It's Raining Men

Ciao Stranger,

The posts are coming at a slower rate not because I've been so busy I've had no time to write, but quite the opposite. It's been raining every single day lately (sounds like Vancouver) and it's prohibiting me from running about. "Suck it up Michelle, just go anyways." Perhaps I should have but I don't own a pair of rain boots here and I gave the whole soggy shoes business a try but really, it was not enjoyable at all. I want my feeties to be warm and wiggly, not wet and weak (damn, look at that alliteration).

In Italy, Sunday is the day of holiness: football. 95% of the city (minus the center) closes down and everyone is home, watching football. I couldn't miss out on this tradition so I stayed in with the boys and watched my first football match from beginning to end. Verdict? I think I enjoyed watching the boys' reaction more than the game itself. They are that entertaining. I don't know who the players are so to me, it's just a bunch of people running and kicking the ball around. Plus there were 5 different games going on at the same time so I could barely keep up. I have much to learn. Salvo picked up some authentic Italian pastries as a snack for the game. From left to right: cannoli, sfogliatella, profiterole, and cannoncini. All were delightful little treats except some were a little too rich for my taste bud. My favourite is hands down the sfogliatella, the crispy crunchy exterior mixed with the slightly sweetened and flavoured creme. I could down those babies all day.

After the game I went off to have dinner with a fellow UBC exchanger around her neighbourhood. My pizza was the bomb. Hers is pretty fancy with all those ingredients on top but my tomato, basil and buffalo mozzarella beats any other pizza, any day. Take a bite and you'll want to sing opera and do the jive on your table. Really, it was that good. I'm drooling just thinking about it right now.

Monday morning it was raining, again. My bum was itching to get out so I took my umbrella and trekked down to Chinatown to get some grocery. Rome's Chinatown is a downright disappointment. I'm embarrassed to have any affiliation to it being Chinese and all. It feels like Termini Station (refer to previous post for my thoughts on this) but with a few more Asians. The shop spaces were poorly executed since they all looked half empty and the clothes they sold were your stereotypical Chinese villager styled stuff. I didn't take pictures because once again, I didn't feel safe taking out my phone in this area but imagine shops with bright highlighter yellow jumpsuits with bunnies and bears on the front of them with questionable English translations. I found a few stores with some frozen 饺子/包子/手抓饼 (prices were a lot more reasonable this time) and stocked up so that I can share it with my roomies one of these days. In the picture I was making some ginger tea for Paolo. I may or may not have gotten him sick...sorry!

 After lunch I met up with Miso and we went to the Cappuccin Crypt, where over 4000 friars skeletons were used to decorate the crypt. At first I was simply intrigued by the designs and how creative they were but soon the reality that everything I saw were real human skeletons sunk in and I felt all jittery being there. I would do a quick scan of each crypt and then stare at the ground while Miso took his time looking over everything. There were just too much of it and some of the skeletons had a Voldemort feel to them; real creepy. We weren't allowed pictures but here's the general idea. A message from the crypt: "We were what you are...you will become what we are now". Glad I went but would I revisit this place again? Never.

The sun came out for a bit in the late afternoon so Miso and I took this rare opportunity and walked around the centre of Rome. I think I may be enjoying life too much because we went to a local bakery and a cheese shop to buy some fresh products and headed back to his place to have dinner. Look at that feast: cheese, wine, bread and some side dishes. Simply perfection. 

                       

Here's an accumulation of the lunches I've had for the last 3 days. Both the lasagna and tortellini were hand made by Ascenzo's grandma. I don't think I need to tell you how satisfying they were anymore because I have not stopped giving compliments to the food I've been eating. I go mMmMmMmMm after every bite. I really have to watch what I eat now. The boys feed me like one of them and I can feel my stomach expanding. Ascenzo, if you're reading this, STOP feeding me so much yummy food! Feed me as if I'm a 5 year old girl, solo un poco per favore!

                       

Yeah, I ate all of that and MORE because pasta is only the first dish at lunch. I hope Italian men like girls whose face resembles a pizza's cause that's what my face is starting to look like!!! BIG AND ROUND.

Text from Carlo this morning as he leaves for Thailand: "Ciao Michelle. Ready to go. A think for you." I think he meant to say I'm thinking of you? Lovely. Just lovely...