Doorways and other things

For some reason in Italy I was always wanting to stop and take pictures of various doorways. There was something compelling about the old buildings, the doorways, and the way they often had window baskets or flower pots out front. Many of the little shops clearly had living spaces up above or next to the shop. I wondered what these old buildings looked like inside, who lived in them, and how does one come to live in or own such a place?



Back home now from Italy, I find myself missing the morning ritual of cappuccino, croissants and prosciutto with a wedge of cheese. Espresso in the afternoon. Wine and olive oil at dinner.

There is something about espresso in Italy. I remember this from the being there previously. I'd never really liked espresso all that much, but this was different -- rich, and with a creamy froth on top. It seemed every little bar or cafe knew how to make espresso well. I was told it had something to do with the type of coffee they use, something with the water, and the skill of the 'barista' who made the espresso.

I also learned that one just doesn't have cappuccino after breakfast. They say it's not good to have all that milk sitting in your stomach. After breakfast, you either have macchiato -- espresso with just a stain of milk, or you have espresso. Otherwise they look at you strangely, or in some cases even give you a hard time.

At the hotel restaurant one night, one of the teams was eating dinner at a big table. After dinner one of the guys ordered a cappuccino and a large groan came up from the rest of the guys at the table.



I was also fond of how the Italians seemed to linger over a long lunch or dinner. Instead of having all the food brought out at once, it's common to have a multi-course meal with antipasti, then a pasta dish, then a meat dish, then a salad or cheese, then a dessert. The portions weren't huge though, so I never felt like I was overdoing it (of course it helps when you are free to ride the bike for a good part of the day).

I was noticing one day at lunch how every person, at every table, had a glass of wine. This was mostly "table wine", so not quite as strong as what you might get in a more expensive bottle. There was one family with a couple of small children, and I noticed how they added a little wine to the water that the maybe 8-year-old girl was drinking.

After 10 days there, Germany seemed like a long time ago.

This was a good transition -- leaving Germany, then something completely different, then coming back home.

Now I'm looking to get my espresso machine cleaned up, so I can try to make something resembling Italian espresso. Oh, and then there's the 4 bottles of olive oil and 4 bottles of wine that resulted in my suitcase weighing 25 kilos (55 lbs).