Interrailing in Europe summer 2010 MILAN

On 15th of June we woke up in Torino and made our way to train station Porta Susa (by tram number 10..!) ;). It turned out that we could hop on to any train to Milan. Unfortunately the train station was under renovations so we couldn't leave our backpacks there. On our interrailing trip we had some information about every city we were going but this city we really didn't know anything about. We took some random bus and got off when we felt like it and by accident we ended up to this famous plaza: Piazza Castanello. We found some great shops and did some shopping and went to grab something to eat also. It was exhausting to walk around with heavy backpacks and we got some funny faces staring at us when we shopped with them. 

We took a 3 pm train to Milan and arrived there at 4.45pm. :) We looked for info point from the train station almost 15minutes and it was right in front of us the whole time! :D It was the first time that we got excellent service and great maps and good info! Right next to the train station was an internet cafe and we found a super cheap hostel/hotel called Zara near this one metro station and decided to go there. It took us quite a while before we made our way there and then the language barrier started.. Chinese-Italian woman didn't speak a word in english. We tried to explain to her, draw to her, and to show her what we wanted (we didn't want to have our own more expensive room, we wanted to stay at this room with four beds). I lost my nerves pretty quickly! Saija was the best! She told me to take it easy and take my backpack of and just breath. The woman tried to call her friend who spoke english but she didn't answer.. We ended up having a room with only one big bed, she lowered the price for us so we only paid 20€ each. What a show it was!

We left out with Stefano (the boy we met in London hostel). We went out with Stefano's car and the driving in Milan was interesting. Mostly one way streets so if you missed one crossroad it took a while to get where you wanted to go.. He took us out to this bar where we bought drinks with only alcohol in it! They were pretty strong drinks which our driver also drank.. The bar was called LoolaPaloosa. :) We got back to our chinese woman's place safely at some point of the night. :)

We woke up at 10am and we had no idea what time we were supposed to sign out from the hostel/hotel because she didn't understand when we asked her. We didn't have anything to eat (the whole trip we carried this bag with us that we called our food bag and there was always something to eat, apples or something.) or to drink! Right after we had woken up Saija went to ask that woman again what time we were supposed to be out of there and she had angrily showed her watch and it turned out we were already 10 minutes late.. So she practically threw us out! :D Starving we started looking for a supermarket but on our way I bought these high heel shoes (haven't worn them once..). From the supermarket we bought: ice tea, little tomatoes, yogurt, a breezer, apples and strawberries. We ate a brunch on this bench located in some park.

Duomo

After eating and putting on some make up we head to see Milan. Again with our backpacks on. We went to this Plaza Duomo and its cathedral. :) The cathedral looked magical and had guards on the main entrance to check your bags before going in. They didn't allow us to go in with our huge bags. :D Then we wanted to see this other sightseeing castle called Castanello Sforzesco. It had this big inner court outdoors where we ended up putting up a picnic.. Just when we had our apples and strawberries and stuff out it started raining and we didn't want to move. All the other people there run inside but not us. Then it became cold and we started our way back to the plaza duomo where we were supposed to meet Stefano. Well he was late, a lot! We sat in front of these expensive jewellery shops looking like we didn't have a place to go.

Video (hopefully it works..) :

Stefano had told us that we could spend a night at his place, or well he still lived with his parents but he had the whole downstairs for him. He finally picked us up with his car and we drove to his place. We saw this big tent in his living room... Pretty quickly it lightened up to us that we were going to sleep in the tent on a stone floor. His mom made us traditional italian food which was really good. First we ate pasta and after that the meat. They don't mix them up. Then we tasted some italian cheeses. We had rose wine with the food! :) 

At the Latin bar with the boys

Then we head out to this hang around bar with Stefano's friends and had a good time there talking to people we didn't know. Also Lucas from London hostel came out with us. :) Then we went to this really really tiny bar, it was so tiny people hang outside of this bar. That was someones birthday party where we were offered shots and beer. Then the boys asked us whether we wanted to go to this "normal" bar or this latin bar with latin music and dance. Luca tried to teach us how to dance, tried.. :D All the other girls there were wearing these tiny clothes and high heels. I had nike's shoes on.. We drank a lot of beer, a lot! Back at Stefano's my night was terrible. The stone floor, it was cold and I didn't find anything without the light from my phone which wasn't in the tent with me! The next morning Stefano took us to the train station and I was feeling absolutely terrible....! I couldn't move and barely could carry my backpack.. Saija had fun laughing at me.. We were on the train heading towards Verona! 

First night in Milan, finally we got a room

Parking in Milan

Thrown out of the hostel..

Castanello Sforzesco

Sightseeing..