Italy: Cosmopolitan life in Milan

There was a hate I got for Milan because it ruined my 20th birthday somehow. But wait, 2 years has passed and that hate has become a love affair. Still counting how many times I have visited the city but wrapped up at number 4. There the story goes from ‘once upon a time, she made Milan as one of her stops during her hitchhiking trip’. The image of an Italian guy asking me sex in exchange for 100 CHF was still in my mind and that was how I entered Italy, and to be more specific, entering Milan. But that won’t be the story of Milan, will it? Absolutely not because it has something that fascinates me so much that brings me back again and again.

Surely, 2 years ago I would say something else about Milan. Dirty, overpriced, too ‘Cosmopolitanic’! Well, none of those has changed but the image of the city certainly has been different in my mind. If you look closely, you will find Milan not a touristic city. And it is not! It is just known by the fashion statement, fashion fairs and famous fashion designers. The shopping street has made so many people crazy about to come here and to tell that ‘hey, I shopped at Milan the other day’. It does look fancy but not different from other cities I have been to. But I believe we all need a bit of the ‘bling-bling’ every now and then, and of course, that Cosmopolitan lifestyle.

Sometimes I think I should be a better tourist because I have a blog to manage but I hardly mention a tourist attraction and same with photos. In the end, I should not give a damn about that because there are enough blogs out there doing that job and my job is to enjoy the short-period life of each city could offer. However, I was doing that right, especially there in Milan. After the 4th visit, I haven’t crossed any places that are in the list ‘Top 10 places to visit in Milan’. Duomo is still standing there gorgeously waiting for me to have a good shot but it never works out because of the amount of people standing on that square could not do good for my photos anyway. So I gave up and enjoyed my time in Milan as a non-tourist.

When I say there is so much to see, what I mean is the lifestyle. It could be the thing that fascinates me the most about this place, the living is Italian but not as much Italian as it seems. I won’t define it because I might turn it into stereotyping. People are busy glamouring up themselves to chase the image of a Cosmopolitan, but nevertheless having a moment to enjoy their Milanese lives. Whatever people do or work during the day will wrap up in an Aperitivo dinner. Just like other Milanese or Italian in general, I do enjoy my Aperitivo evening just as much. I mean, it is cool to dine out and you don’t have to pay so much but can stuff your face with the buffet. I have to mention that a drink is included, too. For me, I am not fond of the Italian cuisine Aperitivo because it seems quite normal. It would be better if you go to a real Italian restaurant for that though. So then, I decided to spend my evening in a Sushi bar which offers the same concept – buffet and a drink. I might sound weird – eating Sushi in Italy? Am I crazy? But trust me, I am not at all because I bet you might have not known, Milan has the best seafood around here. And why don’t you go for something different rather than the old routine? Italian cuisine is absolute adore but I prefer a change every now and then. And that led me to a Mexican Taco bar called Al Mercato the next night. The variety of tacos there is amazing and each of them is speechlessly good.

It was a little night out with my dear friend Manoela. We are absolutely two foodies and we certainly fell in love with Al Mercato. After finishing our last tacos, getting some tequila shots with a random Italian guy being seated alone at the bar and few chats later, we all went to Armani for a little luxury and maybe a cocktail. Of course, cocktails happened. We were about to call it a night and then:

“Have you checked out the room here? The bedroom is absolutely gorgeous and I would love to see you two in bed touching each other”.

I might have gotten into my friend’s nerve but not mine. “How could we say that we are not interested? We don’t look for guys, sorry!”

Shock? Yes!
Scared? For sure not. It was not my first time facing an Italian guy and talking about sex. I was asked to have sex in exchange for money, I got harassed while hitchhiking, so maybe that was a bit more gentleman of him to ask.

He was a Milanese guy having a successful business in the city. His English is incredibly good so I was sure he could understand me just fine. The only thing I had to question myself again – Are all Italian men like that? I was in Milan, not holding a cardboard on the road. And he was a charming guy, not a truck driver. What is going on?

Cosmopolitan huh. Maybe we need to have to rewind to define it all over again.

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