last year in November I wrote about how sad I was to be leaving Florence. this fall I spent another wonderful 3 months here but now I'm leaving again and I'm just as sad. what is it about this city that grabs my heart - the art, the architecture, the history? certainly it's a beautiful city but compared to living in the US so many everyday things in Italy are so much more difficult.
buying groceries is different, not really difficult, but very different in the minuscule stores, sometimes about the size of a 7 Eleven. there are unfamiliar items and often we are not able to find, for example, a favorite peanut butter and reading the labels in Italian can be confusing. the aisles are short because the store is usually several small rooms so there is never a clear view ahead to the pasta, for instance. then we carry the groceries home, walking again on the crowded streets, carry them up several flights of stairs because elevators are not the norm. in my first apartment I had 78 steps to reach my 4th floor apartment; the ceilings are very high so there are more steps per floor. on the other hand, going to the market and seeing all the beautiful fruit and vegetables is pure pleasure. markets carry only what is in season at the moment. if you like artichokes, better buy them now because soon they won't be available - ensuring everything is fresh and tasty! (another good thing) but please do not touch the fruit with your bare hands, plastic gloves are provided. at small fruit and vegetable markets do not touch anything period; the clerk will get your purchase for you. the meat counter is a bit daunting - pigs' feet, chickens with their heads still attached, wild boar?? but it's fresh because shopping is generally done if not daily, then every few days. | she's selling "porchetta", roasted, seasoned pork rolled and cooked on a spit, yummy! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porchetta |
it has just dawned on me why people stand outside and talk on their cell phones: because of the very thick walls the reception inside buildings can be very bad or, in my apartment, non-existent.
for some reason washing the few pieces of clothing that fit into the very teeny washing machines is a 2 hours process which should be done after 8:00 pm when the utility rates are cheaper. I have no idea why it takes 2 hours. drying clothes is done on a rack in the house or on a line strung under a window - never had one of those but I did have a huge terrace with a clothesline - once. terraces are at a premium so I say that "once" wistfully ... |
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lisa-condie/moving-to-italy_b_4177765.html?utm_hp_ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false#sb=5373816b=facebook
my very good friend Mary has offered me her house for 2 months while she is in Prague to await her new grandson who is due to make his appearance on January 6. congratulations to Mary's son and his wife - and to Mary! I'll have an opportunity for quiet and relaxation in Placitas, in the beautiful surroundings of Mary's home.
November 16, 2013: arrivederci Firenze, hello Albuquerque (to view photos, hover your cursor above the photo below and click "play")