Polar bear – am I in Milan or Antarctica?

Here are my first impressions of Milan after being here a couple of weeks:

– it’s cold, as one would expect in January. But wait – it got colder! I could really be forgiven for thinking I’d landed in Antarctica!

– within 72 hours of arriving I’d bought some new boots – and acquired the flu!

– basic black is still the staple of fashion here but interspersed with some white puffer jackets and red – fur that is! (faux I’m not so sure!)

– Long-gone is my ideal of stylish dressing to blend in with the locals – it’s all about surviving the cold and conserving body heat – which for me effectively means layering pretty much everything I brought with me to wear! What to do when my outer-wear becomes another layer of under-wear?

My first snowfall as seen from my apartment

– experienced my first snowfall! What a great photo opportunity – now, roll on Spring!