Milan Trip

I went to Milan for 7 days (plus 14 hours flight each) with two Japanese business men to attend EMO-, a world biggest machine exhibition. Milan was a beautiful city with many old buildings, good food and friendly people (There were also many cigarettes on streets).
Jesse and all my friends were happy for me about this trip. I get go to Milan for free and get paid a little (and first time away from kids). I was excited too. I usually like freebies. I had to get a chocolate cake sample whenever I was at CostCo. However it was really long to take a trip with strangers. I was with Japanese business men all the time from morning till I close my hotel room door at night.

When I was young, I had some guys to buy me dinner or drinks. I enjoyed for a while until I realized a dollar tacos I paid myself and ate with Jesse (Jesse never paid me anything) was the best. Anyway,

Japanese business men and I were at the exhibition for 3 days. 1 day to fly to Belgium to meet their customer. And 2 days we did sightseeing in Milan and Geneva.

Everywhere we went was expensive. Taxi was expensive. Food was expensive. We went to a couple good cafés, pubs and restaurants but very expensive even from Tokyo standard. We tried to go to local recommended places. It was good food but still very expensive. Best deal was happy hour. Many café/pub/restaurant offer happy hours between 4 to 8, charge 6-8 Euros for one drink and various buffet foods. Most the restaurant opens at 8. People hang around pub and enjoy drinking and talking before 8. If you are simply hungry and just want to eat, I think pizza or sandwich stands are better choice. Like Japanese business men who don’t like to talk but want to eat good food is really not fit into the life style.

Milan people were very friendly. Many people didn’t speak English at all, however they always tried to help me. I felt very comfortable. Milan people were very fashionable and over dressed. It was perfect weather to wear T-shirt, but locals were enjoying a fall fashion. They wore nice long sleeve shirt with light sweater and lather jacket or dawn vest. No one was sweating. I wonder espresso and Mozzarella cheese made their body temperature lower.While I was in Milan, I notice door knob was different from what I usually see. Most the door knobs in Milan don’t turn. You need to push and pull. When I was in an outdoor bathroom, I locked my self and I didn’t know how to open the door. I was supposed to press on the top of door nub and push. I really had no clue. It was small bathroom no window. I took deep breath and tried to open the door several times, but didn’t happen. I got so panicked. I looked around there was no vent. I started seeing back of my eye I was scratching the white door with my bloody fingers. I started screaming and banging the door. I was there for like 3 minutes, but I felt like an hour and I was almost fainted. Then a Japanese business man opened the door from out side. I couldn’t get my self calm. That night I couldn’t sleep. I totally got a close phobia. Every time I think about Milan, this accident appears in my head and my tears come out and I get totally freaked out.

(I’ve been to Europe!)