I slept in until 8:30 this morning and didn’t get out of the house until 9:15. By that time, neighbors across the street had had a good ol’ Italian screaming match (a.k.a. A conversation), and the truck selling mattresses via a loudspeaker had also passed by. Needing some fruit, bread, and meat, I walked to the butcher, the baker, and the fruit vendors. For about 12 Euros, I bought a pound of string beans, 2 pounds of zucchini, 2 pounds of tomatoes, two loaves of whole wheat bread for my aunt, a slice of pizza with zucchini, and four turkey cutlets. They also threw in for free about $6 worth of basil and parsley. Those herbs along with celery are just given away here to make the fruits and vegetables smell fresher for longer periods of time. They are not sold. Not throwing those herbs in would be like selling you a TV without the remote. Vegetables need those herbs. I also stopped for an espresso today, so I have more energy.
For lunch I made string beans and tomatoes with garlic, and a turkey cutlet with capers. For dessert, I got a little creative. I took two scoops of gelato and topped them with bananas foster, which I made using Havana Club Cuban rum. It is perfect rum to cook with. The dessert was “out of this world” delicious.
This afternoon, I raked the garden, cleaned up the leaves, swept the patio, swept the inside of the condo, and went on a long bike ride. The damn espresso has me wired. On the bike tour, I visited the lungomare (beach strand) where I took some photos (love the cloud formation). The town has added a whole new section for walking and biking with beach access so new beach clubs can be built for next season. I think the hotels down the street from my condo are putting the money into the town and wanted their own private beach clubs instead of making deals with existing clubs. I also rode my bike over the port area and saw some of the new construction that I see advertised in town. They are on the other side of the port, a long way from the center of town. I cannot imagine being that far away. I used to think where we are is the outskirts of town, but in recent years, people have continued to build way beyond us.
