A Day at the Market

After turning in around 10 last night I managed to get up around 7am this morning. Today is our third beautiful day in a row, mid 70s and sunny. After getting breakfast supplies at the local bakery and butcher I went in search of bedding and some electronics. (Side note: Things are definitely different here. As I’m sitting in my living room typing a girl around the corner and up a floor just appeared on her balcony in her bra. Not something I was expecting at noon.) I asked the building security guard were to by a pillow and sheets, and he sent me on a wild goose chase to a larger supermarket. Needless to say that led no where. A woman in the bakery over there told me to go the big open air market, which just so happens to be only a mile from our apartment. So that’s where I headed next.

The market is huge. Probably about the size of the UIUC Quad with tents jammed next to each other. At first glance the market appears to have only four types of stands: shoes, kitchen goods, cloths and food. In reality if you spend enough time walking around and looking hard enough you can find just about anything. I quickly found the power strip and cutlery set that we needed, both were reasonably priced. I should have haggled on the wine bottle opener, but I don’t know enough Italian yet to speak confidently. The pillow and sheets, which I most needed, were difficult to find. I walked up and down just about every row till I finally found one old man selling them.

Before heading home I picked up some fruit at the venders and a place around my apartment. The venders at the market have just about every fruit and vegetable you can think of in probably more varieties than you can think of. There are also a number of stands dedicated to cheeses, meats and olives. Yes olives, perhaps 20 types on one table. It is an amazing sight.