LOST IN TRANSLATION -

 It was early in the year when we took the decision not to go to the Biennale in Venice. Laurent and I opted for the Universal Exhibition to be held in Milan between May and October. Jerome decided that he would not come so left us to it. 

The concept was interesting. Milan was to become a global showcase where more than 140 participating countries show the best of their technology offering a concrete answer to a vital need: being able to guarantee healthy, safe and sufficient food for everyone, while respecting the Planet and its equilibrium.


As well as the 140 countries (although I read somewhere it was 145) and in addition to the exhibitor nations, the Expo also involves international organizations with different and more educative concepts on food and our future.

We both did out « homework » and I came up with some 6 pavilions which I felt were  « must sees ». Laurent a few more. He was in contact with someone who followed him on Instagram and he also had his list of problems we might face. Crowds being one of them and queues the other. Laurent went further than I did and looked up about transport......we had a few nasty surprises in that area. What was announced on Internet was in no way a reality. Metro travel tickets which didn't include the exhibition is just one example.

We headed for the exhibition area as soon as I arrived from Paris. What was remarkable was the cleanliness of Milan. Not a city which usually seems to be so pristine clean. Streets, buildings, no beggars hanging around, metros which were impeccable. Since my last visit in 2012, the city had certainly put on its Sunday Clothes. Once we arrived - there was no-one, but no-one queuing up to get in. We sailed through the gates, I took this photo of Laurent at the entrance….

Second time around, day 2

But where were all the people? We wandered up the central ally - and then we saw.

Not too many people around...

Even when we entered the central ally

The queues were what seemed like kilometers long to get into any of the countries we wanted to look at. We would have to tempt the smaller ones or those where there were few people trying to get in. But first there was this artificial stall which from a little way off looked real.

Looked real, but wasn"t

the tree wasn't either

but the rice was.....

then the procession of fruits and veggies - I’m a good public for such events but not in Las Vegas or Disneyland…..it was fun

we moved on and one of the first places we actually got into, the explanation about the food was in Italian - nothing in English -

So what was it all about

and it looked very artificial

and that’s where the title came from « Lost in Translation » . Virtually everything we turned to see was in the countries language and once or twice a translation into Italian, but very rarely if ever into English. The pavilions fast became a blur for me. I didn’t know where I was nor did I particularly care. I have to say it too, the people were not very polite and as to those pushy crowds......

pretty !

Day 1

The Emirates

Apart from an explicative cartoon on our problems, the USA was disappointing

Italy - but we never got in

Vittproa Sgarbi but no English explanation

Vittproa Sgarbi

Can't mistake that but we didn't get in

Hungarian - and what a piano

Maté Bence  (I liked his photography) - "Face to Face"

Maté Bence "Don't Play with food"

People waiing for the show to begin

Lithunia 

Inside the Luthunian pavillon

I liked her

and him too

One of the pylon for Italy

It was my first little car but now with a tree?

foot and leg

hand and arm

both together

Laurent looking at me

Couldn't smell anything

Wine tasting

over the bottles of wine

The best thing to do was to look at the outside structures. The buildings on the whole were marvelous. Inventive. Sparkling lights, moving towers or trampolines to jump on.

People queued for the tremplin but not to visit the pavillon

The Tree of life

Night sky

An exceptionnal wine

The sun was about to set and this was the moment to see the lights come on. Then it became an amusement park with the crowds streaming around and growing all the time.

There is Laurent

I’m glad we found a decent restaurant  for dinner as it was getting late and all those food places were filled or people waiting.

What I looked at from the restaurant

My thoughts were that if like in Paris there is a long queue to get into a museum at opening time, then the crowds clear and it’s much easier to get through about an hour later. This was definitely not to be the case as the following morning I don’t think I have ever seen crowds like it. They grew and more and more people arrived. 12 entrances and people were crushed like sardines in a box in a very warm temperature.

When we arrived in the morning

12 lines deep

After an hour we left and decided to come back after «  little culture in the arts » later that afternoon.

We never did see the Pavillons we wanted to. Even later that day the queues were daunting. We did see France though and both of us were really impressed. There was no food to taste, no wine to drink but the display of foods from Brittany and elsewhere was very flattering.

The mascot

France 

and again

ceilings

and again

Ajouter une légende

An artistic exhibition, the Pig Parade which moves around in Brittany with 15 sculptures backed by 15 Brittany farmers.....

I never knew we produced teas

curious people

But what surprised me so much was that the concept « slow food » which was a lead term in the Exhibition and which France apparently had supported when it started, was nowhere to be seen. There are apparently 32 associates or what they call « convivia » in France. I have never heard of the concept before Milan.

 It really is worthwhile looking at the history of the association
                http://www.slowfood.com/international/7/history



What I liked about it, is that early on when McDonalds tried to open up in front of the Spanish Fountain in Rome, there was such an uproar that the concept « slow food » (all that is good, clean, fair food for everyone ») as opposed to "fast food" was created. I’m glad they won the fight but we certainly don’t hear much about it. The Pavillon where it was supposedly dedicated to the association was interactive and a load of learning. Could we identify food by touch? By smell? How to « design » with beans or corn….it’s sad to say that there were not many people around. When I asked the young man at the entry desk where the concept « slow food » came from….there was a total blank on his face.

Writing about our needs

identifying by touch

a few alarming statistics

Mr Corn

Basic needs

Designing with beans

and again

The supermarket which we will be going to in the years to come was also virtually empty. We could have stayed there much longer. All natural foods, bio, or to use the right wording « slow-food ». 



Wonderful shelves

a new fruit mixer

Sorting out

Laurent looking

A double picture

No people as you can see

We pushed our way into Russia - and yes, that was fun. A beautiful water machine purifying water and for us to drink samples which tasted very much like coke to me. I handed my sample of cake over to Laurent….just too sweet.

Very striking

In front of Russia

Look like bottles of coke

preparing the samples

A purifying water machine

pouring out samples

The Emirates and  Lithuania were worthwhile seeing too….

How could he live without it?

and on it

The new tatoo

but I’m sorry to say that with the exception of the buildings, not much is going to remain in my memory buds. What a shame as the concept is so important for our future……but here is something to share with you…….