Milan is huge and the transport is still undergoing improvement and enlargement. I had friends that I never visited because it would take me 3 hours to get to there and 3 to return. No kidding!
What a foreigner notices when living in Milan is that the Italians are very serious about sticking to their own lifestyle and mentality and that there is no such thing as true culture mix, people with different mentalities as you experience in NY or London. There's only one mentality running through the veins of Italian life. What happens is that knowingly or unknowingly, the Italians preserve their culture so well, in ways that are beyond comparison with other European countries. Italy is doing so well in exporting their products and way of life, vino (wine in Italian), tortellini, grappa, parmigiano, prosciutto etc. - but is rather slow in receiving from the countries to which it export. I truly admire them of the fact that in the USA they have latte (latte means milk, I guess in the USA is a kind of coffee? ..seen in the movies all the time!) but in Italy if you are from France or you are Canadian, or Greek or German, or you name it you will end up following When in Rome do what the Romans do to an extent that you feel that your identity is under the shade.
I think that this mentality is positive and helpful in a world where traditions fade away and local cultures tend to be swallowed by globalisation.
Anyway, overall I love Milan, I think I have left a piece of my heart there - I worked, commuted, suffered, cared etc. - seeing all this beauty surrounding it picks of which I am sharing with you.
Interesting places near Milan worth visiting:
Bergamo a medieval hilltop town divided into upper and lower town - Bergamo Alta - the hilltop medieval city - and Bergamo Bassa - the lower city. The city hosts the Orio al Serio airport which regularly welcomes many tourists who want to visit Milan and the surrounding area.
More on Bergamo here
A place I used to go for a stroll, a lovely l place, is Varenna on Lecco lake, shown here below:
Butt the place I love most is on Lake Como and it is Menaggio, it has this classy and solemn appeal, nothing like the extravagant San Tropez but lovely:
The cafe above is the place we used to go for a coffee and relaxing with a view to the lake.
Happy I could find that on internet.
About Milan website - very interesting, it has everything a tourist needs to know!
Lake Como overview here - detail, fantastic webpage
Eυχαριστούμε για το υπέροχο ταξίδι στο Μιλάνο με τις τόσες πολύτιμες πληροφορίες και εικόνες που μοιράστηκες μαζί μας . Ποτέ δεν μπόρεσα να επισκεφτώ αυτή την όμορφη πόλη της Ιταλίας και σε θεωρώ πραγματικά τυχερή που έζησες έντεκα ολόκληρα χρόνια σε αυτή , σίγουρα θα ήταν μεγάλη η εμπειρία για εσένα !!!!
ReplyDeleteΚαλό απόγευμα !!!
The lakes are so much fun! I also like the history of Sirmione, and had to stop there when going from Venice to Bellagio.
ReplyDeleteI like what you say about fitting in, it is very true. Officials in Rome probably don't like it when immigrants march and yell for extra rights. Even as a tourist, it makes me uncomfortable to see outsiders not respecting the culture and history.
thank you for sharing this beautiful pics.
ReplyDeleteand your insights about moving to a different culture.
as you know i'm also passing through that experience, and is very frustrating to don't understand or feel excluded, but also very exciting to find people willing to help and become friends :)
i think it's about always looking at the brighter side of things (but yees, there are tough days! hahah)
I hope I can go some day to the fancy Milano hahaha
by the way, THANK YOU so much for the link you sent me, you're very kind!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comments.
ReplyDeleteGemagenta, yes it is hard in the beginning. Remember the golden rule is When in Rome do what the Romans do. It will help you.
Eric and Art.T, you are the kind of followers one is lucky to have!!