Milan, Italy

This is trip number 14. In fact Italy was meant to be trip number 15. But my original plan for trip 14 went down the khazi when I managed to lose both my passport and my phone - separately - in one weekend. It happens to us all, doesn't it? (Just smile & nod please.) In the end I got my phone back, and replacing my passport was due soon anyway, and I re-arranged my flights without too much expense. So in January you'll all find out what my original plan was; and in the meantime, Italy.

Whenever you look for accommodation in a rich-world city, especially at short notice, you're always faced with a 'trilemma': your digs can be nice, and they can be cheap, and they can be central, but they can only ever be two of those three things. Personally I always prefer to compromise on location. I've got a fairly posh studio flat, for not much money, in a decent suburb called Rho. The train to & from central Milan costs €2.60 and takes 20 minutes, both of which I can afford to spare.

First impressions of the Italians? Here at Edd's Travels there is no squeamishness about affirming stereotypes. They talk loudly, they drive aggressively, they smoke far too much, they're good-looking, and sometimes they make that pained cupped-hand gesture like you've asked them to putta da pineapple on da pizza. But I have to say that the friendliness has been above average by big-city standards. Also the main train station and the main shopping mall are both the most impressive of their kind that I've ever seen, anywhere in the world. I didn't manage to get a ticket for the opera at La Scala, so on this occasion I can't bore you by flaunting my pretentious side, but I did manage to get tickets for the San Siro and so I can bore you with football instead. AC Milan 0 Napoli 2. See pic below. 

And overall I like this city more than I was expecting to. I'm surprised by how manageable and civilised it all is. I've done my usual thing of fitting in inconspicuously by wandering round in shorts and a T-shirt while all the locals are togged up to the nines in hats & jackets - it's a steady 20°C or so right now. Italy is off to a good start.

Il Duomo cathedral (right)
and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuelle II shopping mall (left).

Milano Centrale train station

Canals in the university neighbourhood of Navigli

I don't care if it saves the planet. I'm not going to drive one of these. Ever.

The musical of 'Saturday Night Fever' is in town (left)
and the safety notices on the underground Metro are joining in (right)

AC Milan 0 Napoli 2 at the San Siro

Edd vs Food #137
My first ever Italian pizza in actual Italy. Life achievement unlocked.
This one was tomato, mozzarella, spicy salami, peppers, and Tropea onions.
From Il Regno della Pizza in Rho
('Regno' means 'Kingdom' - when Eurovision comes round we are 'il Regno Unito')