Cesena
This family is something special. Home-y, beyond delicious homemade Italian food, and a bellissimo familia. I was picked up by Fabio at the airport, he is amazing. Also, he isn't that crazy of a driver, Italians are absolutely crazy on the road (la strada). He can understand a lot of English but can't talk that much. Lucky me, because I don't know hardly any Italian... which might change once I land in America. After those few days, I knew I would come back some day and I would love to learn the language. I took about five years of Spanish and I barely remember any of it. I think Italian would be perfect to learn. Out of all of the European countries that I had the opportunity to experience.. Italy is probably my favourite (Santorini very, very close to beating it though) so I will be coming back as much as I can in my life. I as well think it is a very beautiful language. Hey, I know some words. I probably knew more last year because I was there for a month, and in the past year I lost it so I regaining it again quickly in this year's week.
Dante. Dante is a slight obsession of mine. Dante is their gatto di familia (is that right?). Their family cat, I met Dante last year and I fell in love. Dante has a smushed face, and I love that in animals. Hence, my dog has a slightly smushed in face and I want a snorting pug. Anyway, Dante was shaved when I arrived, besides the face. Ugly and beautiful. Alessandra (the madre of the familia) said the tail reminds her of an umbilical cord. There was also a very funny story of her and her fear of lizards (which is insanely funny, for me at least) with a mop and Dante. The end of the story, Dante passes out from getting hit by Alessandra's mop. Oh, they got a new cat named Paco. Dare devil with bruises but apparently he is a normal cat compared to Dante.
Alessandra's food. Yum. Before anything, she made my favourite. She made it last year and it was so good, I made it as soon as I got back to America in 2014. Chocolate Salami. It's a frozen chocolate dessert that when cut into, it looks like salami (the meat). I'm pretty sure when I get back to America this year and into my new apartment, I will make it again along with her recipe for bombalones. Bombalones are the Italian donut with a egg cream filling. Ugh, can't get enough of those as well. Alessandra also made, besides the chocolate salami, a strawberry tiramisu and a caffe tiramisu, also homemade gelato, and a strawberry milkshake. She has a mini garden this summer so lots and lots of strawberries. She is growing other many goodies but she has butt loads of sweet strawberries. I wasn't complaining. One day I walked into two bowls filled with cherries from her friend's cherry tree. Besides having her delicious desserts and fruits, her pasta, handmade pizza, and the piadinas were just what I needed. I didn't realize how much I missed Italian food until I smelled it the first day. Just like when I was landing in Bologna on the 26th, I was smiling ear to ear because I didn't realise how much I missed Italia. Oh, and someone gave us beer-amisu and some black liquorice.
I also had gelato from the streets of Italy. I had occholia and caffe once. Pineapple and banana another time, and once more with crema de latte (pretty sure i got that wrong) and marscapone. My spelling is probably all wrong too, but I'll learn.
I went to Milan for a whole day, via Trenitalia. Solo trip, normal for me now. I found out how much I like to travel alone. Milano was pretty, the Duomo was the best part obviously. While I was there, the Expo 2015 was happening. There was a huge stage with live radio music playing with a huge crowd right in front of the Duomo. Pretty cool to see. Figured out the metro to get from the train station to the Dumo and back. Saw the high shops, the skinny alley, the castle, and much more.
Coming back, I forgot what night, but I think it was that night or the following.. I went out with Steven (the oldest son, my age) and Lucia (a friend and part of the family, a year younger) and Giacomo. Well, we just went for my first gelato (caffe and nocchiola) and after got some drinks at the same bar I first went to last year with the boys (last year I traveled with three boys around Italy). This time at the bar, I didn't feel the excitement because last year I was ordering my first alcoholic drink legally and this year it's completely normal for me. Europe changes you. Anyway, last year I had a strong Long Island Iced Tea and I was close to being drunk. This time, I had an equally as strong drink called Long Red and it did the same, I don't think they noticed but it only lasted for about ten minutes. Don't laugh at me.
Driving through the same parts from last year was amazing. I missed the San Marino hill at night with all the lights glowing on the hooked mountain the very most. I also looked for it once in the car. They blasted Numero Uno (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4S8bDzS0BM) in the car. Also drove on the prostitute road again and learned a very, very bad word. God Pig (Dio Porco). The other night when we went out for Christian's birthday (not the youngest son in the family, another Christian). We went to the same bar, now my third time at this bar by the beach. Met some really cool people. Three super nice girls and some crazy guys, one guy was drunk enough for us all and when he was trying to speak english it was crazy hilarious. He kept trying to tell me that all girls at discos are bitches (sorry grandma for the language). And when he said "disco" he would do a small dance, probably because he thought I didn't know what a disco was. He kept us entertained. They were all very cool and very nice. They were constantly trying to speak english to me and teaching me Italian. Sorry to Steven for being the translator for most of the night. Which also for Alessandra during the dinners.. with Fabio constantly poking your arm. Still very happy I got a photo of it happening!
Met the dogs in the back. An alfa was present in the two. At the market that Steven took me to one morning, he was looking at dog beds and I was super confused, thinking that he only has two cats. But then I remember the barking in the back of their home after he reminded me of them.
Went to Ravenna for some absolutely gorgeous and colorful mosaics. I also found tons of Space Invaders in Ravenna! Duh, because the space invaders are made of ceramic tiles. Ravenna was a pretty town, very peaceful and filled with culture and art. I went with Alessandra, we took gelato selfies and found two lizards (not her favourite part). Practically made my heart skip a beat when I heard her scream.
Another day, Fabio and Alessandra took me to Siena, Arezzo, Lucignano, and a place with the sword in the rock and with a (I completely forgot the name) church with the ceiling gone and open to the sky. The place with the sword was spent laughing with Alessandra like hyenas, which was even worse because it was meant to be quiet in that place. We were laughing at pictures of Dante and Paco on her phone. We were bad. Siena was the main reason for our long day journey. It will be a day to remember for sure. We saw so many beautiful things. The duomo in Siena was probably my favourite, it was stunning. The colors were the main reason. Last time they went, it was dirty and you couldn't see the pink, but they washed it so now it's all white and light pink. This entire day, we walked over 12 miles I think. We also ran into a wedding in Siena, which is common for Fabio and Alessandra.
Fabio and I like to run. We first went to the same place from last year (over three miles) and then the next time, we ran five miles along the Cesenatico beach (first time running on sand). Loved it.
Gina came over for my last dinner in the house, we had their homemade pizza. Also, stop using the pizza rollers America, use scissors to cut the pizza. It is SO MUCH easier, seriously, try it next time you have pizza. Maybe it wont work though with the thick American pizzas. Gina was so nice to give me some Italian chocolate to take home, even though I haven't even touched the ones I saved for myself from last year.
Before leaving for Palermo, everyone including me were trying really hard to get Alessandra to come to Palermo with me. But unfortunately, all the cheap seat were taken and she had Christian's graduation. So I had to leave the Fabio, Alessandra, Steven, Veronica, Christian, and Dante on the 1st of June. Took a quick night plane to Palermo.
Will post as soon as possible about Palermo today. I have to leave for London at 5am (so 8 hours from now) and I won't be back for a few days. I'll be staying in London and then Paris. One night Canterbury and then off to Barcelona, Spain. So, very busy starting now. I'll have three days to clean and pack for going back to America after Spain is finished. Ciao.
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