Furniture Construction Trip >>> Day 7 (Wednesday, 17 May 2006): More buying, more construction …
This day would best be called market and administration day. I have a jam packed schedule.
First, I go to the market in Fano’s central piazza (Piazza XX Settembre) … it’s a twice weekly (Saturday and Wednesday) event. The entire center of town, overnight, becomes transformed into a huge superstore, or maybe better characterized as a super-sized amalgamation of a bunch of little specialty shops. Housewares, clothing, plants and flowers, shoes, linens, underwear, seeds … you name it, it can be found. The vendors have each staked out their own niche, and easily refer you to someone else if they do not sell what you desire.
The most amazing aspect of these market days is the timing. At night, walking home after dinner and gelato at, say, midnight, the piazza is empty and silent. Return at 9:00 AM the next day, and it’s full … with maybe 100 vendors each in their own 10’ x 10’ space, or larger. Then, by 2:00 PM, the piazza is empty again, but for a bit of trash that’s gone by day’s end. It’s like a magic trick … now you see it, now you don’t.
I pick up some stainless steel roasting pans, ash trays, pot holders/hot mitts, a doormat-type rug for the terrace (back) entrance, cushions for the seats of our wooden (hard!) kitchen table set, and a few other items.
I check at the bank for two things. Internet access to my account, and a debit (ATM) card. Neither is available now, but they tell me (5 times at least) when I’m back in August to check again … they feel it will be available at that time. My sense is that for what they call “external accounts” (owned by non-Italians), there is some lead time or hurdles they have to pass to provide me with these services. I am almost 100% certain that they will approve and provide in August … it’s just the way it is. No big deal for me, as long as they don’t mind seeing my face or taking my calls! Forget e- mail. Italians are very hit and miss (mostly miss) on e-mail.
Then, it’s off to the “big box” store area again for a large plastic table for the terrace, which has a nifty expansion feature, so I buy the extension leaf as well. Six chairs (although the expanded table will likely accommodate 12 people easily. Gas BBQ. Finding a tank for the BBQ proves to be a challenge … everyone is sold out. This might have to wait until August.
Then, it’s back home to meet an insurance agent to buy insurance for the property (very inexpensive). After that, a trip to our “notaio” (the land transfer agent that acts like two lawyers would in the US) to get our copies of the purchase documents and land registry documents.
On the way back from the notaio, I find a gas tank for the BBQ at a small hardware store, so that’s done. But pricey … E45. No deal there. But, man cannot live without his BBQ. At least not this man.
At the hardware, they direct me to a place (two actually) to get it filled, but every place points me somewhere else. They keep telling me it’s not legal for them to fill it, that they can only sell “wholesale”, which doesn’t make sense since they’re filling vehicles that run on propane. This is something I’m going to have to research, because it seems like lots of gas BBQs are being sold, yet gas for them is hard (impossible?) to find. A mystery!
I work until about 9 PM and go grab dinner at La Florida, a pizza place we love. It’s actually a complete restaurant, but they have some of the best pizza in Fano. I have a cold fish appetizer plate (my favorite … man-oh-man do I love those marinated fresh sardines!), and a pizza of onions and tuna. It is fabulous. I have a side of mixed vegetables (spinach, roasted potatoes, carrots, green beans) which is as good as anything I’ve ever had, yet very simple.
During dinner, I ask for a table positioned so I can watch the Champions League final between Barcelona and Arsenal. I like Barcelona because they (in my opinion) are the underdogs. I am a fighter for all dogs under, so this is normal for me. It seems the entire restaurant are Barcelona fans, and everyone, although you certainly can’t tell, is watching the game from the corner of their eyes. Many women stop in front of the TV, watch for a while, cheer, make some comment, and move on. To me, nothing is more attractive than a beautiful Italian woman “getting into” a soccer game. Such passion! Forget Italian lingerie; just give me a gal who likes sports. Shhhh … don’t tell my wife.
But, without soccer, give me that great Italian lingerie!
A half liter of white wine (“frizzante”), a bottle of water (“frizzante”) and then a trip for gelato and a limoncello to complete the evening.
Tomorrow, CRUCH TIME!
First, I go to the market in Fano’s central piazza (Piazza XX Settembre) … it’s a twice weekly (Saturday and Wednesday) event. The entire center of town, overnight, becomes transformed into a huge superstore, or maybe better characterized as a super-sized amalgamation of a bunch of little specialty shops. Housewares, clothing, plants and flowers, shoes, linens, underwear, seeds … you name it, it can be found. The vendors have each staked out their own niche, and easily refer you to someone else if they do not sell what you desire.
The most amazing aspect of these market days is the timing. At night, walking home after dinner and gelato at, say, midnight, the piazza is empty and silent. Return at 9:00 AM the next day, and it’s full … with maybe 100 vendors each in their own 10’ x 10’ space, or larger. Then, by 2:00 PM, the piazza is empty again, but for a bit of trash that’s gone by day’s end. It’s like a magic trick … now you see it, now you don’t.
I pick up some stainless steel roasting pans, ash trays, pot holders/hot mitts, a doormat-type rug for the terrace (back) entrance, cushions for the seats of our wooden (hard!) kitchen table set, and a few other items.
I check at the bank for two things. Internet access to my account, and a debit (ATM) card. Neither is available now, but they tell me (5 times at least) when I’m back in August to check again … they feel it will be available at that time. My sense is that for what they call “external accounts” (owned by non-Italians), there is some lead time or hurdles they have to pass to provide me with these services. I am almost 100% certain that they will approve and provide in August … it’s just the way it is. No big deal for me, as long as they don’t mind seeing my face or taking my calls! Forget e- mail. Italians are very hit and miss (mostly miss) on e-mail.
Then, it’s off to the “big box” store area again for a large plastic table for the terrace, which has a nifty expansion feature, so I buy the extension leaf as well. Six chairs (although the expanded table will likely accommodate 12 people easily. Gas BBQ. Finding a tank for the BBQ proves to be a challenge … everyone is sold out. This might have to wait until August.
Then, it’s back home to meet an insurance agent to buy insurance for the property (very inexpensive). After that, a trip to our “notaio” (the land transfer agent that acts like two lawyers would in the US) to get our copies of the purchase documents and land registry documents.
On the way back from the notaio, I find a gas tank for the BBQ at a small hardware store, so that’s done. But pricey … E45. No deal there. But, man cannot live without his BBQ. At least not this man.
At the hardware, they direct me to a place (two actually) to get it filled, but every place points me somewhere else. They keep telling me it’s not legal for them to fill it, that they can only sell “wholesale”, which doesn’t make sense since they’re filling vehicles that run on propane. This is something I’m going to have to research, because it seems like lots of gas BBQs are being sold, yet gas for them is hard (impossible?) to find. A mystery!
I work until about 9 PM and go grab dinner at La Florida, a pizza place we love. It’s actually a complete restaurant, but they have some of the best pizza in Fano. I have a cold fish appetizer plate (my favorite … man-oh-man do I love those marinated fresh sardines!), and a pizza of onions and tuna. It is fabulous. I have a side of mixed vegetables (spinach, roasted potatoes, carrots, green beans) which is as good as anything I’ve ever had, yet very simple.
During dinner, I ask for a table positioned so I can watch the Champions League final between Barcelona and Arsenal. I like Barcelona because they (in my opinion) are the underdogs. I am a fighter for all dogs under, so this is normal for me. It seems the entire restaurant are Barcelona fans, and everyone, although you certainly can’t tell, is watching the game from the corner of their eyes. Many women stop in front of the TV, watch for a while, cheer, make some comment, and move on. To me, nothing is more attractive than a beautiful Italian woman “getting into” a soccer game. Such passion! Forget Italian lingerie; just give me a gal who likes sports. Shhhh … don’t tell my wife.
But, without soccer, give me that great Italian lingerie!
A half liter of white wine (“frizzante”), a bottle of water (“frizzante”) and then a trip for gelato and a limoncello to complete the evening.
Tomorrow, CRUCH TIME!
posted by Mark Pukita | 9:37 AM
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