La dolce vita

April 30, 2009

I HATE Italian banks. Since tomorrow is yet another Italian holiday (when do these people actually work?) I realized I needed to cash my travelers cheques today for my next apartment. Went back to Banca di Napoli since I had luck there getting cash from the machine. Waited in line to be met by yet another surly teller who won’t speak English even after my cries of “non capisco.” I guess good customer service just hasn’t made it this far around the globe yet. I think he said I had to go to Piazza de Spagna to the American Express office. We’ll see how good my comprehension is. All I could think of was “Boy, Mom would really hate the Italians!”

Went back to the fresh market for more fragole (strawberries). They are the most perfect red, like someone painted them in neon watercolor. They taste as sweet as cherry lifesavers. Amazing.

After finding the American Express office and exchanging money for a terribly low rate (never do this again) I headed off to lunch at a place Gandina recommended for its tagliolini cacio e pepe - pasta with cheese sauce and pepper also known as pure heaven. This is my new favorite to carbonara. I learned a new term that I am using daily - sono sazia – I am full. That sums up Rome for me. Full of life, pasta, vino, amore. Che una citta favolosa!

Since I was dining alone for lunch, the hostess put me at a table in the back for 8! Soon, another couple joined me so I didn’t feel quite so conspicuous. They spoke Italian, but I think they were French. I loved that she had a blue streak in her hair and he ate more of her salad than his. I ate all my pasta downed with a 1/4 litro of red wine. Life is good.

I also stopped to try on about 16 pairs of shoes today, but walked away empty handed. The clerk was very nice, trying to find shoes I’d like and that fit. I tried speaking my best Italian, which he mostly understood. He even asked me what dopo domani means in English – imagine an Italian asking me to translate Italian! It was a fun experience, but still no scarpe.

But frustrations also abound here. Walked for an hour to find a museum cafe where Gandina told me they had free wifi. Once finding it, I order a water and glass of wine to settle into some email. But the connection didn't work. When I asked for help, they said it was my problem. Again, customer service, anyone? So I rushed back to the internet cafe to send off emails. I'm learning that everything takes 3x as long in Italia. But I guess that's living la dolce vita!