Oh how I wish we were in this picture right now! But we're not, and we never were, seeing as how Milan is a trash heap and we are sitting on top.

Let me step back a step and say that my last blog on Nice was as exciting as it got for me. I spent two and a half days in my hostel bed sleeping and reading with only a short break to find a pharmacia for 3 differents kinds of cold medicine and a supermarket for some chocolate. I managed to reread the virgin suicides, some more of my economics book on relief aid around the world, and basically be "that girl who never leaves the room". Lovely. On the upside, I managed to communicate in French when booking our train to Milan and the woman behind the counter smiled, as if content with my attempt, and then proceeded to finish off the conversation in English.

So no train drama on the way to Milan, we heard a couple bonjournos and arrivederces so we knew we were getting close. Let me tell you, my vision of MIlan, models and designer clothes, do not exist right off the train station like I thought. Actually, I have yet to see either of them. Apparently I'm not looking in the right places. I have found quite another Milan that I will never forget.

We're getting pretty bus savvy this far into the trip and we were all set with our euro coins to pay the driver once we got on. No, just kidding, they don't do that here, we had to go to a tabaceria and stumble through spanish, english and some french to get a ticket. Ok, now back to the bus station. So at our stop, we realize the walking directions are written by someone with limited English, as they say "cross the street" by don't indicate which direction. Anyway, we find our hostel, unfortunately as we later realize.

After going up two floors in an apartment type building we find a reception, and two Italian guys no older than us who are gabbing on their cell phones, attempting to flirt with us, and overall not realizing it's 9 pm and we have 40 lbs chilling on our backs. Small talk is not necessary people! One checks us in, takes our money, and walks us out into the courtyard in between the buildings. It's dark, not too friendly, and we're wondering why we werent in the same area as reception. So we huff and puff up five flights of stairs and meet a crazy looking woman in pajamas and pink fuzzy slippers, who we are then handed off to. She almost passes the room to our dorm, but manages to remember her purpose. She shows us into the room, with it's 11 beds, spray paint art and non secured entry. Then when we ask for a key, she says she thinks she lost it or something, shows us the bathroom and bails. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that all the windows in the stairwell are broken as we notice on the way up, there's no locks on any of the doors we have passed through, and it appears that no one locks that actual sleeping area either. Let's just say Jessie and I are a little speechless. So we proceed to sit on a bunk and be silent for about 5 minutes. Things like "we're never booking on hostelworld.com again" came out of our mouths, as well as other numerous things I won't reflect on a public site. We had to laugh, you know that nervous laugh that you have when you're so uncomfortable and your backs against a wall and you know you'll have to manage, but you're not sure how, yes, that kind of laugh.

So we walked next door to eat some gnnochi al gorgonzola, quite tasty, and ponder our situation. Thank god we're only here for two nights was the consensus. You may wonder why we didn't just find another place, well, by that time it was after 10 and all the other hotels,not hostels, in the guidebook, were about 100 euro per night, not exactly within our budget. Plus, with both of us having runny noses and headaches, it seemed to fit the mood that we were in a dingy, crappy, place. Oh Milan.

It would only make sense to add that our roommates were super rude, obnoxiously loud until 2:30 am, with things such as blow drying their hair or taking photos. Again, love Milan.

I know I know, I shouldn't pair the entire city with a hostel, but today didn't help to boost the profile too much either. There's no where to get on the internet, very few phones that work, all the cinemas that show english movies happened to not show them on Wednesdays, and no one has been particularly nice. Long sigh. But it's ok.

Jessie is currently napping right now, I'm curious as to how that's working out for her, and I'm killing as much time as possible on the internet before I have to go back and sleep in that room. I figure lots of cough syrup is in order. Luckily tomorrow we're out of here at 7:30 to head to the Leaning Tower of Pisa and beautiful Florence by evening. We have high hopes!