Sick again

Brief update. So I'm sick again, for like the second time since coming to France :( Also lost my voice again and it's absolutely awful. Had the exam for linguistics this morning, 9 more exams to go + 1 dossier to submit before Christmas break. Been spending lots of time in the library. Also spending lots of money on food. Horrified that my waist has expanded 2 inches since August. It's been freezing these days but no snow so it doesn't really justify the cold. It also gets dark really early and I feel like a plant sometimes wanting more sunlight. I think winter is making me sad and miserable. :(

Amo Milano

Sitting on the Flixbus going back to Strasbourg now and there's supposed to be wifi but it's not working very well ... And so this marks the end of my grand 10-day Scandinavia-Europe solo backpacking trip :( But it was so amazing haha and everything was actually so impromptu?! I like it better this way hahaha basically the only things I planned were the travel timings and even that I only booked everything in like beginning September. And October is over too! I was marking my calendar and I've actually spent half the month out of Strasbourg haha.

So I stopped when I was boarding the flight to Milan (oh shucks did I even publish the post I need to check). Slept the whole way on the flight because I was SO TIRED and even when I landed I still looked like a zombie with huge eye bags hahaha so super sleep deprived. Everything went pretty smoothly though, M came to fetch me from the airport (so super nice of him!!) then he showed me around Bergamo. Also he was driving, so that made everything a lot easier hahaha while I appreciate the convenience of knowing how to drive I don't know when I will ever bring myself to go learn ...

Anyway, Bergamo is an absolute GEM. I can't believe what I would've missed out if not for M bringing me there!! And I was lucky that the weather that day was brilliant. Actually I've been pretty lucky this whole trip with weather because it was nice and sunny in Stockholm and Copenhagen even though it was super cold last week. Then London had okay-ish weather, like it didn't rain during the day but it was drizzling at night when we were going back to C's place so that was annoying. But the weather in Milan was good!! So we drove up to the old town part of Bergamo and walked around. It's not huge, but I really liked the interior of the church that we visited. (And as always this will be a photo-less post but everything's already on my Instagram anyway. And VSCO.) I also tried polenta, which is this corn-flour dish (I think it's really similar to 玉米粥/窝头?!) for the first time and it was super filling T_T I couldn't finish it even though I'm usually super determined never to waste food. But still that didn't stop me from having 2 gelatos after that HAHA. I freaking LOVE gelatos omg damn sad I actually only ate 3 this time :( The first gelato shop we went to was called La Marianna, and apparently it's famous for inventing the stracciatella flavour. I kept thinking that it's cookies and cream but I was wrong!! It's actually milk with chocolate chips. So I got that with strawberry and that was my first gelato ^_^

After that we drove down back to the lower town. There is actually a BRANDY MELVILLE IN BERGAMO. That I didn't know about!!! But it was closed T_T so I am determined to go back again ahh they have a siesta thing between 12.30pm - 4pm and we went around 2-ish so arghhh why do they do this!! T_T Okay but I will definitely have to go back again HAHA. So we went to get another gelato instead and this time it was at La Romana (or something). I got pistachio and pear!! 2 gelatos in a day felt very accomplished LOL.

Drove back to Milan after that and we went back to M's place for tea. Again I need to say it's damn shiok to travel around by car HAHA new experiences every time woop woop!! We wanted to get to the Expo by 6-ish since the night tix only allowed entry after 6, and it took about half an hour to get there by car. Super sian that the sun sets so early in winter it was almost completely dark by then T_T

Arrived at the expo around 6+. It was HUGE. To get to the actual place we had to cross this white bridge. But everything was very fascinating haha it was like a huge festival. So that makes 2 mega events I went to since term started hahaha Oktoberfest and Expo Milano. The Japan pavilion was supposed to be the nicest but it was already closed when we got there, so we just went into the Estonia pavilion randomly and sat on swings. Also saw the USA pavilion. The rest of the pavilions had too long queues and there wasn't much point to wait. But we saw the light show at the Tree of Light!! It was AMAZING omg and I really really loved the music hahaha they had Vivaldi's summer in there! And we went to the side so we were pretty close and got a rather good view. M's Chinese friend MX came to join us afterwards and we had pizza at EATaly hahaha I think that was my first pizza in Idk how long, maybe since April when we ordered Dominos in Argyle?!? HAHAw. Left the Expo around 11 and M drove us back, super grateful otherwise I would have had to find the Airbnb place by myself hahaha. But anyway J and the rest were already back by then so I just had to ring the bell. The Airbnb was a loft and it was so nice omg!! There was even a spiral staircase HAHA I have an obsession for spiral staircases now after the one inside Copenhagen's Botanical Gardens. But yeah the apartment was huge and damn shiokkk. Was super tired by then since I didn't sleep the night before so I just bathed quickly and slept because my eyes couldn't even open anymore HAHA. Almost forgot to set my alarm but luckily I remembered and had to force myself to get up to set my alarmS LOL.

31/10/2015:

Woke up at 6.30am even though my alarm was set for 6.15am omg super sorry for waking up J who was sharing the same room as me cause they weren't intending to get up so early T_T I was supposed to meet M at the Pta. Venezia metro station but luckily it was only 12 min away from the Airbnb place. We went to the expo early to queue for the Japan pavilion!! Arrived at about 8+ even though the gates only open at 9, but they let us in slightly earlier and people were actually RUNNING to the expo LOL. Despite going there so early there was already a super long queue at the Japan pavilion and the staff told us that the waiting time was 6 hours. SIX FREAKING HOURS. I didn't believe him at first but turned out it was true lol. But yeah, we waited for 6 hours. At least there was free wifi in the expo so it wasn't that boring HAHA could be worse. And I think most people who went on the last day were Italians because everyone around me were speaking Italian and I had to keep asking M for translations T_T Feeling the need to learn more languages now to facilitate my travels HAHAHA.

Finally got into the pavilion at around 3pm holyyyy it was really a 6h wait lol ... Apparently there was 1000+ people in front of us O_O But the queue went around the pavilion building so we couldn't really tell how long it was. I don't think I've ever queued so long for anything besides the Brandy Carnaby sale in May LOL but hopefully this kind of things don't happen again HAHA I mean I won't even bother queueing for the new iPhones ... Okay but the Japan pavilion was really really cool so it was rather worth the wait I guess? I mean it's not like we could've done anything else in the 6h when it was so crowded haha. There was this amazing wall of FOOD (pictures not real food sadly) in one of the rooms haha omg I want to eat the whole wall LOL. Then there were quite a few videos but the best part was the Restaurant of the Future at the end! And I still don't know how to use chopsticks the correct way hahaha mega disgrace T_T But the last part was probably why it took so long to wait cause there were limited seats and each show is quite long.

After the Japan Pavilion M's other friend A came to join us, then we went to get food and look at the shops. I bought this super pretty weaved bracelet from Cruciani in ombré pink and now I'm regretting not getting another one ... Wanted to wear it as an anklet but I think now I 舍不得 cause so nice so I'll keep it on my wrist HAHA. Then we went to the Open Air Theatre for the closing ceremony :D Super hyped that I got access thanks to M and A hehehe!! There were a lot of speeches though mostly in Italian but they had French and English translations so I was technically still revising French in Milan :P But I really wanna learn Italian now!! It's similar to French so it'll probably be easier to learn via French than English anyway. But yes the closing ceremony was really cool and they had fireworks in the end! We wanted to take pictures on the stage but sadly they didn't let people up anymore.

We went to eat again at EATaly afterwards and I finally had some legit Italian / Milanese (according to M) risotto HAHA (but was a complete waste cause it all came out afterwards T_T). Also had wine!! I've missed it hahaha haven't had any since like last Wednesday?? Then we walked around and wanted to go to the bar at the Russia pavilion, but it seemed close until some guys ushered us up a secret flight of stairs ... To the rooftop bar where there was a party going on LOL. I think it was some exclusive Russian party but we were there anyway. Drinks were free!!! BELUGA VODKA. HAHAHA. But I was gone after 2 drinks 2 shots and a bit more when the guy came around and just basically shot vodka into people's mouths LOL. So I don't remember the rest and hopefully I didn't do anything stupid even though M said I was okay. He sent me back then J came out to get me too ... Very very grateful again for friends that you can trust to take care of you T_T But I felt very bad for being a burden, AGAIN T_T Hopefully things like this don't happen again omg lol. And it was Halloween!! No Halloween party this year but I think partying on a rooftop bar Russian style in Milan Expo was pretty worth it HAHAHA.

01/11/2015:

Woke up this morning on the freaking floor HAHA but J put a duvet on me. But I was perfectly fine and actually got a solid 9 hours of sleep hahaha. Quickly packed cause I was leaving today while the rest are only leaving tomorrow. Then we went for breakfast/brunch/lunch even maybe?? It was this place called café Sansovino that was only a few stations away and THE CAKES AND PASTRIES WERE SO GOOD?! I bought 8 of the small cakes at first and then went for a second round with pistachio mousse and 2 other cakes ^_^ Then we nua-ed at the café cause they wanted to wait for the new batch of croissants that never came out :( So we left around noon then they went to the castle area (which I only just discovered so I have to go next time!!) while I headed for Brandy Melville. FINALLY!!! I didn't even go for the whole of Friday / Saturday and only the Cesare Beccaria store is open on Sunday :(

Wanted to deposit my luggage at Centrale at first but it was too out of the way and in the end I just left it at the Brandy cashier counter. The staff were really nice about it! But I spent like 2 hours there HAHA I bought 2 signboards, 1 pencil case, 1 pair of pants, 3 Brya skirts, the grid print Abigail dress, the Ellery top that I tried on in Basel but didn't get and 2 other tops! They have the Alena dress in new colours of mustard yellow and baby blue but they didn't really suit me even though they look so cute on their own. And I find Brandy's new colours so weird HAHA like bright colours are so not Brandy?? Idk hahaha. And I was really lucky to have gotten the Brandy Melville signboard!!! Been wanting it for like the longest time ever but it's usually not for sale at their stores. I think I saw it in the Stockholm store but it was 220SEK and it'd have been impossible for me to lug it all the way from Stockholm anyway so I didn't buy :( But it was only €15 at the Milan store!!! And it was the last piece HAHA I was at the counter explaining to the guy that I wanted more signboards, then he asked me which ones I wanted cause there were a few more California and Madrid ones behind the counter. I told him I wanted the big Brandy Melville one on top and surprisingly he said "Yes you can buy it" and I was like REALLY?! Then he got it down for me and told me I could only buy that and not the ones above (which I didn't even see) and it's actually the last piece!! So I was freaking lucky hahaha omgggg. And it's HUGE haha it can't fit into my duffel bag so I had to carry it separately but the Brandy paper bag broke halfway so I had to throw it away T_T

Walked to over to the Duomo to take a few photos, then took the metro to this station called Cairoli where there was supposed to be another Brandy store open on Sunday. I found the store alright, but it was closed even though Google said it opens on Sundays! But it was probably a good thing anyway cause it was already close to 4 by then and if I stayed any longer I would probably miss my bus at 4.45. So I just went to Lampugnano quickly and it was quite easy to find the Flixbus. Also bought a new phone cover with Tour Eiffel (cliché I know but I'm in France!) on the way cause my current one is breaking and a rainbow weaved anklet woop! Then I boarded the bus quite early and have been on it since then.

It's 11.30pm now so I've been on the bus for like, 7 hours already? And we've just arrived in Freiburg one more hour to Strasbourg! I can't say this more but I'm really really happy with this trip HAHA and very very thankful for amazing friends who hosted me literally everywhere!! And honestly travelling experiences are the best hahaha I just have this perpetual urge to go everywhere now but sadly my November isn't gonna be as hectic and wild as October hahaha. Also having 3 exams and 1 commentaire exposé so gonna be spending lots of time in the library!! But right now I just wanna get back quickly to my room in Strasbourg and unpack and rest HAHA.