Subway and Begging

I was annoyed at myself that I didn't know anything about Milan or it's layout. The next morning I was determined to figure out the Metro.

It is the same as Rome, pretty much.

You buy a ticket and put it into the machine to get in and to get out. One price for 90 minutes.

I bought 2 tickets and headed to a street fair that I read about.

Their Metro has a baggage escalator at the Centrale stop.

It was pretty easy to figure out. 

There are separator bars between the seats, the stations are not announced, everyone was wearing black.

I should also include that there is a lot of begging in Milan. I was there for not even a full day and 3x I had that experience where someone comes by and puts down a tiny piece of paper written on it. Then they come back through, pick up the paper and demand a coin. I don't know what the excuse this one advertised...but there is a lot of it being done.

Also, I was in a cafe in the train station, eating. A woman came up to me and started begging. I said no and shooed her away in my best NYC style. She persisted....I finally said, I don't speak Italian!!! She yelled, yes you do...I said, NO, I don't, she said yes you do,...and backed away giving me the evil eye. 

'

I also saw a man banging on the soda/candy machines trying to get coins to shake loose. He just kept banging away and no one tried to stop him.

In fact, before you are allowed to buy your train ticket from the machine, a screen comes up and advises you to look all around you and check your luggage for thieves. It pauses for a few seconds to reinforce the message.
Times are tough in Milan....most of these people looked like they were not Italians.