On our two-month trip over to set up the house, we got to experience so many new "firsts", which at our age, is not very common! Never too old to learn new ways and see new places! Learning the Italian way has been both refreshing and a little frustrating...but we're getting the hang of it and truly appreciate all it has to offer.
Have you ever wondered what grocery stores are like in other countries? It's funny...when I travel, the first thing I want to do is find a grocery store and wander through to see what kind of amazing and unique foods they offer. It's actually quite fun…yes, I'm a food nerd!
Since coming to Italy, we've probably gone into dozens of different food stores…bakeries, meat markets, fruit & vegetable markets, seafood markets, and grocery stores. Although they sell many of the same products, each is unique in its own way. The prices can be equally as varied.
What excites me the most is the meat, cheese, and bakery departments….MAMA MIA! So many meats and cheeses everywhere you look. So many shapes and sizes of freshly-baked breads. We want to sample everything and take it all home. I would have to say that's probably why we eat so much charcuterie! It never gets old...we still love learning about all the meats and cheeses of the different Italian regions and getting familiar with all our favorites.
Fruit and vegetable shopping is also quite a treat. The produce here is so incredibly beautiful, fresh, plentiful, and relatively inexpensive. On one of our first trips to Italy, we went into a grocery store to get a few things. We bought some tomatoes, put them in a plastic bag, and went to pay just like we do back home. The cashier looked at us kind of funny, then told us to follow her. She walked us over to a set of scales with a panel of numbers above them. She pointed out that each vegetable has a corresponding number. She placed the tomatoes on the scale, punched the number, and an adhesive ticket popped out with the weight and price printed, then stuck it on the bag. Genius…. I'm telling you, we learn something new each and every day here.
The first major project we wanted to tackle while here was to install a new kitchen. The old kitchen was severely outdated and inefficient. (Left Image) Also, the countertops were much too short for us; therefore, we were continually hitting our heads on the upper cabinets. Because of our limited Italian, we decided on IKEA…they were able to help us design a kitchen (in English) and deliver it to us so Andy could install it within the timeframe we had. So many parts and pieces...where to start! (Middle Image)
We only installed half the kitchen first to see how we would like it. We would wait and do the other half on our next trip back. It was night and day difference. (Right Image) European kitchens are designed with small spaces in mind and utilize every square inch efficiently! We'll post the finished kitchen picture when it's complete.
We can't be all work and no play while here. We toured a nearby small family winery in Tocca da Casauria called Guardiani Farchione. The tour takes you deep under the streets of the village with cave-like features. We were the only people there at the time, and we were treated like royalty. We sampled their many wines and olive oils and were served delicious meat, cheese, and bread. They make an excellent olive oil from giant 100-200-year-old Toccolano olive trees that are only grown in this area.
A friend's dad works at a well-known winery here in Abruzzo called Zaccagnini. He coordinated a private tour for us with an English-speaking guide. What a treat that was! They sell millions of bottles of their wine in the US each year..in fact, you've probably seen it. Their iconic label with the grapevine twig tied onto the neck can't be missed.
It's not only about the wine, though. The food here in Abruzzo is very simple and traditional but always delicious, using local, fresh ingredients. We try to eat at a different place each time we dine out. There are seriously a hundred bars, trattorias, osterias, and restaurants within 30 miles of us, each offering something unique. What's famous here in Abruzzo is the "arrosticini," which are small skewered lamb chunks cooked over coals on a special outdoor grill and served in a special arrosticini pot. Served alongside a plate of pasta and a liter of wine, it's become our favorite eat-out meal. Don't even get me started on the pizza…
Living in a national park in one of the most beautiful regions of Italy means there's lots of hiking right outside our backdoor. We were invited to experience our first hike with locals in the beautiful Valle Orfento, which is a deep river canyon with hiking trails. The trail winds itself down along steep canyon walls, and you hear the sounds of the roaring crystal-clear river and waterfalls. Just stunning!
We also got to experience our first Italian Christmas! Here in Italy, it's not about the gifts. Christmas is all about food, family, religious traditions, and the Christmas market...the whole village is decorated for Caramanico's big annual market. People come from all over to stroll through booths full of foods, wines, and craftspeople selling their wares. There's music and fireworks, and a giant tree is brought into the piazza for the tree-lighting ceremony. Christmas day's highlight for us was the invitation to dinner at a friend's house who prepared a feast! We shared turkey and all the trimmings, wine, and traditional Panetonne amongst other ex-pats from Canada and Australia.
The middle of January had arrived, and it was time for us to leave. We could only spend 90 days here because we still needed to get our visas. Besides, we were homesick. We couldn't wait to see our kids and grandson again. Returning to the States and realizing you no longer have a home there was kind of daunting. We had three months to kick around before we could legally return to Italy.
Next time, hear about how our visa application played out and what was in store for us next!
A presto! Ciao!