The flight to Milan: Interesting, tight, cramped, rough. Headache, little space, no visibility … Damn this is uncomfortable! Check my watch…duh only 5 minutes have passed. Only another hour and a half…Just close my eyes and focus on Milan.
Okay, I’m out, in the airport, through security, got my bags, out in the cold. 4 degrees Celsius… wait..It’s not that cold. Warm almost, low cloud cover, little bit of fog. The air is humid, not too damp but it makes it warmer. I’m not chilled…this is great! Tried Paul twice on the public phones – no go, something won’t let me connect… I’ll try at the Duomo.
Take Bus 73 from Linate to San Bablia. Wander around, find payphones. Two more tries, no luck with Paul, got a different message this time, something about service area, don’t fully understand the Italian. Wander around the Duomo…Beautiful – it’s lit so well its like daylight. Gorgeous. I take a few photos. Time to look for an internet café to e-mail Paul. No luck. Closed. Try two hotels. Customers only. Finally last chance is a hotel off in an alley. Success! Desk host lets me use the computer and calls Paul. Call goes through. Thank goodness. I’m safe, warm, waiting.
Meet Paul outside the Duomo at the statue. Ride the trolley to his apartment where I’m crashing on the couch. Gave Paul some of the oatmeal cookies. Had a nice chat. Good guy, interesting, well traveled. Neat to know more about him.
Write to do list and set my alarm. It’s 12:20am. Waking up at 7 – hot shower, shave and then off to the consulate to check in. Then it’s time to find a cell phone – cheap pay as you go. After that off to apartment hunting and the universities to check their wall postings. Looks good. Sleep.
Strange city…need to spend time with a map.
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