This past Thursday I had my
first Italian birthday experience. It was an amazing day, thanks to my wonderful family and friends. At school, I was greeted with a Mars cake
(basically a better, Italian version of rice krispy treats made with chocolate
instead of fluff) that my friends made. It was a fun surprise that we enjoyed
together as a class.
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| Mars Cake |
After school, we had a family lunch that was topped-off
with a scrumptious gelato cake. Despite all of this, the best part of the day
was yet to come. After soccer practice, we went out to dinner at one of my
favorite restaurants. They serve typical Emilian dishes and are well known for
their gnocco fritto and tigelle (my favorite Italian food). We all ate until
our stomachs could take no more, a beautiful feeling. It was a day of great
food in the company of family and friends; I couldn’t ask for more.
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| Eating Gnocco and Tigelle |
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| Gelato Cake |
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| The restaurant |
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| Gnocco Fritto |
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| Cate with a piece of Gnocco |
Another fun part of the
weekend was going to visit Luigi’s cousin in the foothills of the Apennines
yesterday. The Apennines run the length of Italy and are similar in size the
White Mountains. It was a nice scenic drive and calm afternoon, one in which I
felt a little bit closer to home. The rolling green countryside, crisp air, and
earthy smell was a welcome change from the flatness of most of northern Italy.
We spent some time at Luigi’s cousins house and then visited a small medieval
castle located nearby. It was built around the year 1000 and offered truly
spectacular views of the surrounding countryside. It was a fun and refreshing
way to spend the afternoon.
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| at Luigi's cousins house |
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| By the castle |
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| A Medieval church |
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| The view from the castle |
Looking ahead, only one week
of school remains. I have finished all of my tests, so this week should be
low-key and low-stress. Today also marks the beginning of my last month in
Italy.
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