A creative’s postcard in Milan, with no expectations
When I heard I was going to Milan, the only thing I could think of was the famous line of Claudine Barretto’s character, Jenny, in the movie of the same name: “Mahal mo ba ako dahil kailangan mo ako, o kailangan mo ako kaya mahal mo ako?”
To this day, I have yet to know the best answer to that question. Suffice to say, I had zero ideas or expectations for this upcoming trip. I didn’t expect anything specific, to be honest, which I’m finding out, more and more, is a good way to approach new experiences.
For someone who graduated with a European Studies degree, I felt like I knew surprisingly little about Europe.
The romance of not knowing
Most people don’t sing praises about Milan, especially as a primary destination in Europe—or Italy, even—so I wasn’t expecting much. Still, I was just excited. I’d never been there before, so for me, it was a new city. Also, it was somewhere I was being sent to for work, another first for me! I was very excited and in awe of the circumstances of this trip. I was so excited and in disbelief that I missed my connecting flight in Istanbul.
After dealing with that expensive mistake—emotionally, physically, and financially—I readied myself to meet Milan.
Eyes with a built-in filter
The color in Milan is different. It felt like I was looking at the world with eyes that had their own built-in filter. It almost always looked like magic hour, adding romance to everything I saw. Even the traffic became bearable, even beautiful.
I had no set itinerary for this trip, knew very little about the city, and I was ready to just go with the flow. I think that attitude made my Milan experience different from the others.
I came with a group that had already planned many activities for us, and it helped me orient myself a bit around the city. It felt like the perfect first-timer’s guide to Milan. With that covered, I was able to let myself wander and be more curious.
In three words, I can sum up the experience into food, fashion, and architecture (sana “f” din).
Milan’s unmissable saffron risotto
I personally have never had very much luck in just trying a random restaurant while walking around, and it being good. My partner, on the other hand, hasn’t missed. We would walk around, pick a spot whenever we’re hungry and or tired, and have delicious food. It could be his luck, but perhaps the food in Milan is just that good.
Special mentions are saffron risotto (which Milan is known for), cannoli, and—dare I say—the best coffee in the world.
The stores were special, too. They were thoughtfully designed, even down to the furniture and fixtures. The people in the shops were nice, and not once did I feel pressured to buy anything. You can spend your time just looking around, and there are always special pieces that were a rarity (“only one piece in Italy”), as well as couture pieces straight from the runway.
What I noticed was that the sales staff were also big fans of the brands they worked for. They had the same excitement for the brands as we did. Who knows, maybe it was just a sales tactic, too. If it was, it often worked!
The Duomo from the inside and out
I didn’t get to see exhibitions in Milan because we were there for work and on a tight schedule of activities centred around work. However, everywhere I went, the architecture felt unreal and too good to be true. We toured inside and outside of the Duomo.
It made me ponder why some churches get famous and some don’t. They often look the same to me, even though, of course, they’re not. I know that. However, seeing the Duomo in real life and being in its presence, I now understand why it’s one of the most famous places of worship. It’s beautiful. Stunning, even. It took so many years to finish, which also follows its long and very interesting history.
Though it was short, my Milan trip was a very memorable one. It was a perfect mix of planned and unplanned, with room for spontaneity. I didn’t feel like my visit was lacking, but it’s one of those places that I would go back to again and again anyway.
There are so many beautiful things to see and experience, and I hope I get another chance to see more of them.
