Tips and background leading to Italy-Part one
The trip.
Nov. 9-11
A few thoughts from the layover in Paris.
It smells like expensive perfume everywhere and is the most gorgeously organic modern airport...the AirFrance flight attendants look like women from Lancome commercials and people really do eat french looking bread right out of bags.
My traveling partner, who I must refer to as S.M. and a nearby asian family saw a man running to his gate when his pants literally fell down. I caught the end of it and the repressed giggling. awesome.
"
Arriving in Rome.
Tip #1:This is the place you should stay and use as a resource for as many cities as possible that they can hook you up with.
"www.the-beehive.com" It's a safe haven kind of hostel community with a vegetarian cafe, yoga and a fat cat named Ingmar.
S.M. and I got in late on November 9th and just spent that first night in Rome, as we were determined to get to Milan nice and early the next day to try and purchase last minute tickets in person for the famous opera house at La Scala. The Beehive hostel/restaurant is very close to the train station but they rent out apartments with shared spaces all over the city...usually several blocks on the other side of the train station, which after a long day of travel and a heavy bag on uneven terrian can get hairy, but it is worth it...price wise and vibe wise. We checked in to our apartment, went across the street for some tourist-y Italian food served by some unenthused locals, and slept...I think. Walls are very thin and there is constant noise in the neighborhoods of Italy all night. Singing...cheering, lovers knocking incessantly on the doors of their suitors...
(extra tip:bring an ipod or noise cancelling headphone, and your favorite pillow)
On this first day of our adventure though, our alarm clock ( the only one we had in any room we stayed in the entire trip) went off at 7am, and it was opera on the radio that we woke up to, which I thought was sweet. It sort of defined the "I don't think we are in Kansas anymore" aspect....That and the lost art of hanging clothes to dry on lines outside. My mom did this growing up, and I wish we could do it in the USA still without getting in trouble from neighborhood associations.
Tip #2: Take an alarm clock and quick showers. Do not pull the lever on a pulley in the shower unless you fall and can't get up. It is actually some kind of an alarm. Also, I never saw a bathtub in Italy, although I hear there may be some in actual homes. The water is hard. My hair texture became un recognizable to me and my chi iron had actual smoke coming out of it before it fried out. I was not informed of the voltage issues in Europe either.
Tip #3: Take trains. You will probably meet at least one amazing character a day on the train who will help you lift your heavy luggage above, ask you poignant questions about your life, teach you Italian, help you with the mean ticket conductor dudes, and tell you about their life. It's also the best way to see so much more of Italy.
It's mountains,villas, car and marble businesses, eleborate graffiti and erratic weather changes, deteriorating castles, clay rooves,people harvesting, everything in frescoe shades of olive, salmon, cinnamon,mustard, and the green of the incredible vegetation. There are palm trees, pine trees, and cactus, olive groves, grape vines and these amazing trees that look like they came from a Dr. Suess Book.
It is so strange to fully absorb what is real, when in the US, you have been fed the Disneyworld chain Italian restaurant prop look that symbolizes what we interpret as italian inspiration.
The font of Italy is universally bold and often in capital letters. I found this consistency in advertising classy and proud.
Tip #4: Learn military time
Tip #5: When packing (light) take some fancier things with you, but still comfy clothes. Bring money to buy clothes in Florence. These people are so put together and confident, you'll be inspired to turn yourself into a stylish piece of art too. Unless you are in a natural sleepy seaside town like Cinque Terre, the only place we went that my hippie wear blended in.
On our first train ride from Rome to Milan, we met Karlolos Fix from Greece. His family had the only beer company in Greece-Fix Beer until the government put them out of business. He lives in Greece but has a house in Italy next to a convent. He invited us to the dining car for coffee. (Italy is coffee heaven) and shared his apples with us that were grown by the nuns next door. He was on his way up to Switzerland for some big business meeting.
Milan: We stayed at hotel London. It was strangely lit and was expensive...like everything in Milan. Dinner with protein will cost you at least $60.
We could have skipped this city because the folks working at the La Scala Operahouse were so rude we gave up on our mission of going. We did find a fabulous nightspot called Victorian Bar...with a fabulous bartender named Max who taught us new drinks and entertained us, We also made two new friends from England, who we accidentally stood up for lunch the next day because we had a marathon 14 hour sleep due to jetlag. I had nightmares. This first night and every night in Italy, though I went longer and longer each day without remembering my personal life sadness.
Milan is set up like a circle. You can't really get lost. People were not that friendly to outsiders. They were insanely fashionable. The look now is knee high boots, tights, skinny jeans and elaborately gorgeous coats.
High heels happen, regardless of cobblestone streets and dodging scooters. People do play accordians on the street.
The Duomo (big cathedral) there is incredible. I lit a candle to honor what I'd been thru lately with my man, I call Appleseed. There is also a castle just off the main strip you can walk to.
Tip #6: Set out later for dinner and take advantage of the happy hour food that the bars lay out. It's the best deal.
Tip #7: You have to take A LOT of money and prior restaurant recommendations, maybe have car/bike rented to have that true culinary experience... the wine tasting and dessert adventure is much easier...thanks to non stop bars, wineries and gelato cafes.
Tip #8 Bring a flimsy extra bag or backpack...or buy some gorgeous new leather luggage in Siena.
Milan overall, was a neccesary learning experience in the big city...but I woudn't go back again. Everything did improve from here.
Nov. 9-11
A few thoughts from the layover in Paris.
It smells like expensive perfume everywhere and is the most gorgeously organic modern airport...the AirFrance flight attendants look like women from Lancome commercials and people really do eat french looking bread right out of bags.
My traveling partner, who I must refer to as S.M. and a nearby asian family saw a man running to his gate when his pants literally fell down. I caught the end of it and the repressed giggling. awesome.
"
Arriving in Rome.
Tip #1:This is the place you should stay and use as a resource for as many cities as possible that they can hook you up with.
"www.the-beehive.com" It's a safe haven kind of hostel community with a vegetarian cafe, yoga and a fat cat named Ingmar.
S.M. and I got in late on November 9th and just spent that first night in Rome, as we were determined to get to Milan nice and early the next day to try and purchase last minute tickets in person for the famous opera house at La Scala. The Beehive hostel/restaurant is very close to the train station but they rent out apartments with shared spaces all over the city...usually several blocks on the other side of the train station, which after a long day of travel and a heavy bag on uneven terrian can get hairy, but it is worth it...price wise and vibe wise. We checked in to our apartment, went across the street for some tourist-y Italian food served by some unenthused locals, and slept...I think. Walls are very thin and there is constant noise in the neighborhoods of Italy all night. Singing...cheering, lovers knocking incessantly on the doors of their suitors...
(extra tip:bring an ipod or noise cancelling headphone, and your favorite pillow)
On this first day of our adventure though, our alarm clock ( the only one we had in any room we stayed in the entire trip) went off at 7am, and it was opera on the radio that we woke up to, which I thought was sweet. It sort of defined the "I don't think we are in Kansas anymore" aspect....That and the lost art of hanging clothes to dry on lines outside. My mom did this growing up, and I wish we could do it in the USA still without getting in trouble from neighborhood associations.
Tip #2: Take an alarm clock and quick showers. Do not pull the lever on a pulley in the shower unless you fall and can't get up. It is actually some kind of an alarm. Also, I never saw a bathtub in Italy, although I hear there may be some in actual homes. The water is hard. My hair texture became un recognizable to me and my chi iron had actual smoke coming out of it before it fried out. I was not informed of the voltage issues in Europe either.
Tip #3: Take trains. You will probably meet at least one amazing character a day on the train who will help you lift your heavy luggage above, ask you poignant questions about your life, teach you Italian, help you with the mean ticket conductor dudes, and tell you about their life. It's also the best way to see so much more of Italy.
It's mountains,villas, car and marble businesses, eleborate graffiti and erratic weather changes, deteriorating castles, clay rooves,people harvesting, everything in frescoe shades of olive, salmon, cinnamon,mustard, and the green of the incredible vegetation. There are palm trees, pine trees, and cactus, olive groves, grape vines and these amazing trees that look like they came from a Dr. Suess Book.
It is so strange to fully absorb what is real, when in the US, you have been fed the Disneyworld chain Italian restaurant prop look that symbolizes what we interpret as italian inspiration.
The font of Italy is universally bold and often in capital letters. I found this consistency in advertising classy and proud.
Tip #4: Learn military time
Tip #5: When packing (light) take some fancier things with you, but still comfy clothes. Bring money to buy clothes in Florence. These people are so put together and confident, you'll be inspired to turn yourself into a stylish piece of art too. Unless you are in a natural sleepy seaside town like Cinque Terre, the only place we went that my hippie wear blended in.
On our first train ride from Rome to Milan, we met Karlolos Fix from Greece. His family had the only beer company in Greece-Fix Beer until the government put them out of business. He lives in Greece but has a house in Italy next to a convent. He invited us to the dining car for coffee. (Italy is coffee heaven) and shared his apples with us that were grown by the nuns next door. He was on his way up to Switzerland for some big business meeting.
Milan: We stayed at hotel London. It was strangely lit and was expensive...like everything in Milan. Dinner with protein will cost you at least $60.
We could have skipped this city because the folks working at the La Scala Operahouse were so rude we gave up on our mission of going. We did find a fabulous nightspot called Victorian Bar...with a fabulous bartender named Max who taught us new drinks and entertained us, We also made two new friends from England, who we accidentally stood up for lunch the next day because we had a marathon 14 hour sleep due to jetlag. I had nightmares. This first night and every night in Italy, though I went longer and longer each day without remembering my personal life sadness.
Milan is set up like a circle. You can't really get lost. People were not that friendly to outsiders. They were insanely fashionable. The look now is knee high boots, tights, skinny jeans and elaborately gorgeous coats.
High heels happen, regardless of cobblestone streets and dodging scooters. People do play accordians on the street.
The Duomo (big cathedral) there is incredible. I lit a candle to honor what I'd been thru lately with my man, I call Appleseed. There is also a castle just off the main strip you can walk to.
Tip #6: Set out later for dinner and take advantage of the happy hour food that the bars lay out. It's the best deal.
Tip #7: You have to take A LOT of money and prior restaurant recommendations, maybe have car/bike rented to have that true culinary experience... the wine tasting and dessert adventure is much easier...thanks to non stop bars, wineries and gelato cafes.
Tip #8 Bring a flimsy extra bag or backpack...or buy some gorgeous new leather luggage in Siena.
Milan overall, was a neccesary learning experience in the big city...but I woudn't go back again. Everything did improve from here.
posted by Beth at 8:15 AM
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