Ciao i miei amici! I am beginning to melt again, although rain is expected on Saturday...not sure how I feel about that...but we shall survive. I have had a very interesting few days so I thought I would share...
On Friday my old roommate Kelly and I went to a farm out in the hills of Florence. It was an event I had talked about before. We go for the evening and get to taste test wines, eat organic cheese from a local farmer, eat Bistecca Florentine from a local producer...It was quite the experience, I must say. The only method of transportation Kelly and I have are our two feet, so we hitched a ride with one of the organizers....a nice man by the name of Tomasso, it was about an hour drive outside the city center. Once we got up into the hills it was so amazing, the green fields with little villas purched on the hilltops, like something you see in the movies or paintings, truly breathtaking. We got to the place and we were the first ones there, besides the people working it. It was this huge villa with several other buildings on the premise. We first went into the kitchen to meet the staff, the kitchen looked like an old italian mother's kitchen...so full of life and color. Then we walked around to the back and got to see where we would be spending the evening. Both Kelly and I were like...what? It looked more like a little wedding reception than a wine tasting/BBQ. Since we were the first there we got to explore a little, drink some wine...we were the only americans there all the rest were native Italians. Several people offered to translate for us during the wine tour, so that was nice. We got to tour the facility, hear all about how they started and how they produce their wine. It was funny, when Kelly and I first got there, we were pouring ourselves some wine and a little old man came up and wanted some...but he had no glass. We were told to take the glasses from where we would sit for the evening, so we attempted to relay that to him and his friend. We got our wine and proceeded to the tour and didn't see them till later. On the tour the guy was talking about his family and how everyone works on the farm, next thing you know he introduces his dad, the same old guy we were trying to help get wine! Cracked me up. Then when we were in the room with the big vats of wine, the old man proceeds to announce to teh group of 30 or more that he will be giving the two american girls tastes from the barrels....so funny. We laughed about it. After the wine tour we went back and had apperativo and then eventually dinner. The diner was really good...the steak was amazing, and most of you know I hate steak! The conversation was good as well, we sat next to a woman and her boyfriend and the woman spoke English. It was a good time all around. Here are some pictures of the evening...you can see the space a little bit...
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So the 'farm' experience was a good one...I would do it again in a heartbeat.
On to old men...Sunday I went for a long walk looking for a grocery store that was open. I still have a hard time remembering that the grocery stores are mostly closed on Sundays. So I ventured out and came across several people with Esselunga bags, a grocery store in the area...but I haven't been to it so I was aimlesly walking trying to find it. I asked a few people, 'Scuzi, Dove Esselunga'...they would point me in the direction sort of , but I still wasn't finding it. So I came upon a nice Piazza, and sitting on a bench in the piazza was the nicest looking old man. He was dressed very well, sitting with his cane between his legs and both hands resting atop it. I walked over to him and asked him the same question...he took my hand and pointed me in the right direction. He then proceeded to tell me I was a 'bella ragazza', which means 'beautiful girl'...after repeating this several times he asked m name, I told him. Then he tried to bring me closer to do the traditional kiss on the cheek, I thought, what the heck he is a sweet old man. I lean in to kiss his cheek and the perv drops the cane and grabs my boobs, onw in each hand...I quickly pulled away and said some choice Italian words and went on my way...come on old man...it was interesting to say the least...THEN...
The next day I am waiting for someone on these steps. Four other people from who knows were where sitting next to me eating their gelato enjoying the afternoon. An old man, who could hardly stand up with out his cane, stumbles up the stairs about 3 feet from me. We all look, like what are you doing? He sets his bag down, leans against the wall and unzips his fly. He proceeds to dig around in there for what seemed like minutes, trying to find his man memeber I guess? He tries to pull it out, cussing us all out in Italian, the people next to me can't stop laughing, I am in shock. Old guy proceeds to piss everywhere but on the ground, all over himself...again, yelling at us the whole time...as if we invaded him? It was horrible, this tiny old man yanking on his teeny tiny peeter trying to piss....so horrible. He then put it back, zipped it up, and went on his way. In two days I experienced enough for my entire stay here....come on old guys, get a clue?
Tomorrow I move...again. OUr new apartment is pretty great, so I am excited. It's just so dam hot here. Like walking around in Chicken soup...I am constently sweating, hot and thursty...not that I am complaining, I am in Italy. :) But it will suck. After the big move I will feel so much better...so much more relaxed and at peace.
Then, on Monday, my cousin Aimee will be here...well I will actually be meeting her in London and then we will travel from there. I am SO unbelievably excited to see a familair face from home! I would like to say that I would blog along our travels...but I know I won't. So I will take lots of pictures and get back to you all in a few weeks!
Much Love,
Katie
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