Ciao, now, but back to Hola for a moment

hello.
I write from Emily's comfortable apartment in Parma, Italy, though I'm technically in the hallway outside the apartment, because that's where the internet lives.

Let me go back to Spain for a moment and describe some high points.

*Soaking up the sun - I've missed Vitamin D - by the pool on Wednesday and on Friday.

*Finally starting my book "the unbearable lightness of being" - promises to be excellent.

*lunch in Sevilla on Thursday. First we walked around Triana, the "gypsy" section of town, then made our way over to a tapas bar El Ajo Blanco, where we gorged ourselves on delicious dishes including the ajo blanco - a cold soup from almonds and garlic and grapes... i can't even describe it. there were albondigas (fishballs) and a roquefort tart, a couscous salad and fried salted almonds... all delicious and consumed in the friendly atmosphere of a tiny bar with about 6 tables lining one wall and jazz posters covering every surface. The three of us (emily, her friend Taylor from the program in Italy, and myself) sat for a while after we'd finished, chatting and listening to Santana and Aretha and all other manner of good tunes.


*Feria de Abril: The timing in Sevilla was wonderfully serendipitous. The day we visited happened to be smack-bang in the middle of the Feria de Abril - the biggest fair in Spain. Not a tourist thing either. Most definitely not. I cannot tell you how many women and children we saw decked out with the tightfitting bodice and skirt and then layered ruffles at the bottom... a fake flower perched improbably right on top of the head. on anyone else, it would look ridiculous, on these Spanish women, it was breathtaking to see them just walking the streets all done up in outrageous bright colors and patterns. The fair itself consisted of two sections. There was the carnival section that was a huge area filled with every amusement park ride in Spain. Merry go rounds, but also bumper boats and ferris wheels, jamon bingo (that's right, if you win, you get the leg of a pig!) and darts. Huge and loud area packed with small happy children and men in suits eating cotton candy. The other section was tent after tent after tent of family parties. As I understand it, each family reserves a tent and that's where they all go. These weren't bland affairs - the interior of the tents were decorated with mirrors and paintings and everything to make it feel like home. There was live music in many of them and lots of impromptu dancing and some flamenco. A great thing to just stand by and observe. Unfortunately un-photographable. You just can't catch that stuff. I got a couple OK ones though. And a few pictures of an adorable little boy dressed up in a bolero jacket and hat.. oh, so cute.

*Friday's dinner after a visit to the Marbella market on the top floor of the parking garage. We cooked. Now when I say we, I mean Emily and Taylor. After all, their program is "Food Culture" and you can bet that every single one of the students is a good cook and a hard core foodie. So I let them go to it. Watching them walk around the market was fascinating. They traded ideas back and forth depending on what looked good and fresh. a girl can learn a lot... So we ate tuna (you should see the beast of a fish these tuna steaks came from. i did - it was just laying on the counter. about as long as i am tall and could have definitely taken me in a fight - though not in the state it was in), seared in a pan after being pressed into coarse salt and black pepper. Tropical fruit salsa of mango and pineapple and yellow pepper and green pepper and cilantro and tomato and garlic and lime. couscous. asparagus roasted in the oven and eaten with garlic aioli. stunning dinner.


and that's what i have to say about Espana.

Now on to Italy. We flew into Milan yesterday morning, and after failing to secure myself a bed in the fully booked Rome, I just took the easy route and tagged along with the other two back to Parma, where I had been offered a bed and more home-cooked meals.

Emily's been a gracious host thus far, as was to be expected, and we took a couple of lovely strolls around the fashionable and pretty town of Parma. After participating in the passaggiata (late afternoon walk) ritual, we ate the simple and simply delicious ravioli di zucca (pumpkin ravioli with sage butter sauce), typical of the region, and salad of very peppery arugola and the best parmagiano cheese ever (gee, where'd it get its name, you think?) before taking an evening stroll to see the trendy crowds milling about, checking out eachother's new outfits and hairdos (mullets? what?). Twas nice.


Looks from the websites I've examined and phone calls I've made like I'll be here in Parma until Tuesday morning. It's a holiday weekend and things seem to be booked solid. I'm learning a bit of italian from the Amazing Emily, and as usual i can understand a lot more than i can produce, but my accent isn't terrible, if i may say so myself, so we'll see how it goes when i'm on my own.

Anyway, I'm gonna go write to some servas hosts in rome and see if i can't find someone to take me in this week.
Ciao and buona journata! (bye and have a nice day!)
amy