Porta Portese

Last night Simone wanted to leave for Porta Portese (the biggest flee market in Rome) at 8:15 but we all complained about that being too early, so she finally agreed that 10am is fine. Of course, when Jenny and I got up (at 9:50 which of course was going to make us late-we kept pressing the snooze button) we went to check to make sure that Simone was up. She wasn't, which made us laugh cause she was the one who wanted to wake up early and leave early. Instead of leaving at 10 we ended up leaving around 11ish. Still not too bad though, cause we had a few hours to shop. So finally we left our rooms and went downstairs to get coffee to wake us up. Anna got coffee from the cafe downstairs (Rinaldo's) but they put sugar in it and since she hates sugar and her coffee, she gave it to me. I usually hate black coffee and I'll only drink coffee with cream and sugar, but this coffee was really good so I happily drank the coffee. I guess it really affected me cause I couldn't stand still later. Jenny I think was a bit hyper too cause she started singing an explorer song that her grandma taught her when she was young, so that entertained us while we waited for the bus. :) So we finally caught a bus to the flee market (the 990 was driving away just as we were getting there, so we had to wait another 20 minutes. At least it was warm out!) and walked in, expecting a big flee market, but nothing nearly as big as it was in reality. There’s sooo much shopping there. You walk and you think it’s the end, but it just keeps going and there’s really no end in sight. I didn’t even get to the end cause it’s so long. I came along just cause I heard it’s something you definitely need to experience while in Rome, and ended up getting boots that I really wanted for only 10 euro! Jenny and I wanted to go back again sometime in the near future cause there's so much to buy. Then we walked back and found a cute little restaurant where we got linner (it was around 4, so it was lunch/dinner). Most people got pizza which was absolutely delicious, but I saw that they had lasagna so I of course had to get that. Lasagna is one of my favorite dishes so when in Rome... :) The lasagna was incredible-the best lasagna that I had gotten at a restaurant in a long time. Then we walked past the Vatican and to the best gelato place ever (Old Bridge) where I got nutella and strawberry flavored gelato. It was absolutely delicious and made this already great day even better! While walking to the gelato place, Jenny started singing "Yankee Doodle" and we all joined in. Poor Joe, I think he was a bit scared of us :P He told Jenny to stop singing so loudly and she stopped singing, but she also stopped talking to him. She eventually forgave him though-I think she was too happy from the gelato to stay mad. Then, since we were pretty close to JFRC and it was still really nice out, we decided to walk back. Unfortunately I think we made a wrong turn somewhere and got a bit lost, but we found a bus and got back no problem. I can honestly say that there has not been a single day so far where it's been "ok." Every day has been pretty incredible and I can't wait for the next 3 months! I also can't wait to go to Spain next weekend. I finally get to speak Spanish in a country where everyone actually speaks Spanish and people will understand me. I keep catching myself trying to say something in Spanish since I don't know Italian, and although it occasionally works, more often than not people don't understand me. Simone and I will have a great time speaking Spanish all weekend! P.S. Kind of a random thing, but I'm reading the intro chapter for my Food and Wines class, and one sentence struck me as interesting: "Variety is also the element that immediately strikes the visitor's eye and palate." This is false. I mean, I'm sure that at restaurants and peoples' homes here in Italy there is a wide variety of flavors, but here at the JFRC the food is constantly the same. Pasta, some kind of meat and veggies, and a dessert consisting of yogurt or fruit. You can also get a salad. So the only time we actually get a variety of choices to choose from is when we go to a restaurant. I know that when I get back from Italy I won't be able to look at pasta anymore. Except for lasagna-that's special. But no spaghetti when I get back please!!!