Milan, fashion powerhouse of Italy. Hell, fashion powerhouse of the world. Home to many of the greatest names in the scenes of art and fashion.
Also, a place I feel very conflicted about.
See, I loved Italy before I'd even ever stepped foot in it. I've always wanted to learn Italian - I know a wee bit of French now, but if I'd had the option to do language classes in Italian at my school I would have. I want to learn Italian more than French, a lot of the reason being that a lot of musical direction is written in Italian.
That, and you, know, pizza.
Unfortunately, I'm not sure I liked Milan much. Apart from my horrible New Year's experience, Milan I felt was overrated. Perhaps it's just because Milan isn't meant to be a city best enjoyed in winter, or because I was there over New Year's and nothing was open, really. I don't really know, but I don't think it's a place I would go back to again.
To its credit, Milan is stunningly beautiful. The architecture is old and glorious; the city breathes with a vibe that doesn't shy away from its pride of being such an important city. It's got the world's oldest shopping mall, the Galleria Vittorio de Emanuele II, which is beautiful and looks like something out of a dream. Stunning, high ceilings, high-end designer names.
So I don't know why I didn't like Milan as much as I should have. Perhaps it's because I wasn't used to the smokers, who were absolutely everywhere - literally, people lighting up around every corner. That's one thing I am sure I didn't like, because it made the air unbreathable.
I don't like smoking. I never have, and I doubt I ever will. I don't have a problem with smokers, as long as they keep their smoke out of my face. I don't like the smell of smoke and how it stays on your clothes. Which is why Milan was difficult, because it was impossible not to walk into clouds of smoke.
I will say this, though - the Duomo di Milano was one of the most beautiful buildings I've ever walked into. I've walked into a lot of churches by now (this is Europe, after all, and churches kinda represent the pinnacle of human ability with stunning art and architecture) and I'm still going to say the Duomo is pretty high up on my list of favourite churches.
The Duomo is an imposing building - it took over 500 years to build, and it's easy to see why. The carving is ornate, the stained glass intricate, and don't even get me started on the sheer size of this building. A pinnacle of Gothic architecture, the Duomo is the fifth-largest cathedral in the world (thank you Wikipedia) and contains the largest pipe organ in all of Italy.
It made me realise how wondrous human people are, and marvel at their ability to produce something of this magnitude. I was temporarily put into a Doctor-like state of wonder and respect for humankind :p
It's supposed to be a thing to walk up to the top of Duomo (or take a lift, if you so prefer) and take in the Milan panorama from there, but it was a cold wet and rainy day so I skipped it.
The Duomo is such a fascinating building - it's even got the sarcophagi of two archbishops on display, where people can buy and light candles and pray to them, with a third sarcophagus in the catacombs. It's fascinating in a mildly morbid way.
The Navigli District is like a mini-version of Venice - a beautiful canal and bridges that cross it. Illuminated by streetlamps after dark, it's the perfect place to grab the famous Milanese aperitivo - where you can pay for a drink for only €5-€9, and get a free buffet thrown in with the deal. It's the perfect way to fill up your belly on a budget, while enjoying a uniquely Milanese experience.
So I suppose while Milan wasn't everything I thought it would be, it had its high points.
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