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Today starts late for us. We are TIRED.
Zac and I barely make breakfast and bring Miss Anna brunch in bed.
We laze around like real Italians and ease our sore legs and feet. Then we muster up the courage to rise to:
Italian Local - Level 3 : we are going shopping.
We are STILL getting lost whenever we leave our hotel but we are beginning to sink a little more comfortably into the culture here and trust that everything just works out, which it magically always does. And if it doesn't happen as fast as you'd like, there always seems to be some pizza and limoncello right around the corner so it matters a little less.
The hotel desk always makes it sound so easy:
"Out-uh side-uh of thee hotel-uh you turn-uh right-uh. Then right-uh again-uh. Then you see it. Easy. Ok? Ciao!"
Ummm Hmmmm…right-uh…we are on to your game…But ok.
Today's list:
- Sunscreen
- Body Lotion
- Baby Powder
- Toenail Clippers
- Cash
We find "la farmacia" easier than expected and walk through the tiny door. Cash is easy. There's an ATM right inside and it works exactly the same (except there are some 37 languages to choose from.) It spits out colorful cute Euros and we check one item off of the list. Baby powder was a tiny challenge but once we found the diapers we knew we were close. Since we can't read the labels, we shake, we smell. Yep. Baby powder. Toenail clippers are hanging from a rack in a clear plastic package. Easy! We are on a roll! Sunscreen? The "15+" "30+" "50+" labels are a dead giveaway. Check! Heady with our victories so far we move to the last item on our list: Lotion. Back and forth we scan. Up and down the tiny aisles we look and finally come to a section that has bottles with those little pump-thingees on the top. Maaayyyybeee…I try to conjure up some long forgotten memory of how all the romantic languages (Spanish, Italian, French) are somewhat similar and see a word I know: "corps." Body. Oh YES! Body lotion. I consider asking the nice farmacia lady (now hovering nearby trying to decide if we are idiots or indecisive thieves) but I don't want to look stupid. So I smile, raise my eyebrows at her, and walk confidently to the counter. Back at the hotel we lay out our purchases with pride. I decide to celebrate our victories with moisturizer so I pump some lotion out into my hands and …UGH! Brown, oily GOO comes out. And then I see it. Right there in big capital letters: "OLIO." Ah yes. Well our toenail clippers are AWESOME!
Undaunted by La Farmacia, we accept a new challenge:
Italian Local - Level 4 : Public Transport
**(the judges have agreed to allow for a greater degree of difficulty here because we attempt this at night.) **
The hotel tells us where to find the tram and we line up with the locals. I tell Zac and Anna to just watch what everyone else does, and then do that. We make our way through the doors, scan our tickets and sit down. Oh…it's good to be a local. We are watching-watching-watching for our stop (without really knowing what it looks like) when the train stops suddenly. The driver stands up, looks at us and says,
"Your-uh stop-uh."
SO nice of him. I am just beginning to wonder how he might possibly know this (and why the engine has been turned off) when I look around and notice that the train is completely empty. And we are at the end of the line. With a big concrete wall in front of us.
"Your-uh stop-uh."
"Oh yes…yes…we know THAT. " Sheesh. Ciao!
The Trevi Fountain (or La Fontana di Trevi) is THE place to be for fountain-wishing, piazza-sitting and, of course, people-watching.
The fountain was finished in 1762 which makes it older than America, but still pretty young by Roman standards. The tradition is to throw 3 coins with your RIGHT hand over your LEFT shoulder into the water while making your wish. We oblige, as do many, and about €3,000 Euros worth of wishes are made each day.
We end the day with a late night dinner and I buy Zac his first LEGAL beer. Drinking age here is 16!
Buona sera!
- comments
Monica Wow!!! It all looks amazing! The food looks good too! I'm so glad you guys are having a great time! Wish we were there!??
Sharon Drinking age is 16!! You could all get wasted! Keep your eye on Anna is my advice. Loving this blog!! Keep it up. Living vicariously through you.
Chyrl Keep the news heading our way papa loves your reports...Have fun and i agree with sharon ..watch anna 16 can drink and drive...Yikes
Shannon anderson I am thinking like Sharon, vicarious living! This blog is so fun, keep the updates coming. Looks and sounds amazing! Xoxo