How has it been so long since the last update? How did November suddenly take off on Hermes' sandals and fly across the calendar? Has it been this way for everyone or just those of us here in Athens? I had the exciting adventures of a school essay and a visit from Williams College friend KS in which we re-did everything I've already taken pictures of, so there hasn't been a whole lot of news, but ne'er an unhappy moment, as per usual around here. Not a whole lot of sleep either, though, thus the use of words such as "ne'er".
Other News: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt.1 premiered a whopping 16 hours earlier in Athens than it did in the United States, and I saw it twice over the weekend because I loved it that much. I'm not talented enough yet to sustain watching a movie in Modern Greek, but fortunately for me and all the other American students, the Greeks don't believe in dubbing their films, but only using subtitles, so there were no language barriers to surmount!
Today, however, an update! And with good reason. I boarded a plane today for the first time since arriving in Greece on August 30, and landed in Milan, Italy just a few short hours ago! This is only the first (very short) leg in a (very busy) multi-part trip, that will also include Florence with Miss Dottie (for those of you who know her) and Rome. Quite a lot to squeeze into our "Thanksgiving" vacation, one whole day longer than our normal weekend. I took today off (with permission) to get a little more time.
My first thought about Italy as we descended far enough below the clouds to see the countryside of Northern Italy was how appropriate it was that this country should be so culturally artistic. The agricultural fields from above are much smaller, less square - more polygonal, and much more colorful than any I'd seen on a flight before, giving the effect that I was looking down upon a stained glass window of a large, beautiful agricultural landscape. A very impressive first glance!
I arrived just as the sun was setting and thus have yet to see Milan in the daylight (that's why this post has no pictures, unfortunately. I took a few, but they aren't very good. Trying again tomorrow.) I didn't want to go straight to the hostel after landing though, just because it was dark outside, so I got off the bus at Milan Centrale Train Station and just started walking anywhere that seemed bright and well-populated. This worked much better than I thought it would as I first ran across a large flea market of sorts, then found a lovely little restaurant/cafe where I had dinner, a fabulous Tortellini ai Corciofi (Tortellini with Artichoke Sauce). I also ordered a Hot Chocolate because, while it may still be 72 degrees Fahrenheit in Athens, it's only 44 degrees in Milan. Fortunately, I brought a jacket and tights!
Hot Chocolate in Italy is not what we Americans consider "Hot Chocolate", however, as I quickly discovered to my delight, but is in fact Drinking Chocolate. Now, Hot Chocolate is a powder, usually blended with hot milk or water and stuffed with marshmallows, whipped cream and, if the restaurant is classy, cinnamon. Drinking Chocolate is more like a melted Godiva Dark Chocolate Truffle mixed with cream and whole milk. You can imagine my delight when they brought that out. I had to eat it with a spoon and finish it before dinner so that it wouldn't congeal into one large truffle-in-a-cup before I could finish it, though that would have tasted good, too!
After dinner, I kept walking the streets a little, noting where I was in case the streets suddenly became residential as they are apt to do in Athens, and marking metro stations as I passed them, when lo and behold I turned a corner and THERE, right in front of me was the central street of Milan's World-Famous Fashion District! Knits of Cashmere and Lamb's Wool, so finely woven it feels like you're wearing a cloud of warm air, so soft you might as well be petting a puppy, and lovely enough to match some of the art in their museums. Brand names, no names, big stores and holes-in-the-wall, this street had everything, and it was all lit up bright enough to be a Christmas display. I didn't get to do much shopping because a) one look in every window was enough to remind me how poor college students really are and b) it was already 8:00pm when I got there and 'lit up' does not equal 'open' around here. Still, I got to go into several stores of differing varieties (though rather similar prices) and talk to a lot of clerks about the different types of fabrics and cuts on garments in style right now. When I get back to school, I am going to listen to ever piece of sewing advice Barb and the new assistant can give me, and beg so hard for a tutorial with them next semester. If you're reading this, Barb (or any other witnesses), please hold me to this promise! I want to know how to recreate these beautiful things!
By this point it really was getting late, so I took the metro to the Hostel, which I found without much difficulty. It's not in a bad part of town, and it really is right on the metro. The plan is to wake up tomorrow morning at 6:30, be out the door at 7, with the sun, make my way to the Duomo Cathedral for pictures and walk around for an hour and a half or so, generally back towards the train station so I can pick up breakfast at a little cafe and be on the train to Florence by 9:30 tomorrow morning! I'm not as tired as I thought I would be and I think I'm in for the night as everything seems pretty closed right now, so this may actually happen. Will let you know tomorrow anyway. As long as I have internet, I will be posting every night through Sunday. Then I'll worry about the essay due Tuesday. And NaNoWriMo (in that order, Mom and Dad!).
Καληνύχτα and Buonanotte!
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