Tuesday, January 22, 2008

"Due Rossi Peperone, Per Favore."

The morning started (for Thomas and me) with a small, jetlagged 2 a.m. gathering in the kitchen. For everyone else, it started with a quiet breakfast of bread, honey, and cheese that was eaten whenever you woke up.

Once everyone was awake, my mom left to try out the bus system and sign some papers about the apartment and my dad and I departed to look for a market. After much wandering, we finally found a small market that sold fruits, vegetables, meat, and fish. We bought some oranges for snacks and some vegetables for lunch and dinner. The last things we got were two red peppers, or, as I learned, due rossi peperone.

My dad had decided it was time to put my scimmia Italiano (monkey Italian) to use, so he made me ask for the peppers. I just pointed at the peppers and muttered something about "due... rosso..." . The woman at the stall undrestood me well enough. I had had my first conversation in Italian, if you could call it a that.

After the market, we set off in search of a bakery. We wandered around the alleys of Trastevere for about half an hour before finally asking a passer-by, "Dove pane?", or, "Where is bread?" He was carrying a bread bag, at least. We followed his directions to a small pizzaria/ bakery where we bought a loaf of warm, fresh bread, then headed home.

When we got home, we cooked some pasta for lunch (not bad, but a little undercooked and kind of wierd), our first lunch living in Rome. After lunch, Denis and I washed the dishes and I broke a wine glass by dropping a knife on it (basically).


PLACES TO KNOW IN TRASTEVERE
  • Bakery: Via del Moro
  • Gelateria: Via Benedetta
  • Small grocery store: Vicolo del Cinque

**Sophie

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sophie,

Wow, great post! This is so much fun to see and read what y'all are doing! Great photos too. Your writing is fantastic. I wish my high school students could write so well ...

Love,
Uncle Mike

Russ said...

Beautiful writing by everyone! what a wonderful experience. Happy New Year. Love, Russ, Jeannie and Benjamin

Anonymous said...

Ciao Sophie!

When you become a famous novelist, I can't wait to say, "I knew her when she was but a wee child." Great post!

Keep up the Italian, and don't let your dad call you a monkey!

Have a wonderful time,
Aunt Meg