, neatly furnished in a minimalist way. I remember thinking, how gay. 😉
The couple showed me around the apartment and then told me of places that I might find interesting. They also gave me the low down on the transport system. I didn’t waste any time after they left me alone, I decided to go into the city. I took the tram to the big Milan Cathedral. I struggled with the public transport system a bit. Also, people didn’t speak much English. Travelling in Europe, it was the first time that I was thrust into societies where English is not the lingua franca.
The Milan Cathedral is impressive. I didn’t go inside. The line outside was too long. I had not bought tickets online. The structure of the church is commanding and intimidating. There were military guards outside, as it is standard nowadays in national monuments and tourists spots. There were many people on the square, lots of tourists. I walked all around the square looking at the church from different angles. Majestic.
The details on the structure of the church are amazing. Truly impressive. The Milan Cathedral is a work of art. The details are extraordinary. The doors that lead into the church are made of iron and they too have amazing details on them.
Milan has often been described as a “fashion capital” and the description fits. Walking the streets of Milan, you see that people are impeccably dressed. I was there in July, and men were in suits and wore ties. Fashion is serious. People who work in department stores look polished. Even the Zara is glamorous.
While I was in Milan I went to Andy Warhol’s Stardust exhibition at the Museo Del Novecento. It was breath-taking. I think this was my first comprehensive Any Warhol exhibition. It was something special.
The didn’t have too much time in Milan, something like four days and I spent one of the days in Venice. Venice was never part of the plan, but my Airbnb hosts mentioned the possibility of Venice and how I could just go and spend the day there. That is exactly what I did. It was fantastic.
I went to a gay bar in town for a drink. I am always interested in the gay scene of other cities. I was in Milan during the week, so there was no real nightlife. I did chat with a German man who was also visiting Milan at the same time while in the gay bar. I think he had been to Milan before, and he was also staying close to the station, but at a hostel. He looked like the mountain climbing type. His English was broken but we could communicate.
I left Milan feeling like there was so much I didn’t get to. I was there for a short period, so that’s understandable. I do think if I had a human guide I would have gotten to see and do so much more. I think next time I go, I must make sure to include a weekend and secure a local guide. Milan gave me the impression that it is a kind of city a local guide is probably the most useful thing you can have, more than a map or book guides.
