OK, it might sound silly but I am mighty proud of myself. Today, I woke early and ventured into the mercato around the corner. The Via Andrea Doria Mercato are blocks and blocks of fresh produce and all sorts of stuff for sale in an out door setting only open in the mornings.Until you are here, you have no idea how hard it is to venture outside and interact with people who for the most part do not understand you and you don't understand them and so far seem more indifferent than friendly (when you smile at them, they don't smile back). Contrary to popular belief or from what I have experienced in the last 3 days the everyday people of Rome do not speak/understand English. In fact I've had the strange suspicion that because I am American I could not buy a bus pass at one place and a phone card at another, both vendors told me they didn't have them, when my landlord told me specifically that was where to buy them. I'll tell her tomorrow and I know she will help me, but anyway back to more interesting stuff.
It was big deal for me to go to the open market and buy produce then go back to the rude (or maybe just extreme indifference/ cultural differences, apparently my big tip yesterday didn't win her over) waitress at la florentini and ordered my cappuccino and pastry and stood there and ate with all the other Italians. By the way standing and eating cost about half of what sitting and eating costs but I really don't like it.
So the produce pictured is what I got, it ran me about 4 or 5 euros, at two different stands. I then went back to the first stand and did the whole escusi escusi and showed them my camera to ask if it was ok to take their picture, and to my relief they hammed it up and gave me a big ol' CHEESE!! and we all laughed and I took the picture. Then the woman said with a serious face 5euro! I was like oh crap!! They saw the shock on my face and laughed, they were messing with me and it was all in good fun and I was happy to have finally seen Italians smile back at me.
PS In case you did not know, you can double click on the pictures to enlarge them as I know they are sometimes hard to see.
4 comments:
You need a little dressing for that salad! :)
Just what are your plans for that zucchini lookin' vegetable????
"Contrary to popular belief or from what I have experienced in the last 3 days the everyday people of Rome do not speak/understand English."
LOL - who told you most Romans speak English? I lived there for 4 and never met a Roman that spoke more than the odd word of English.
About the bus tickets: "both vendors told me they didn't have them, when my landlord told me specifically that was where to buy them."
I'll bet your landlord is right and so are the vendors. They probably ran out and maybe they'll get some more at some point - who knows?
Are you in Rome for long? You'll see a lot more of this kind of thing.
"It was big deal for me to go to the open market and buy produce then go back to the rude (or maybe just extreme indifference/ cultural differences, apparently my big tip yesterday didn't win her over) waitress at la florentini and ordered my cappuccino and pastry and stood there and ate with all the other Italians"
Couple of things...
* Except for restaurants and taxis, DON'T tip. Outside of those situations it's really rude in Italy. It comes across as rich foreigner lording it over the serfs.
* The waitress is a bit surly there but it sounds like you were there at a busy time. Go back when it's not so full and she'll probably give a nice smile. Especially if you become a regular.
BTW, try having a meal there - really good (I used to live thirty seconds away).
Enjoy Rome!
Wow! Thank you Caimin!! i'm glad there is someone out there who understands =)
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