Can some describe Milan for me?

[Bumperlicious]

Ok, this is a bit random, but I am doing NaNoWriMo and my main character has just gone to Milan (to chase a terrorist suspect if you must know!) but I've never been. Can someone who has try describing it a bit for me?

Is it industrial?
What are the buildings like?
What are the people like?
What are the rich/poor areas?
What would the weather be like in the spring?

Many thanks in advance

My daughter has been there a few times, as she says it's like Birmingham, and a lot less glam than we all would think.

The buildings are like you'd get in any major city - ancient churches, very high-class shopping areas and working-class poorer areas. The area around the Duomo is very nice but equally there are some areas where tramps doss down.

There's a castle there, opera houses and an eccentric metro system (it was 'on strike' when I went but the trains still ran) but everything in the city centre is in walking distance unless you need to hike across to catch a train to Switzerland or somewhere. Birmingham is quite a good description now I think of it.

I went in May and it pissed down most of the time re the weather - it was better weather in the UK that week.

Fog often a factor - many flights in/out of the city delayed because of it.

My experience is based mainly on airport - city centre - airport. Outskirts of city fairly charmless and industrial with little individual architectural merit. City centre is more interesting/lively, though historic/tourist area quite small but that is where many old/charming buildings are.

Perhaps (?) fair to say Milan is the big city in Italy with the least to offer tourists - unless you are there to shop designer stores. Also doesn't have the same natural physical beauty/setting as Rome, Venice, etc.

Agree with Boffinmum. I went there with a friend for a girly weekend. The Duomo is quite atmospheric in a bleak way, but there was not much else of interest around. There were a few expensive cafes and designer stores, but not pleasant to have a wander. It certainly wasn't romantic or characterful.

You need to ask FrancaGoesToHollywood - she's Milanese through and through . Grab her on the Little Italy thread.

Why would you try and write about somewhere you have never been? Are you determined to make writing 50k words as tricky as possible?!

I hated Milan FWIW. Grimy, pollution choked, city with lovely architecture next alongside big commercial areas with all the charm of Piccadily Circus. And it had a very high number of flashers bizarrely. Everywhere we went we seemed to have some bloke keen to show us his bits. Happened about 6 times over 3 days. Very odd.

Italians love getting their bits out. It's practically a national sport over there. One did it to me when I was 7 months pregnant! And on another occasion on the same holiday, the hotel manager had a quick wank in the next room by the (shared) balcony windows wilst looking at me sunbathe in my pregnant state in a bikini. I was disgusted but strangely flattered at the same time. Sorry, this hasn't got a lot to do with sightseeing in Milan!

Boffin, sounds like we have had similar experiences in Italy!! My ex-boss was a convicted flasher. One of his neighbours came and broke into my apartment at siesta time, got his willy out & expected me to sleep with him!! I also got flashed at by some cretin on a train once. In quite a busy compartment he got his todger out, started having a wank whilst muttering "she's scared, she's scared". So, I think you're right, Italian men do see it as a pastime!!

Sorry Bumperlicious, Birmingham seems a very good comparison for Milan.

BoffinMum.

I thought it was just that hostel we were staying in attracted them like some type of wanker-magnet but it appears not then! One bloke just used to sit at the end of the carpark all day tugging away.....Do these people not have jobs to go to???

Sorry for the slight deviation off topic Bumperlicious..

I went to Milan for 4 months (long time ago) and also got flashed at/exposed/wanked at 4 times in the first 6 weeks! Was weird! Have traveled all over Italy and never happened anywhere else!

Milan is business capital of Italy. Not a great or picturesque tourist location. I'm sure you can find photos on the web. Duomo area is nice.

Also thought it was weird not having big river or coast - like most cities.

Hard to write about in detail if you haven't visited?

This happened at the Hotel Villa Sant' Andrea in Taormina, Sicily. Quite posh, so I don't think this practice is confined to the lower orders, by any means. The other culprit had stationed himself on the steps down the hillside from Taormina down to Mazzaro, where the beach is.

I have just realised whilst typing this the consequence was that it's probably the last time I dared walk through a scenic spot on my own without a chaperone, which is a bit sad really.

rofl

am glad am not only one this happened to... for years have thought I was just unlucky!

sorry to deviate from original topic!

Wow! What an outcome from this thread! We're practically a support group, there are so many of us!!

I wonder what the Italian is for "English men have much bigger todgers than that, you know".

psml Boffin!!

I hadn't read your post when I typed my 'grin' Boffinmum. It is sad that women feel vulnerable when traveling cos of all these w**kers!

No, don't worry, it is quite funny because they are really overgrown teenagers. I know they can't do me any harm really and I should be a bit bolder. The only thing that is stopping me stepping out is my own reaction to it. I might avoid Milan though, from the sound of it!

It's a large town in the north of Italy.

Bumperlicious, are you going to have wankers in your book now, seeing as Milan's probably the global capital of this sport??

Wow - can I join the 'I've been flashed at in Milan' group. It happened to me the first time I ever went there - some creepy bloke near the hostel we were staying in.
You'll have to get the Milan wankers in there somewhere Bumperlicious!

I would say it is rife throughout Italy. I worked for a polo club in Florence, which was right by the Cascine Park, very beautiful. Full of nutters though. I could be riding (a horse!) through the park and get propositioned. I would think do they want me, the horse, both??

That area is (was?) a known area for prostitutes (many of whom were transvestites). And cottaging. How I used to shock men in the bushes by suddenly approaching on horseback!

Acually, it was pretty fucked up and scary sometimes. never did I drive back to my place at night without being followed by some nutcase. I used to have to drive round for ages to try & get rid of them. And, a poor girl (on holiday from the Czech Republic) got gang raped by 3 of the blokes who worked there one night.

Sorry, i love Italy, it's just talking about Italy coupled with flashers has brought that back to me!

Sorry bumperlicious. Milan has some nice shops. Some of the architecture is stunning. Surrounded by huge industrial areas.

Mutt, I was going to make a flippant comment like 'I am sure that can be arranged' but then I read about the gang rape. That is truly awful. Rindercella, did they go to prison, do you know? Did this happen in the polo club??