Day 90...Well I've been a long way from Milan to... - 24th September

Got up early, packed up and headed straight for the InterMilan stadium to see if we could score tickets for this afternoons Sunday game. It was closed and the scalpers were trying to tell us it was sold out, but we blew them off and waited. We ducked into a supermarket and grabbed some groceries for breakfast (after discovering Italians don't do breakfast at their cafes and Mickey-D's was closed). The Italians shop like they drive. Chaotic zooming trolleys - I got wacked so many times with my basket!

We ate outside the stadium and Nate ducked in when it opened. There were plenty of tickets left. The time before the game we used to get accomodation (we were going to leave Milan if we didn't get football tickets). So we drove to the city centre to the TIC at Piazza del Duomo. I ran in and booked a place that was cheapr than last night (marginally) and was close to the stadium. Don't the Milanese do budget? Apparently not. The hotel was pretty nice too, for a 1 star. It had breakky included, a lovely modern looking room and a freaky bathroom that reminded us of airplane toilets. Very squishy.
Booking accomodation took up a bit of our time, so after we arrived at the hotel we walked straight to the stadium.

It was a pretty hot day in the sun, so we walked slowly and took in the sights. The buildings were tired and covered in graffiti. In any other place it would feel like the bad neighbourhood. But well dressed people were wandering around and no hobos were in sight. Unlike Spain, which also had crappy buildings, your 'safe' radar didn't go berko at all. We remarked on the dodgy surroundings but safe feeling. It all depends doesn't it?

We got to the stadium - which was huge by the way! It had big spiral staircaise/ramps as features and the whole place was bustling with activity. Not sold out though - dodgy scalpers! The game was InterMilan vs Chievo (a team which is quite low in the rankings). The fan section of the stadium was packed - and they were going rank! Chant after chant, they were all in sync and kept it up for the entire match. Not one break. They had several guys with megaphones and one set of loud speakers egging them on. Plus a guy with a drum. I've never seen anything like it! One whole end of the stadium was moving its handings or jumping up and down all at the same time. At the start of the match they exploded a whole bunch of glitter confetti, and near the end some guy let off a flare. At the other end of the stadium, absolutely surrounded by security - was a small pocket of the Chievo supporters. Hah!
Flags were popular too, and waved with total abandon. And not just InterMilan flags either, we saw a few English flags and stuff being waved around.

Nathan is to write on the match: "... "




Nikki:
The Italians are a lively bunch with lots of yelling and arm flapping. We had a really enjoyable time. Walking home, we discussed what we saw and were really plelased. Had a quick shower and headed out for dinner. A quick subway ride away we tried near the main tourist bit of Piazza del Duomo. Milan doesn't seem to have a main area. We looked up restaurants and bars and they are all spread out over the city, with no clumps of them anywhere. The Piazza del Duomo had a big duomo(chuch) there (big surprise). It was under renovation though, and covered in scaffolding. That's the story of our travels for 2006 "scaffolding round the world" - now sing that to the tune of the South Park song for Russel Crowe "fight round the world". haha.

The area didn't look like what we were after, so we headed via subway to a steet recommended by Lonely Planet that was supposed to be filled with trattorias. We didn't even find one bloody restaurant, let alone the 'whole strip' they were claiming. So after lots of walking, we were not pleased so headed quickly back to the Piazza as it was getting late. And they were all closing up! At 9pm! Only one let us in, but we had to be rejects and sit up in the top floor with another couple. They didn't have any A/C and it was so hot! We got cooked along with our dinner! We had a wine though to celebrate our 1/2 time day today! Today is pretty much exactly half way through our trip. Its good that we've still got so much to go, and that we've seen so much already. Its also bad as we are half done! More I say!

We headed for bed and I couldn't sleep as there were a few mozzies in the room. That wasn't the problem - it was Nate. He kept switching the light on and leaping around the room like a maniac with pillows and towels trying to attack them and calling them dirty poofters. I couldn't stop laughing. I wonder how he'll be in Kenya.



PS the Milan boys are really hot. I've been stopped in my tracks a few times, and that never happens for me. (and no, they're not gay either).