Milan has been established as a fashion capital. It is also a major connecting point for airplane lines and train routes. I have been to Milan 3 times prior to this weekend en-route to other places but I have never seen the city.
All in attendance: Claire, Kathryn, Carmen, Mila, Kristen
You know you're life has done a complete 180° for the more glamorous when it becomes possible to go to Milan just for a "girl's day". Forget CrossIron Mills, Milan is now the go-to place for shopping and gabbing with the ladies.
Because of my gleis7 pass, it costs me only 5.15 euros to get to Milan by train which definitely makes this an affordable trip. I stayed in Hotel Paganini again. Like all Milan accomodations, it was more expensive than necessary but it was quite close to the Corso Buenos Aires Street in Milan which is filled with little affordable shops, H&M and Zara.
After scarfing down delicious baked goods from an affordable bakery (something the Swiss know nothing about), we went looking around the hectic outdoor market near Corso Buenos Aires Street. Everything from shoes to vegetables, hosiery to purses, scarves to makeup, dishes to coats was available to all at insanely low
We rejoined at the H&M where we browsed around for clothes. We went to Zara too which is in every way superior to its Canadian counterpart. Hopping around to this store and that and eating paninis and gelato brings us to the mid-afternoon of a rare non-hectic trip.
We took the train to the Duomo which is an over-the-top beautiful cathedral in Milan. Us interns have a running joke that there's nothing to see in Milan besides the Duomo and that may be true but Milan sure knows how to put all its eggs in one stunning basket. It's a small fee to walk to the top (6 euros) and it is absolutely worth it. Parts were under renovation but overall, the cathedral is breathtaking. Italy never fails to disappoint.
Well... except for this eye sore of a building I saw from the top of the Duomo. I call it "the after thought" for its obvious aesthetic shortcomings. We also got some small thread bracelets from a man outside the Duomo. Commonly warned on websites as a "tourist scam" but seen by Canadian interns as "the 50 euro cent Milan souvenir". You might even go as far to call it a right of passage for us Canadian interns in Switzerland.
After some dinner at near the central station, and one missed train where we ran like maniacs, we made our way home. Once again, trenitalia has proven very forgiving for missed connections - thanks guys.
Highlights
- The Duomo and all its beauty
- Gelato and new clothes
- Finally, a trip where I'm not running around breathless
- Delicious tiny Italian espresso
- As always, a bunch of "Prego" 's is all you need to know to get by in Italy
- Thinking passion fruit gelato would be tasty
- The blurry-lack-luster persona my camera has permanently undertaken
- The Last Supper painting
- The Duomo is a single train ride from the main station so it's probably worth going again
