I suppose most major cities are similar. They are kaleidoscopes made up of individuals, sights, and the elusive "ethos" that permeates everything in creation. Our trip to Milan last week was as dazzling as a kaleidoscope but as unnerving as a roller coaster.
Overall, the trip was alright. Italy was a bit colder than we'd expected (we wore gloves and heavy clothing to stay warm). The food was great (their coffee makes Starbuck's taste like swamp water!), the main cathedral (Duomo) was amazing, the shopping opportunities were almost endless, but we met more than our fair share of downright rude shopkeepers and found the people at the central train station to be, um, less than helpful. Apparently we're not alone, because when we did an internet search after we returned, we found many other stories of people who'd had similar experiences.
Sadly, Milan is absolutely filled with graffiti, and not the hey-that's-pretty-cool-it-could-pass- as-art type of graffiti...the blight is a shame because it really detracts from the city's ambiance. Nevertheless, we did find some very kind people there, but they tended to be students or immigrants...interacting with some of the natives was another matter.
Milan is a blast to visit if you have loads of cash and want to shop at the world's poshest boutiques, or if you love cathedrals, but we think that it is possible to do it in a day. When I returned, one of the students at the college where I teach, a native of Italy, told me that Milan is not Italy in the same way that Tuscany, Rome or Bologna are, and he felt that those areas are much nicer and better representatives of the country.
Anyway, we were glad to get back to Edinburgh...if I could make a comparison between the two cities, Milan is like hanging out with a supermodel--she is a bit over the top, brash/flashy and not always considerate (you get the feeling that she's always rolling her eyes), whereas Edinburgh would be like hanging out with a rare book dealer--a refined gentleman, patient, and polite. I guess what we're saying is that Milan is a lot of fun to visit and great for a laugh, but cannot muster the warm/cozy/trustworthy feeling of a city like Edinburgh.
Coming soon: Photos of the trip--stay tuned
Sadly, Milan is absolutely filled with graffiti, and not the hey-that's-pretty-cool-it-could-pass- as-art type of graffiti...the blight is a shame because it really detracts from the city's ambiance. Nevertheless, we did find some very kind people there, but they tended to be students or immigrants...interacting with some of the natives was another matter.
Milan is a blast to visit if you have loads of cash and want to shop at the world's poshest boutiques, or if you love cathedrals, but we think that it is possible to do it in a day. When I returned, one of the students at the college where I teach, a native of Italy, told me that Milan is not Italy in the same way that Tuscany, Rome or Bologna are, and he felt that those areas are much nicer and better representatives of the country.
Anyway, we were glad to get back to Edinburgh...if I could make a comparison between the two cities, Milan is like hanging out with a supermodel--she is a bit over the top, brash/flashy and not always considerate (you get the feeling that she's always rolling her eyes), whereas Edinburgh would be like hanging out with a rare book dealer--a refined gentleman, patient, and polite. I guess what we're saying is that Milan is a lot of fun to visit and great for a laugh, but cannot muster the warm/cozy/trustworthy feeling of a city like Edinburgh.
Coming soon: Photos of the trip--stay tuned
1 comment:
Jacqueline,
My name is The Rev. Fr. Charles Blizzard...I went to seminary with your husband, Dylan. Sounds like you guys are having a great time...anyways could you pass along this message to Dylan: Sorry I did not get a chance to get back to you after your call (about 6 months ago)...Congrats on the marriage! Drop me an email (or call still have the same phone number) when you get a chance, I would love to hear how things are going...Peace.
The Rev. Fr. Charles Blizzard
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