Milan: The good, the bad, and the...gorgeous hair?!

So this weekend I went to Milan. I couldn't find a travel buddy, so I went on my own. Why did I choose this specific weekend to go, when I probably could have found someone to go with another time? For one very good reason! (Keep reading!) I'm usually very confident when it comes to these things, so traveling alone was not a problem. I left Rome Saturday morning and got to Milan late afternoon. First, I figured out how the Metro worked and found the Hostel I was staying at for the night. The employees were very friendly and the room wasn't too bad! They told me that I would be staying with two others, who hadn't arrived yet. They gave me a map, and I was on my way!

The Metro was so easy - there were three lines (red, green, and yellow) and I felt comfortable with getting around the city that way. I went to the Duomo and walked around the area for a while. I was surprised to see that there were these huge billboards and projector screens on the side of the Duomo!

I was a little clueless about what to do with myself (and by myself) at that hour, so I stayed around that area for a while. In the Piazza of the Duomo, there was this "Rock 'n' Music" exhibit, and since I had nothing better to do, I decided to check that out (plus, I got a discount because I'm a student!). I really don't know why it was there, but inside there was memoribilia from American and British bands! I know a few friends who would have LOVED this!

After the exhibit, I walked around a little more, bought myself a gelato, and headed back to the Hostel. Just a few minutes after I arrived, my roommates for the night also got in. They were two students who were studying abroad in France for the year, but in Italy for the week. We bonded immediately and they took me out with them, to meet up with some of their other friends. One of the American girls from their school knew an Italian girl who lived in Milan, so I met her and some of her friends. I practiced my Italian with them and told them I live with Americans and go to an American school, so I never get to speak Italian! It was SO GREAT to be able to speak Italian!! I feel that in Rome, once someone knows you don't speak Italian, they try to speak English with you. But I found in Milan that whenever I was ordering something or asking a question, even if it wasn't 100% correct, the people would answer me IN Italian.

*Picture of new friends in Milan will be up, once I get it from them!*

It was just really great. My hostel roommates are at a French University and have French roommates, so they are getting total immersion. It would be so nice to have some Italian friends at the school - but it's strange. They all have their own cliques and I've never felt very welcomed by them. So it was nice to actually talk to Italians who wanted to talk to me!

After a fun night, we got home late, but got to set our clocks back an hour! Sunday morning, I packed everything up and went to the Bar downstairs to get a free breakfast. I met Michele, a young woman from New Zealand, but now teaches in England. We talked for quite some time, then we headed to the train station (Centrale). I was going to Lake Como and she wanted to check out the train schedules for the next day. So we exchanged emails and went our separate ways!

I got a noon train to Lake Como - it took about 40 minutes or so to get there. And once I arrived, I again had no idea what I was going to do! I found the center of the city and the beautiful lake! I ate lunch on the side of the lake and decided to take a ferry ride, which went for an hour. It didn't go all the way up the lake, but there were definitely beautiful views. The houses on the side of the hills were amazing. It was hazy from a distance, but up close, the colors were great.

So after the ferry ride, I walked around the lake, took some more pictures - I was feeling great. The weather was beautiful and I was so proud of myself for getting around and being able to communicate and ask questions if I needed to. I got back to Milan around 4pm, so I was hoping to catch the Metro, and do a walking tour past the Santa Maria delle Grazie (where Da Vinci's Last Supper is housed), Pinocoteca di Brera, go inside the Duomo, walk down Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II...I had plenty of time!

Now here's where things changed a little. I got off the subway at the Duomo stop, was going to get inside, but needed to get my bag checked first. So I take my bookbag off, and see that my bag was already opened. I thought 'Oh. No. My wallet.' So I'm digging through every pocket in my bookbag - and sure enough, no wallet. I was calm for a little while, hoping it dropped out on the way from the Metro to the Duomo in the Piazza somewhere and it would still be there. But then I went into Panic Mode. Was I robbed?! I tried to stay composed, I talked to the officers in the Metro, who told me to find the police. I found them in the Piazza, tried to explain, but couldn't in Italian. Luckily a few of them spoke English, so I was able to explain the situation. I called my dad, so that he could cancel the credit card (I probably scared my grandma and aunt, since that's who he was with at the time!), which he did immediately (thank you).

I just couldn't understand how it happened - but then it hit me. I DID hear something drop, right when I was getting off the Metro. I heard some coins fall, too...but didn't think it was me, because I wasn't holding any and didn't have any in my pockets. And the ENTIRE time I was on that Metro, I thought something was up. We were all crammed in and I felt a little weird. I kept looking behind at the people that were there. Then right as the doors opened, I heard the coins drop, but figured it was someone behind me. Now, what I'm so confused about, is if someone DID open my bag and steal it, why didn't anyone SEE that?! There were a lot of people, but not enough that someone wouldn't have seen it happen. And if I was walking from the Metro to the Duomo with my bag half open, why didn't anyone tell me?! Thanks, residents and visitors to the Duomo!

I'm not even sure why I had my wallet in that part of the bookbag, I knew it wasn't a safe place for it to be. I must have just thrown it in there quickly when I was getting a Metro ticket or something, because I usually keep it in another pocket, where it just can't fall out like that. Now I could beat myself up over this; I could bang my head against a wall and say 'stupid me, stupid me!' - but then I would just have lots of bruises and a headache. That would be no fun! I did get teary eyed when talking to the police. I was more disappointed in myself that it happened. A couple of my roommates and other friends from school have had their wallets stolen, and I kept thinking 'Wow, I'm glad it's not me. I'm glad I'm responsible for my actions and belongings.' So when this happened, I just kept thinking about how dumb I was! Maybe it's like a rite of passage or something - when you come to Italy, you lose your wallet and learn from it.

I was so excited to come back home and blog about what a fantastic time I had, how I managed to stay safe and happy, and do it all by myself - like a big girl! But you know what, these things happen. I'm very safe and aware of my surroundings, but even the best fall down sometimes (isn't that a song?). Yeah, I'm upset that it happened. Although, I think I'm more upset that I lost my favorite fortunes (yep, from the cookies), which I kept in there to keep me going through each day. ;P

Thankfully, I didn't have my passport and my train ticket back to Rome in there. So I lost some money, my Vera Bradley wallet (it was SO out of style anyway ;), and NJ driver's license (who knows why that was in there to begin with - all my fault!). Someone I met on the train back home said 'money comes and goes' and my IDs and wallet can be replaced.

Okay, now it's time for Gillian's IMPORTANT LESSON of the week: You can't dwell on these stupid things for too long. It is okay to feel sad and sorry for yourself, especially when something traumatic happens that could have been controlled. I wasn't even sure if I was going to blog about this because I was so embarrassed and disappointed, but I realized that it IS a fact of life - it happened and I'm going to move on. I do stupid things every day of my life, but I get over it. In the past few years, I've rear ended another car, lost my ipod, lost many credit cards, messed up the words when singing in front of people, failed a test.... these things happen. I always learn, but even though it has happened once, it could still happen again. Yes, even if I was robbed or if it fell out on it's own, I could have been more careful. BUT, I do not believe in the 'would-a, could-a, should-as' in life. When you do that, you just dig yourself a hole, which you won't be able to get out of later. I thought maybe if someone were with me it wouldn't have happened - but you know what? Maybe it still would have. Can't look back now!

So, I lost some personal things and some money - but hey, at least the Italian police love me! ;P

Now I hope you're still reading, because this is the best part! The reason I came to Milan! And no, it wasn't to lose my wallet and share that important lesson with you!

Teatro alla Scala in Milan is one of the world's most famous opera houses. I was hoping to get to see Le Nozze di Figaro, but I found something better. (This will be Mr. Eley's favorite part, for sure!)

Anne Sofie von Otter. A Swedish mezzo-soprano, who is one of my vocal role models. Thank GOD I had my ticket reservation printed and NOT in my wallet. I picked up my ticket at the box office and I was able to be seated by 7:30. I had wanted to walk around Milan earlier, see some more things - but this was what I had really come for. I love listening to my favorite sopranos and watching their YouTube clips for inspiration, motivation, and technique, but to be able to see one of them live (and so close!) was going to be incredible - and it was.

The theatre was beautiful. I was supposed to sit in the chair on the left (see below), but I ended up being in the box alone! (I can DEFINITELY think of a few friends who would have loved to be there!) So I moved to the seat on the right, which was directly facing the stage. And that program cost 5 euros. Luckily, I wasn't COMPLETELY broke. I did have some money in my back pocket - phew.

Ms. von Otter came out with her accompanist, Bengt Forsberg, and started singing Serenad by Lars-Erik Larsson. I was already so emotional from everything that had happened earlier in the evening, and when she started to sing, I got all teary again. It was amazing to be that close, to be able to see her expressions, her breath intake, her posture, movement - everything. She was wearing this colorful, flowing, patterned dress. (I took notes, I may steal it for my senior recital next semester.) :P I loved it. She wasn't dressed in a beautiful ballgown. It was still elegant, yet quirky. The second half began with a duet for piano and cello. Now here's where the "gorgeous hair" part of my title comes in. The cellist, Svante Henryson, had the most beautiful, long, blonde hair. I tried to take a picture. The duet was so fun. Eckency, by the cellist himself! Then both men continued playing, when Ms. van Otter came back on and started singing, dressed in a black button down shirt, black pants, and shiny black shoes. The second half featured Ennio Morricone's The Ballad of Sacco and Vanzetti, Part 2, Slap that bass by George Gershwin, and Bewitched, bothered, and bewildered (my new favorite Richard Rodgers song). She had such a good time with the upbeat, crazy songs. I'm not really sure if taking pictures of the performers is "illegal" or not, but I only took a couple, to show how close I was! (But really, just to show off her dress...and his hair...)

She came back out for an encore, an Italian song that I didn't recognize. And for her second encore, she came out and said (in Italian, which I understood perfectly!), 'I'm sorry we didn't have more Italian songs, but I do have one more. From the movie "Il Postino."' (everyone aww-ed) I'm a huge Josh Groban fan and know of one song featured on his Closer album from "Il Postino" (an Italian film I Netflixed this summer!) and sure enough, she sang Mi Mancherai (I'll miss you). It was perfect. Then I cried again.

Hey, Mr. Eley, can she count as my seven performances for next semester? ...just kidding. ;)

So I was afraid I was going to miss the train - and I didn't book another night in the hostel. (Again, just thank goodness I had already bought this train ticket and it wasn't in my wallet!) The recital was just a little over two hours, so I had plenty of time to make it back to the station. It was an overnight train. Across from me, sat a young man from Malta, who spoke English, Italian, and like three other languages! I practiced some Italian with him too, then tried to sleep. It was going to be about a seven hour overnight train - and it was soo uncomfortable. But somehow I managed! I got back to the apartment around 8:30 this morning. And blogged for two hours! I'm just very thankful I made it back. Stupid things happen, but really great things happen, too.

Thanks for reading everyone. My parents are coming on Friday! I won't blog until this weekend, when they're here. Then we'll be heading to Naples, Florence, Pisa, Venice. I might bring my computer, just so I can upload my pictures at the end of each day - I know there are going to be so many and I definitely won't have enough room on my memory cards for all of them!

Lots of love. Amore.
xo G