Italy is very special. Until now, every day has been unbearably hot. Air conditioning is a rare luxury. Thank god that after working in Siena, the weather turned milder. While treating myself two nights in Athena Hotel(for all the hard work since day one in Siena), I contacted friends in Milan. Actually, we only met briefly for work in the same facility 2 years ago in Taiwan. She was superb and told me that I could come "tomorrow". I did. And that's why I'm in Milan now.
Nobody knows how things work in this country. The people in Siena told me the only way a foreigner can get an Eurail pass is to get it in his/her own country. Books tell you that travel agencies can buy passes for you but none of them was able/willing to. The website tells you that you may be able to buy it at some train stations without telling you which tran stations they are. At one of the desks at Trenitalia in Milano Centrale, I was able to buy the Eurial pass.
Buying tickets is art as well. The online tickets can only be purchased long enough in advence, and sometimes, because of the stations, you can't buy online tickets. When I was Milano Centrale, at the desk of trenitalia, I was able to buy the one way ticket to Roma Termini. When I was coming back just now, the lady at the desk told me that Eurail pass holders can only use the self-served machines purchasing tickets for routes in Italy. There is really no way to talk them through, unlike in the US with a louder volume.
And no, although metro seems to exist in many cities in Italy. The metro card you buy is only good at the city you purchase the ticket in. In Rome, one should be extra careful. The ticket machines only takes cash when it doesn't give you more than 6 euro of change. Unused one time ticket get you nowhere once it's passed 100 minute after the purchase time.
Drinking water is for purchasing. Sometimes, when you order enough, you may be able to get free water. But, rarely. Full grown bushes under the armpits can be seen occasionally. Everything looks artistic and beautiful in Italy. Frecciarossa is very comfortable. However, when I chose "silent coach", there was still a woman picking up her phone three times with high volume. What can you do? There seems to be no rules in this country. As long as you don't kill anyone, anything seems fine.
Shockingly, operas are not as popular as I expected when I told people I work for opera productions. The generation of the appreciation of opera definitely is not broad. People even shush me after they requested me singing something from the opera. When I went to concerts, masterclasses, and voice lessons, lots of the singers sang with complicated octupus arms. Expression seemed to be confused with unvolantary meaningless hand movements.
Perhaps once I leave Italy, I will change my mind!?
