American/Italian Thanksgiving

This blog will contain both Saturday AND Sunday of my trip to Naples.  The 24th and 25th.
One Year Ago On These Days... It was Thanksgiving on the 24th last year...
http://dreaminginitalianthistime.blogspot.it/2011/11/italianamerican-thanksgiving.html

and on the 25th it was my last day in Florence...and I was proposed to...haha
http://dreaminginitalianthistime.blogspot.it/2011/11/hug-kiss-and-aproposal.html

When we woke up on Saturday morning, Myles was there!!! His boat had gotten in around 6:30 and David went down to get him a bit later.  For breakfast we had cannolis that Myles brought from Palermo.  Sicily is famous for its cannolis, and these did NOT disappoint.  The cream inside this cannoli was hands down the best I have had.  So, we started our morning with hugs all around, good food, and just hanging out a bit and catching up.  David and Lindsay got dressed to go for a run, while the rest of us got dressed and relaxed a bit.

After David and Lindsay returned, David's landlord joined us to make coffee for those who wanted it.  We just sat around and chatted and enjoyed being together.  We eventually made a full grocery list of the things that we would need to get for dinner later, and then got dressed to all go to the store together.

waiting on everyone...two phones and a camera...ahh our generation!! 

While David was waiting to take a shower, he gave us a fashion show!  I love that all of my new friends are these super intelligent people, but they have the most amazing sense of humor and we are never at a loss for something to talk about or laugh about.

David and his "American" look 

So, grocery list in hand, we started walking.  The store was much smaller than we were expecting, and MUCH smaller than the ones I go to here in Cosenza.  However, it just made it that much more interesting. So, we went on a search for everything on our list...we found most of it, and/or we found enough to make do!  To find a replacement for cheddar cheese we were able to taste a few cheeses.  The first was WAY salty!  I've never had a cheese that was so salty...I honestly did not know it was possible.  However, it was a fun experience.  All of our things at the grocery store only came to 22 euros...super cheap!  We did go across the street for veggies, fruits, and such.  So, all together our entire meal probably cost 35 euros, so like $45.  We, and by we I mean Myles in particular, made some friends at the fruit/veggie place.  We were able to sample some fruits, hear some "fun" music, and then we headed "home" to put the groceries away and decided our plan of attack for the rest of the afternoon.  Everywhere we walk in Naples, David sees people he now knows...I love it!  I love that he is willing to put himself out there and braves the language with no fear; or if there is fear, you cannot tell.  So, we made it back the apartment, put all of our stuff away and made a plan of attack.

We primarily just wanted David to show us around, and had no particular plan in mind.  So, we started walking.  I think we took the subway again...yes, we did because none of us had the correct change and so there were 6 people standing at the machine trying to figure out how to make this.  "How many Fulbrighters does it take to figure out how to pay the ticket machine??" Not our proudest moment, but we got it worked out!  When we first left the station, we saw the Dante statue we saw yesterday. 

THEN we walked up the most amazing street...a street FULL of books and book stores.  We did not stop and look much, but it was really cool!  We then stopped in a square that is apparently really popular at night.  We went to a little cafè that David said had really good coffee.  So, some got coffee.  Mattea got this insane coffee that had Bailey's, chocolate, cream, coffee, and something else.  What they meant though was Bailey's with a splash of coffee because "whoa!!!" It was intense.   

We also learned during this time that when David is thinking, his whole body has to shut down so that the energy goes to his brain.  What does this look like you might ask?? Well, it looks a bit like this: 

After our coffee break, we started walking again.  I really enjoyed the streets looking like this...like something out of a movie in Italy.  

We walked around a bit and then decided to have a late lunch, which was a bit scary knowing that we also planned to make Thanksgiving dinner later!  We stopped at a place and put our names on the list.  We had 30 minutes to kill, so we walked around for a bit.  We went into this tea shop, which smelled amazing.  I asked about the Romeo e Julietta, but they did not have it.  Then we met the cutest baby, and we talked to him and his dad.  David knew the people in the tea shop!  This baby was so attentive to us, and locked eyes with all of us!  I just wanted to hold and squeeze him!  We had to leave though and get back to the restaurant.  So, we sadly departed from the baby, but were excited for our Pizza Margherita in Napoli!!  

"This is pizza margherita in Naples, it's your moral imperative to eat and enjoy that pizza" - Liz Gilbert; Eat Pray Love...well, the movie! 

THe best pizza I've ever had...the sauce was AMAZING!!

Nick, David, & Myles, who all helped me finish the other half of my pizza!

Lindsay, Me, and Mattea with our pizzas

The pizza was amazing and we had so much fun!!  I really love this group of people.

We walked through a really busy street that had a lot of Christmas stuff and  A LOT of people.  We eventually came to a monastery that David wanted to show us, and also the inside of the church.  It was not open yet, so we had a photo shoot with an "Eve" that was painted on a wall.  This was followed by trying to visit the monastery, but only a few of us had our museum cards.  So then we had a photo shoot for our Christmas card to the Fulbright Commission and Ministry of Education.  We had WAYYY too much fun at this monastery, and I am pretty sure that everyone walking by us thought we were CRAZY! THey were probably hating the silly Americans.  Here are some of the pictures!!

The GREATEST unplanned picture of ALL TIME!!

Its recreation

We had so much fun it should be illegal.  So, after we had so much fun...we went inside the church.  It was beautiful!  Then we started making our way back to the apartment so we could begin the adventure of cooking Thanksgiving dinner.  We stopped at the phone store for David..:Mattea and I went to a bar to get coffee and use the bathroom.

Now begins the most amazingly fun cooking adventure I think I've ever had.  The coolest thing about these hours we cooked was that there was 6 people in one small kitchen, using very few dishes, and having to improvise on almost everything, and not once did anyone get frustrated or irritated.  We just worked with what we had, the space we had, and laughed the whole time!  It was such a beautiful thing.  We all helped each other, Mattea taught Nick how to cut an apple, and even when the power went out, we kept going and helped each other...and problem solved a bit!  It was so much fun that I do not even think my words can describe it!! I will have to try and do it justice with pictures.  We opened wine and had some while we cooked.  We were making apple pie (Mattea), craisin cranberry sauce (Mattea and Lindsay),Broccoli casserole (me), Mashed potatoes (Nick), an amazing salad (Myles), and pasta with pesto and veggies (David).  Everyone helped each other.  Lindsay was a great assistant to all.  We did not have nutmet, cloves, crisco, or velveeta...and all was well. We had music playing...and it was just amazing!  I told everyone to use my cameras to take pictures so that we would have pictures of all of us throughout the process, and I am so glad that they did!! We have SO many wonderful pictures of us preparing Thanksgiving...I simply cannot include them a...or even a lot...but facebook has them ALL!!

Our wine pre-cooking

A toast to great friends!

Who knows...

 

Prepping the broccoli casserole

Picking out music is serious business

working through the power outage

An Italian/American Thanksgiving

 

Myles carving the turkey

Our delicious and gorgeous pie

A while later, we set the table, David's roommate (a girl from China who speaks NO English...and very little Italian) joined us for dinner, and we began our meal. We started out by saying things that we were thankful for.  We all of course agreed that we were thankful for this amazing opportunity, and for each other.  We were thankful for the chemistry of the group, and the opportunity to share this day with each other.  It was amazing..Fei taught us how to say thank you in mandarin, but I have unfortunately already forgotten.  We ate, and everything was AMAZING!!  Mattea told her travel story again for Lindsay and Myles, and we laughed so hard.  It was such a wonderful day!!  THen we had Mattea's pie...and OH MY GOSH....even with the substitutes, it was TO DIE FOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was hands down one of the best apple pies I have ever had.  Delicious.

After dinner, we had SO much food left over.  It was decided that we would take a good bit of it to some of the hungry people of Naples.  So, we bundled up and made a long walk.   I was grateful for the walk, but afraid of how we would be received.  One guy was pissed, but the others were so grateful and ate most of the food while we stood there and David/Myles/Lindsay/Nick spoke to them in Italian.  I am so glad that they were able to have our food, and we were able to share!  Once we came back home, it was time to go to bed!!  Mattea had to be up early for her early train.  It was so sad to go to bed knowing we all had to part ways the next day!  David even tucked Nick in, gave Mattea a "foot rub", I got a full body massage, and Lindsay did not have any requests!!  Sense the sarcasm here...well...except for one of those...

Yes, this happened! 

Sunday was a sad day!! 

Mattea got up early and we all hugged goodbye!  I did not want her to leave!  I love my Mattea.  I even love that she uses the name, "love" for me and others.  This is SO me! Sometimes Mattea and I are the same person!  So, David and Lindsay walked her to the train station so that they could run back!!  Nick, Myles, and myself just hung out and talked!  

WHen they got back, we all slowly got dressed and made sure we had all of our stuff together.  We hung out on the balcony and just talked, laughed, and enjoyed our last few hours in Naples.  We laughed so hard that my cheeks hurt...a common theme with this group of people!   We discovered Myles's inner model...and just enjoyed each other's company!  Here are some pics: 

Taken through David's sunglasses

I love this picture of Nick

Then we eventually had to make our way to the train station.  We walked so slowly, and stopped at the ATM.  However, we walked soooo slowly that Nick came really close to missing his train!  This was interesting though!  So we all hugged goodbye.  Nick got on the train and David said, "Elyse...I want pictures of you running after the train!" So, I laughed and said, "okay!"  Then, Nick ran back off the train and gave us hugs!  Then, Nick went back on the train and David had me go put my hands on the window and then fake run!  Apparently (Nick told me later) that these little old ladies were watching us and talking about me and him!

So, then we went to get me some gum, go to the 1 euro bathroom (was at least clean), and then to get Lindsay and me something to eat.  We had these weird almost pizza rustica things.  Then we had to hug David and Myles bye.  THey were off to sightsee some and Lindsay had to catch her train!  I walked her to her train, we hugged, and I went to find my train as well!  

The train ride was uneventful! I was able to talk to Nick a little bit...my momma a little bit...but cell service sucks on the trains.  However, I did get to end my trip with a beautiful sunset!  I started it with one, and ended it with one!  

Lilla was picking me up in Cosenza...and I was grateful to not have to wait on the bus!!

I am so blessed...and so fortunate to have found such amazing people!  THis will go down in history as one of my favorite Thanksgiving...definitely something I will remember for a lifetime!