One Sunday in Milan

I'd been meaning to go to this photography exhibition for a while after the previous intern Lucy mentioned it and having googled it, I thought it looked amazing . But alas, something else had always turned up instead, like going swimming in the outside pool in the Park of Monza on a boiling hot day. Firstly, I wasn't going to turn down the chance to meet some more people and secondly, it was a good chance to attempt a tan (which I've concluded there's no hope in getting from this horribly rainy summer in Milan).

So I thought to myself there was plenty of time, I mean the exhibition is open until November. But then at the same time I was wary of it becoming one of those things that you always mean to do but never get around to doing.

So on a quiet but sunny Sunday, I headed off to Milan in search of Salgado and his photographs.

I found the Palazzo Ragione where the exhibition is held without too much difficulty, thanks to Google Maps which I can now use on account of finally having internet on my phone. Ah the beauty of technology!

I made my way up the stairs into the old building, which didn't look as if it could house an exhibition. But I turned around the corner and there it was: Genesis by Sebastiao Salgado. 245 photographs of lanscapes, animals and people, in places still untouched by technology, preserved in their natural, ancient state from humanity and it's destructive power.

Immediatly, I was struck by how amazing the photographs were, how he managed to capture some of the things he did is incredible like a group of penguins diving off an ice berg. I would've taken a picture of this, because I think it was my faveourite one, but I was too scared of being told off! You can google it though. (Make sure you google it).

Sorry about the rubbish quality of the photo-i was scared of getting told off! 

It feels like you are being let in to a secret world, one that seems to only exist in dreams.They seem impossible. But they're all real.

The photographs are so striking, especially since they are all black and white images which makes it impossible to ignore their beauty and purity, making you contemplate what our world has become.

I also thought about the animals, wild and free. A group of Elephants roaming the savannah, two lions relaxing in the grass and a silhoutte of 3 giraffes by a river, all looking to their right (how he captured that is incredible).

This was even more poignant since my boyfriend was visiting London zoo at the same time.

It also made me think how crazy it is, that there are still tribes in the rain forest who remain untouched, unchanged by modern life, living their lives through the same ancient rituals of their ancestors.

So I did a lot of thinking as I wandered around the exhibition at my leisure - yes it was another thing I was doing by myself but really, it was probably better that way. I could take all the time in the world with the pictures and my thoughts. Anyway, the point of the exhibition is to reconnect with the natural world and you can't do that if you're having a conversation.

Finally it came to an end and I had to return to the real world, passing through the gift shop of course. I like collecting postcards of places I've been so I didn't pass up the chance to have a copy of one of Salgado's amazing photographs. I really wanted a postcard of the Penguins but sadly there wasn't one.

So if you are ever in Milan I really recommend you go and see this exhibition! It's €8.50 for 15-25 year olds and it's worth every penny, well euro/cent. Even if you're not really that into photography I think you can still appreciate it.


And to top off a lovely day, I went to get an ice cream from i cioccolati italiani...because let's face it's there's no better way to end a Sunday, or any day for that matter with a Gelato.

mmmm chocolate...

I went for Banana and Supernero cioccolato (dark chocolate), something a bit different from usual but I figured it must go well together because you get chocolate chip and banana muffins right?

And I was not dissapointed! The banana was creamy with just the right amount of bananaeryness (I don't care if thats not a word) and the chocolate was sweet but not too sickly, with little crunchy bits of chocolate chips.

And when you've eaten all the ice cream there's no need to feel sad because....

the bottom of the cone is filled with melted chocolate, drizzled before you choose your ice cream from taps that constantly ooze warm, melted white, milk or dark chocolate . 

I may have had to wait 20 minutes for my ice cream (there's a ticket queing system so it's not complete chaos) but it was definately worth it! 

Then it was time to amble back to Porta Garibaldi and hop on the train home.

 A perfect Sunday.