I'm wondering if now years later you still hold the same antipathy toward this city compared to the ones you loved, like Venice? Have you softened toward Milan, or have heard news stories from Milan that made you laugh and say, Yep! That's the place, for sure!
Well ... As I mentioned to Wade above, Venice, the northern lakes and all the villages there, and Lucca -- those are the places I would return to any time. I was happy to survive Milan. The BEST thing about that city, in my opinion, is that it is a central railway hub and it is easy to get to anywhere else... Thank you Linda for your always thoughtful comments.
Yes. Good plan. If you ever go to Italy, I recommend Venice in the winter, the northern lakes in the spring, and Lucca anytime. I myself would give Milan a wide berth. But that is just me. Thanks for taking the time to read it, Wade.
Well, yes, it was indeed! I remember that six month journey with all its sounds and scents, its tastes, sights and textures. Thanks for reading it, Janice.
What a great experience to live in a foreign city for six months. Enough time to get to know the good and the bad and the in between. Your sense of humor really shines in this piece.
Thank you, Jim. This adventure was quite a while ago, but it was a difficult one for me and so it stays in my mind in a very fresh, detailed way. I learned a lot about myself during those six months, stuff I really did not want to admit to...
Truthfully, it was good for me, Jim. I was feeling rather "worldly" and full of myself at the time, being selected as a Fulbright scholar. Milan kicked my false pride down the stairs a little and brought me back to reality. We can all of us use that. I plan to write about six more memories of that trip. All of them more positive in nature!
Reading your Milan stories was truly like a mini-vacation. I even let a call I was waiting for go to voicemail. A reminder that our sense of humor can save us in annoying circumstances.
It is so funny how these memories stay in the back of my head. Sometimes it feels like I just walked those noisy, congested streets. I am glad you like to come along for the ride, Sharon. And, yes, without a strong sense of the ridiculous, I may have given up and come home, and I would have missed out on a lot.
Long term in Milan sounds like college dorm. Five bucks a week for whatever food is not provided by the dorm, so everything was very expensive. I ate the desserts the other kids didn't want and spent the money on colored tissue paper. Milan reads like New York, smog, crowds, COST, skinny models in high heels. NEw mass volume: two models, three models.... I'm six feet tall, two models mass. I wonder why the grant didn't include lodging and you had to pay so much rent yourself. Even/odd driving days by even/odd license )))) I do believe in flowers. All the time, everywhere, no dirt between. Masses of whites, then yellows then blues, then pinks, then whites again, reds, then silvers. And pots inside. )))
Ooooo! I'd like to see all those flowers. Send me a photo when the meadow is in bloom!. I would be just as much out of my elements in New York as in Milan.
I'm wondering if now years later you still hold the same antipathy toward this city compared to the ones you loved, like Venice? Have you softened toward Milan, or have heard news stories from Milan that made you laugh and say, Yep! That's the place, for sure!
Well ... As I mentioned to Wade above, Venice, the northern lakes and all the villages there, and Lucca -- those are the places I would return to any time. I was happy to survive Milan. The BEST thing about that city, in my opinion, is that it is a central railway hub and it is easy to get to anywhere else... Thank you Linda for your always thoughtful comments.
Thank you for taking me to Milan. Maybe I’ll move it down the bucket list. HaHa
Yes. Good plan. If you ever go to Italy, I recommend Venice in the winter, the northern lakes in the spring, and Lucca anytime. I myself would give Milan a wide berth. But that is just me. Thanks for taking the time to read it, Wade.
But what an experience.
Well, yes, it was indeed! I remember that six month journey with all its sounds and scents, its tastes, sights and textures. Thanks for reading it, Janice.
What a great experience to live in a foreign city for six months. Enough time to get to know the good and the bad and the in between. Your sense of humor really shines in this piece.
Thank you, Jim. This adventure was quite a while ago, but it was a difficult one for me and so it stays in my mind in a very fresh, detailed way. I learned a lot about myself during those six months, stuff I really did not want to admit to...
Well that sounds sad. Hope you've moved on from that. I happen to know you have a great sense of humor!
Truthfully, it was good for me, Jim. I was feeling rather "worldly" and full of myself at the time, being selected as a Fulbright scholar. Milan kicked my false pride down the stairs a little and brought me back to reality. We can all of us use that. I plan to write about six more memories of that trip. All of them more positive in nature!
Well, you have every right to be proud of being selected as a Fulbright scholar.
Yeah, I was a cocky kid at one time too. Had to take some lumps along the way as well.
Reading your Milan stories was truly like a mini-vacation. I even let a call I was waiting for go to voicemail. A reminder that our sense of humor can save us in annoying circumstances.
It is so funny how these memories stay in the back of my head. Sometimes it feels like I just walked those noisy, congested streets. I am glad you like to come along for the ride, Sharon. And, yes, without a strong sense of the ridiculous, I may have given up and come home, and I would have missed out on a lot.
Thanks for sharing this, Sharron! I appreciate the advice you offered in the comments, too. (Regarding where to visit and at what time of the year.)
Long term in Milan sounds like college dorm. Five bucks a week for whatever food is not provided by the dorm, so everything was very expensive. I ate the desserts the other kids didn't want and spent the money on colored tissue paper. Milan reads like New York, smog, crowds, COST, skinny models in high heels. NEw mass volume: two models, three models.... I'm six feet tall, two models mass. I wonder why the grant didn't include lodging and you had to pay so much rent yourself. Even/odd driving days by even/odd license )))) I do believe in flowers. All the time, everywhere, no dirt between. Masses of whites, then yellows then blues, then pinks, then whites again, reds, then silvers. And pots inside. )))
Ooooo! I'd like to see all those flowers. Send me a photo when the meadow is in bloom!. I would be just as much out of my elements in New York as in Milan.