Yesterday, after a run in the orchards with my brother, we took the bus into Trento. Trento was Charles's original destination - in 2002 - and I reminisced about my first visit that year. At my first Italian coffee shop in 2002, I ordered a latte. The bartender told me that it was only milk, but not wanting to seem like a stupid American, I insisted, "I know!" and proceeded to drink a steaming cup of milk like I enjoyed it (which I didn't). In present day, as I watched my daughter sit atop Charles's shoulders and our families walk around the piazzas together, I marveled at how I could have never imagined this 20 years ago.
Of course, I never really imagined being 40, but that's a different thing.
We were on a mission for a little round stuffed animal (after Marian left hers on the airplane), but Marian said that any size would do in a pinch. So, we poked in shops and churches, and stopped to eat multiple times. First a pre-lunch snack. (I had to say no to the delicious looking tuna sandwich because of probable meat contamination and had to settle for a chocolate donut. Sacrifices!) I wanted to go to La Cantinota: my favorite Trentino restaurant with the infamous risotto Teroldego, which has made me cry in the past due to its exquisite flavor. Unfortunately, it was closed.
But, Elisabetta saved the day when she chose a restaurant called Forst, which served traditional Trentino dishes, including my favorite risotto. Forst included beer recommendations with each dish, so who was I to deny their expertise? We had an incredible lunch. While the risotto didn't make me cry, it was top-notch and I was extraordinarily happy - and the beer recommendation was perfect. Marian was also quite happy with the abundance of parmesan cheese. When she saw large slices of parmigiano, she said, "Beautiful parmesan!" and got as much scooped onto her pasta as she wanted by a very nice Italian waiter.
After a couple more shops, we stopped for gelato, and then it was time to take the bus home. Josephine and I chatted about the feminist themes of the new "Barbie" movie on the ride. And the heat and humidity sent us all to our respective beds or showers for a slight reprieve. A gorgeous thunderstorm swept across the town and cooled everything down before wine and cheese and leftovers at the Jochims'. As 9pm rolled around, Marian insisted that she wanted to sleep with Josephine and so I left her there last night, buzzing with joy. I wonder how long it took her to fall asleep as she was quite overcome with excitement.
A full day and a wonderful one! And today, a visit to a WWI fort! A posto!
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