Day 107: Tuesday, May 3, 2011

The girls outside of Castello Sforzesco

Mom and Ellen in front of Castello Sforzecso

Today my family was still in Venice (they had left yesterday).  I had class so sadly I couldn't join them, but I sent them off with a few pearls of wisdom!  They returned around dinner time, and the four of us explored a little bit more of Milano.  We walked through the huge park behind Castello Sforzesco, saw the Arch of Peace and walked around the castle.  Milan is so beautiful at night.  The Duomo lights up and all the streets come alive!  We walked down many of the pedestrian-only streets that Milan has to offer.  They are packed with cute shops, designer stores, charming restaurants, and beautiful architecture.  We stopped at pizzeria (typical) and grabbed some dinner and wine.  They servers were very fond of the four of us, constantly asking for kisses and lurking around our table.  Funny at first, then annoying.  We all ordered perfectly Italian meals; between pizza, pasta, bread and olive oil, and vino, we covered the whole spectrum!  I listened to their stories of Venice and enjoyed every second I was spending with my family!  When the servers finally gave us a second to breathe, we managed to finish our dinners and be on our way.  We all enjoyed our meals (surprising for me) and had a great time eating on the streets!   

After we were done, Christi and I popped into the bathroom and changed into our party suits :)  By now she was fully adjusted to the time change and ready to roll!  We said goodbye to momma and Ellen and made our way to the Corso Como area.  We hopped on the nearest metro, a decision we quickly regretted when we noticed the looks we were getting, and got off at Via Girbaldi.  It was still early, so we walked around for a bit looking for people to buy us drinks.  We found two really old, creepy men, whom I was very skeptical of.  They took us to a quiet bar with couches and beds inside.  Further dismayed.  Christi seemed fine.  It was weird.  They ended up buying us a couple drinks and being very nice, but it was time to part ways after the drinks were done.  We continued on.

Christi's stage-five clinger

We thought we had found another free-drinks-for-us-man, but it turned out he completely conned us!  He started talking to us outside a bar, then invited us inside to get a drink, even ordered for us...then turned around and said "Alright girls, its 17E."  ARE YOU KIDDING ME??!!  Stupid Felipe(again).  I wouldn't have gotten the drink if I had known I was going to pay an arm and a leg for it. Jeeeeeeze.  And after totally screwing us, the kid had the nerve to hang around us the entire night!!  He literally did't leave our side.  It was unbelievable.  We went to Club Hollywood and killed it on the dance floor all night.  Christi got a taste of the persistence of Italian men, and the real meaning of a stage-five clinger.   AKA, men who don't get the hints, and cling to you all night!  It was hilarious; this man loved her!  It was no mutual at all, it never is.  When we were ready to leave, and when our drink tokens were used up, we took two separate cabs home...Christi took one to her hotel, and I took one to my house.  We both felt as though we were outrageously overcharged, but that's usual.  I went inside and went straight to bed, I had class in a couple of hours!

Tina and I at Hollywood