Full of Surprises: Milan-oh! Sarah Sunday, June 07, 2015

Since stepping off the train station of Milan, we knew we were in for a treat. It was the best and most beautifully designed station we've been to to date and we figured as the renown fashion capital, the standard must be higher here compared to the rest of Italy. Taking a taxi to our bed and breakfast, the environment of Milan reminded me a lot of New York. Modern buildings situated close together, stylish apartments and pedestrians, chic architect, and an overall "cool" feel to the city. Yes, it totally felt like a city. Perhaps we were use to being in and seeing relatively ancient and historic cities, but Milan felt refreshing to the eyes and comfortable-like a metropolitan area back home.

We stayed in a more residential area known as Porto Victoria and I would recommend it without a doubt. The area was safe, had easy access to downtown, and great food options nearby. In fact, I had the best pasta in Milan (and Italy) at a place called Eat Pasta (so original right?!-sometimes simplicity is all you need). My ravioli was handmade sunflower shaped, flavourful, fresh, and served up at a great price! My friends had a prawn and shrimp fettuccine dish that was loaded with plump seafood-so worth the 12 Euros! We also had amazing service and some sample dishes courtesy of the chef too-so impressive!

Prior to arriving Milan and even before starting our trip, we heard there wasn't much to do in Milan so we didn't expect much, but this lack of expectation definitely worked to our favour as Milan ended up being full of surprises. With the World Expo in town, we didn't even consider going at first. However, our accommodation host highly recommended it and since it was only 5 Euros after 7 pm, it was worth checking out. Besides this deal, the Cirque Du Soleil had created an exclusive show for the expo known as ALLAVITA! so if anything, that was the best incentive and reason to go. For 35 Euros (~$50 Cad) for the first come first serve front section seats, you be missing out big time if you said no to this exclusive show (don't worry you don't need to go too early to snatch a good spot, its a pretty good watch everywhere you sit).

The first night we checked out Armani Prive for the sake of checking out a prestigious club owned by Armani Exchange. Turns out, the crowd was a much older business demographic (hence the 20 Euro minimum for drinks) and it was quite dead at 11:30pm so we decided to venture elsewhere. Upon prodding one of the employees there, my friend found out that the "scene" was actually at a few other places so we took a cab ride to Just Cavalli, an outdoor club party created by Roberto Cavalli, a fashion designer. I'm not anything of a club/party scene person, but I thought it was really smart for these designers to host these grand events and parties or name clubs after them as its such a smart marketing strategy and way of getting their name out to people who don't buy their clothes. All in all, it was definitely a one of a kind experience you wouldn't get back home and if you are into this kind of scene, it be neat for you to check out.

Day 2

Inside the Duomo

As with most of our destinations, our second day was filled up with exploring the main attractions and meandering downtown Milan. The Duomo is probably that most well known icon of the city and it felt very Gothic, yet pure at the same time as it's made of a white marble stone (fun fact: it is the second largest in the world!). The famous Galleria of luxurious brand names is also at this piazza and though nothing is within reasonable pricing for my budget, taking photos in there was all I needed as the building is stunning itself. We also went to the opera building La Scala, to see if we could catch a tour, but maybe because it was a Sunday it wasn't open? or else you needed to book ahead of time so we didn't get to see much besides the exterior.

Inside Galleria

Its funny how excited we became for the World Expo when initially we could care less about it. So a little background info, the expo happens every few years and started when London use to host their annual World Fairs for different countries to showcase their latest technologies, inventions, etc. back in the 1800s. Today, each expo has a different theme and different cities hosts it-similar to the system of Olympics. It's interesting because I wasn't aware of these expos until I heard of the one in held in Shanghai back in 2010 as there was a lot of marketing around it. Following that, it so happened that there was one two years ago in Korea when I was still an exchange student there, but despite the interest, I didn't have the chance to check it out. Thankfully, I finally had the opportunity to see what this expo is all about-unexpectedly too!

The World Expo felt like a global size heritage days with each country having their own uniquely designed pavilion to showcase the best of what the country has to offer, a food cart/stall/restaurant and maybe even a souvenir shop for you to take a piece of that country home with you. It was cool to run around and take photos with all these different places and feel like we were trekking the globe within a few steps! "Lets go there, no let's go there!" Though, we were on a time crunch as we had to catch our Cirque show at 9pm so I do recommend spending a whole evening or two checking out all the exhibits because there's just so many. And since it's only 5 Euros after 7pm, going multiple evenings is definitely more worth it than the 39 Euros for one full day. However, some country's exhibits are also quite popular than others and you have to wait in line for access whereas others you can just go straight through. Also, some exhibits close early so that was the downside of an evening pass.

This years' theme was on the focus of food, from the consumption and waste of it to the cultural dynamics of food. It was a very neat experience to be reminded of the cycle of food and the awareness brought forth in conserving and sustaining our availability of food into the future generations. The Cirque show brought forth an abstractly visual performance of this reality, and speaking of which, I can't express how much I was in awe! I love theatre and artistry, so this show brought forth my inner joy. To top it off, we were also able to catch the light and fountain show at the giant led light tree towards the center of the exhibition (I think it happens every night)!

Well with every high there are bound to be some lows, so here are a few downsides of Milan to be aware of:

1. train and metro platforms are confusing so plan ahead and give yourself more time when navigating the transportation system, especially to and from the Expo as you can easily get onto the wrong train due to the lack of information

2. For the Expo, if you didn't buy tickets in advance, the ticket booths are actually in the train system so make sure to grab them before exiting as once you get to the entrance of the Expo, you go through security and are expected to have your ticket. Save time and get your tickets once you get off the platform and before exiting the station. We didn't know this due to a lack of signage and had to go back into the train station-though it wasn't a long wait since it was later in the evening

Never Forgotten: Venice Sarah Tuesday, June 02, 2015

Stepping from the train platform, I didn't truly embrace Venice for what it was. In hindsight, I had just stepped forth onto a place with bodies of water all around. Across from me was an old run down line up of buildings almost side by side with barely there alleys with water buses (aka boats) going back and forth along the Grand Canal. Quite a sight for the eyes, but being tired and wanting to find what direction we were headed in asap, I lacked the enthusiasm to fully experience my initial "aha!" moment with this city.

For as long as I could remember, Venice was my dream city. I had thoughts of saving the prospect of travelling here for a wondrous or special moment, like a honeymoon, or a big girl trip moment. I guess the latter came true, but perhaps it was thinking that Venice was ultra expensive or a nearly impossible place to travel to, that the chance would be far far away. I was a bit overwhelmed and excited to be in Venice. My emotions didn't truly show, possibly due to being tired or also realizing that all the hype I had growing up didn't fully match what I had perceive Venice to be.

Now this sounds anti climatic, but sometimes you dream and foreshadow a place to be a certain way for so long (due to the pictures you see or all the hype up talk you hear about it), and then your expectations ends up falling short. Don't get me wrong, Venice was an amazing city, but different than how I had always had imagined it to be. Maybe the weather threw us off as it rained the second day, or realizing how ineffective the city can be when the water buses go on strike (which did happen on our second day), or losing electricity our first night... all in all, Venice will never be forgotten.

Purchasing a 48 hour (there are various duration of passes you can choose from) Venice card for 30 Euros is definitely more worth it than paying 7 Euros each time. Though you may think you will take less trips than the cost of a card, do factor in the chances of hopping on a wrong boat, being at the wrong platform, and scanning in at the wrong time. The card allows for human error and as its unlimited use, you won't have to worry about mistakes! Good thing we were able to make some quality uses out of it the first day as like I said earlier, the water buses went on strike during our second day there. Apparently the drivers don't make that much as some people don't pay when they get on and so its actually a smart move to get the government to act upon it as the city can't function effectively without the water buses.

The first day we got an unintentional tour down the Grand Canal while heading to San Marco Piazza and the Basilica. After seeing so many cathedral, they start resembling each other and it gets less interesting, but it was fun just to frolic, explore hidden alleyways, and chase after pigeons as you can see me doing in the photo below. St. Mark's Campanile (the bell tower) is also in this square, and pardon my lack of knowledge, but it's not until now as I'm writing this blog that I just realized that's what that tower was and how it's a recognized symbol of Venice; I guess tourist attractions are only as popular as you are made aware of them... harhar.

As with our luck, half of the Rialto Bridge was under construction when we were passing through the Canal, so no decent photo was captured, but just having a ride down the Canal felt charming. A huge tip is to take the #1 water bus after 9pm for a calm and more collected tour to yourself as less people are out and about in the evening (Venice is a very calm city once the sun sets-minor night life!) Also, eat dinner away from the tourist hub-restaurants farther away and those hidden in alleyways have better deals and prices!


Day 2

Though the water buses were on strike (how many times did I say this now?), the minimal amount of service was offered which meant long wait times and having to trek further to find a stop with a water bus running. We had plans to go to the island of Murano and Burano, so from the main train station stop we walked from Fervovia to Fondamente Nove, the port that takes you to those islands. The walk there was a good 30-40 minutes, but there was plenty to see as boutiques, souvenir shops, and even market stalls selling fresh fruits and juices were bountiful.

Venice is known for these intricate "Venetian" masks...hence the name, which I didn't realize-duh! 

Murano is about 20-25 minutes away from Venice and it's known for the glass blowing factories. If you go early enough, apparently you can see the employees at work and making glass art live. Other than the blowing glass, there isn't much to see here so I say one hour is enough. Though due to the strike, waiting for a water bus took longer. From Murano to Burano, it's about an hour ride and they have lots of colourful houses as well as seafood. I didn't find the food exceptional, but once again, we were tired, impatient, and a tad grouchy from the mix mash of waiting and the cool weather making us blue.

Glass helium balloons! So cute!

A giant glass display in Murano

Go-Yield-Stop: Burano

What an a-maze of a city-literally! It's so easy to get lost wandering alleyways and roaming the streets of Venice, but that's what makes it an adventure and a joy to stumble upon hidden gems. That night, we ended it off with over priced drinks at the top of the Hotel Carlton, right across the train station. All in all, Venice was a different, but an unique experience. We rolled with the punches, and left more thrown off than when we started... more on this in the next post!

A Place of Romance: Florence Sarah Sunday, May 31, 2015

Florence for me, hit a romantic soft spot, hence the title of this blog post. The first night warmed my heart to the brim when we were wandering the city and stumbled upon a piazza filled with musicians playing soft accordian beats in front of an arch and a lit up merry go round (the child in me died at the sight of this) filled with happy couples and families. Resembling a low key version of Rome in architecture, but buzzing with an atmosphere of joy and amore, I couldn't help but just want to stand and stare for the the remainder of the night. Good thing I didn't because heading further, we were stopped by the view of the Arno River against the night sky, yellow lit light poles along it, and multitude of people taking selfies to capture this evening moment. Oh and before all this,  I was already jaw dropped seeing a giant cut-out like pink, green, and white marble cathedral structure against the dark sky. Surreal!!

We were actually on our way to where our host recommended as the best Florentine steak in town at a restaurant called Trattoria 4 Leoni, but we were turned away as it was fully booked upon discovery. Not surprised at their popularity, but shocked that it was around 9pm when this happened, we ventured to a restaurant next door instead after making sure to reserve for  lunch booking the next day.

Earlier in the day we had took the bus to "The Mall' to check out the luxury brand outlets an hour outside of Florence. The cost was 10 Euros for a round trip and you can take the bus at the transit station just behind the central train station.  Personally, I still found the prices expensive despite being 40%-70% off, but again these are luxury brands straight from the runway, so if you are a regular customer of such, definitely worth a shot at scoring a good deal. Plus, as a tourist, you can claim the VAT tax back when you leave Europe if you spend $150 or more per receipt. Leaving with nothing for myself, we ventured back to Florence to go to the San Lorenzo Leather Market. It was a joy to bargain and as the market was closing at 7pm, it made it easier to get a markdown (as we know everything is marked up anyways) and as Florence is known for leather, the prices are decent for what you get. Just make sure to get them to do a burn test to ensure that it is real leather and not faux. Also remember to compare prices as most sellers sell similar items and have a price in mind of what you are willing to pay for it, because there's no point bargaining if you aren't going to buy it at the end, and this makes the seller mad as well.


Day 2

The next day we walked all over central Florence. Starting at the Santa Maria Cathedral that left me jaw dropped the night before, we took as many photos as we could amongst the crowd. Lunch was amazing, and though we didn't try the T-bone steak, their signature dish as it was 50 Euros, the beef steak at 25 Euros did the trick and we were so so satisfied! Definitely a must!

Piazza Michelangelo was a farther trek and took a steep set of stairs (sounds worst than it is), but the view will relieve all your complaints if any. Here, you can sight a panoramic view of the red brick Florence roof tops and the dusty yellow buildings. You can even spy the duomo and other attractions as well. As talked about as this view is, it wasn't as busy as the piazza and duomo, probably because its a distance away from it all, so take as much as time as you like enjoying the view and soaking it all in.

The Uffizi Gallery was partly under construction, but there were some artwork outside of the building besides the paintings inside. We decided not to go as the line up was long and saving the money was nice as there was a small gallery adjacent that you can freely walk into. There's also a fake David statue here, the great work of Michaelangelo named after the biblical character. Again, we didn't find the need to see the real thing as though we do appreciate art, seeing a replica version was satisfactory.

The Oblate Library was read about and also recommended to us, but honestly, it is just a library. We went there with high hopes, but today, its still a functioning library. I guess travelling for a while has blurred us of the reality of students studying as we were quite in awe to see people with their heads in between books haha! The building and architecture is quite neat, but other than typical library, there is not much here.

Wandering the streets, there are many unique shops known just to Florence. Many local prints, stationary, and leather goods shops as well as locally designed clothing stores too. I fell in love with one clothing brand that's fairly new to Florence called Flo'reiza and now I have a jacket to show for it when I get home! Apparently some gelato shops in Florence aren't made fresh nor is legit according to our accomodation host, but we were recommended a place called Carapina, which has a few locations around Florence. It was similar in setup to the hidden gem we went to in Rome (lids covering the gelato), but they have some unique flavours and I tried a new favourite combo: mint and pinenut!

Finally, my time in Florence closed with a giant egg yolk of a sunset. Words can't describe how I felt, so these photos will have to show for it and I hope it gives you an allure of the romantic essence of this Italian city.

Italy's Redemption: Cinque Terre Sarah Friday, May 29, 2015

Day 1

Mamma Mia! The change of scenery upon arriving La Spezia was refreshing and tranquil. The buzz and chaotic mobs of tourists in Rome had ran us dry besides the people who tried to scam us at the train station in Rome making us skeptical of much. There are many locals who approach you to help you purchase tickets, find your way, or help themselves to help you with your luggage, but even if they dress the part don't believe them! They will always ask for a tip afterwards and will pester you until they are satisfied. We definitely learnt the hard way falling for this guy who looked like he knew exactly what he was doing only to find out he wasn't an employee at all. It's sad that these Italians think this is their "job" and do this on a daily basis to earn money from tourists so definitely be aware and when in doubt, just figure it out yourself.

We settled into our B&B in La Spezia and headed to the first village for an evening sunset and dinner. staying in La Spezia is pretty convenient as the train is easily accessible to all the villages with the closest one being less then five minutes away. On Sundays, many shops tends to be closed or close early so take note if you do arrive on this day, but on other days of the week, the main square Via La Prione has many Italian and non Italian restaurants, take out places and bakery shops that are very well priced (quite cheap if I say so myself) and delicious. There are also local boutiques as well as international brands like Zara here so if you are up for shopping, you'll be satisfied.

We caught the sunset in time at Riomaggiore (closest village) and our hosts had recommended a scenic spot right above the bar Pie' de Ma' (once you arrive Riomaggiore platform, find the stairs at the corner that leads you onto higher grounds). You will spot the bar overlooking the Almafi Coast, but you don't need to go to the bar (not much food selection and pricey menu in general) for the view, you can just proceed straight ahead and there will be an awesome viewing pointm

We wandered the main street of the village afterwards  and decided on dinner at a grab and go place call Mamma Mia. The anchovy pizza we ordered was made to order and the anchovies were giant and so fresh. I never thought I would enjoy fish on pizza so much! This happened to be a trip advisor recommendation too and their mix calamari was a great selection of squid, cuttlefish, octopus, and lots of anchovies. As it was getting dark, many shops were closing or already closed and in general, places do close early at these villages so we called it a night and took the train back to La Spezia. Just make sure to have the train schedule on you as in the evening delays are common and the trains are much less frequent...you could be waiting up to an hour or longer.

My favourite part so far is the overwhelming and beautiful scent of these small bundles of yellow flowers that grows on trees. It smells like a chrysanthemum white tea concoction to the nose and is so soothing...I need to find out the name, I love the scent so so much!





Day 2

Monterosso 

The next day we started at the farthest village, Monterosso with plans of hiking from here to the next closest village, Vernazza. Our host had told us to skip the middle village, Corniglia as there's not much there compared to the others. Monterosso is definitely my favourite as the colourful village houses line the coast and the beach extends right in front. The little local shops and crafts are also the cutest here. If I had all the luggage space in the world I definitely make one too many purchases as all the decor and household items were handmade and one of a kind. When hiking, there's actually a 7.5 euro fee as the money goes to up keeping this national park. The expected time was two hours from Monterosso to Vernazza and at the time, the other villages were closed so we couldn't hike them even if we wanted to.

Cinque Terre is known for their lemon products

I definitely recommend this hike as it's not only a gorgeous breath taking view that you cant get from training, but it's also a fabulous workout when you've been indulging in too much good food harhar. We saw all types of people hiking from parents and crying babies (crazy) to retirees who were going faster than us. I think my new found hobby is hiking because I had so much fun doing it. Though there is quite a slope at times Cinque Terre is made to be hiked as steps are carved out on the way and overall the path is really easy to follow. We did pretty well seeing that we only took 1.5 hours and only needed some minor pit stops on the way mainly for photo taking.

Looking down at Vernazza during the hike

Spotting Vernazza from above the hill made it feel like a medieval discovery. The colourful buildings looked like Lego blocks and there's a pedway viewpoint at this village that extends out into the coast where you can canoe or catch a boat ride. Vernazza has lots of eateries and restaurants so make sure to compare prices and look at the dishes beings served. I want to say prices are higher the closer you are over looking the coast, but this is also the village with the best view looking out towards the hills, water and Monterosso farther away, so that's a plus.

Manarola

Skipping Corniglia, we trained to Manarola. Not as big as the other villages, but down towards the coast people are sun bathing, swimming and even snorkelling along the giant boulders. One girl told us an octopus had grabbed onto her leg - what a shock that must've been! I also bought wine made in Italy for only 3.5 euros from one shop here. Probably not the highest of quality, but worth a try and a good souvie too. Actually, red and white wine is very cheap in general compared to back home in Canada, but that shouldn't be too much of a shock when Europeans tend to drink with most meals and especially in Italy where they produce so much of it.

Most travellers also tend to take a similar route as we had bumped into people we've seen the night before as well as from one village to the next. It was nice to be able to have a conversation with people you run into as well as share experiences because in Rome people were too caught up with doing their own thing. Cinque Terre and La Spezia truly redeemed Italy for us as though it's still busy with tourists, everyone is more laid back and low key. The locals are friendlier and the atmosphere is much more calm. Good thing we started with Rome because the bar is being set high from now on.