Tuna Pizza and Gelato

Ding Dang Dong goes the bells. Not only is that a line for the movie “Under the Tuscan Sun” but also a reality here in Italy. It seems every town has a church that still rings their bells throughout the day. The first time I heard them was in early evening signifying the end of the day. When I get busy with the details that need to be done these bells remind me that I am experiencing a wonderful opportunity in a foreign land. It allows me to cherish the moment before I continue on with my current project.

A similar topic was brought up today at the barn. Do horses know that they are in a different country or do they just think they went on a long road trip? Not only are the sights and smells new and different but so are the common sounds. There is a difference the speech patterns and the tempo of the American speech versus the Italian speech. Do horses realize this? They must notice the difference but do they understand the difference?

This was a topic that Lauren Jolly, one of our team grooms, and I got on today while taking care of he team horses. If they do realize it then they adjust better then humans do. They appear not to be affected by jet lag, whereas, I am still trying to get on the right schedule. I will probably have it figured out by the time I get on the plane to fly home. Who needs sleep anyway? At least that is what I am telling myself.

Italy has presented a fair share of new experiences. Tonight was no different. We went to dinner at a restaurant that we had enjoyed earlier, but this time we didn’t have a translator helping us with the menu. We were on our own. I was armed with my pocket dictionary and a few key phrases but it was still mass confusion. To an outside spectator we probably resembled a Three Stooges comedy. We did get some outside help from other patrons who felt sorry enough for us to translate a few words. After the order was set, which took probably 10 minutes for two pizzas, a steak, salad and spaghetti; we felt quite accomplished. We had ordered food. That feeling left after I took my first bite. Apparently I mistranslated a word and instead of getting tomatoes on my pizza I got a very pungent tuna. I am not a fish person, especially if it tastes fishy which this did. But I couldn’t help myself, this was too funny. I started laughing at the mistake. It was too funny. I did end up ending the pizza but tried to avoid the fish. Ryan also got a different pizza then he thought he ordered, but John and Lauren got food that resembled what they thought they would get. So we for two and two; it can only go uphill.

After our dinner we thought dessert would be good, but since there was no Tiramisu available we moved on. In the town of Leno Lauren had seen a Gelatoira, which we promptly headed to. There were too many flavors and colors that it was hard to decide on one flavor. So it was a nice surprise when we found out that you get three flavors with an order. Now which three to pick? I was temped by the baby blue colored gelato called Pucco, but decided I had been adventurous enough for the day. So I got chocolate, Rocher, and a vanilla flavored gelato. Boy were they delicious! Everything that everybody has said about Gelato is true. Maybe on my next trip to the Gelatoira I will get the baby blue gelato or maybe not.

Tomorrow we start setting up our stalls in Manerbio, the horses move in on Monday morning and the riders start arriving Monday. The pace is going to pick up and I can’t wait until the whole team is here in Italy!

Till tomorrow.

*an after-note: the fish on my pizza turned out to be anchovies, not tuna :)