GOOOO STATE!

Just a few random thoughts:

The strawberries here are incredible. We never should have messed with them to make them all mutant-y and the size of my face. The tiny ones straight from the field are PERFECT.

The French are really the geniuses with food. French baguette, brie, pastries, chocolate, crepes... ok, basically cheese and carbs. My staples. Not that I've had a true Italian cook anything for me yet.

Meat is something I haven't tackled yet. The Butcher scares me. I like Meijer where the meat is a little less... straight off the cow.

Don't stop in a touristy area at the Farmacia for toothpaste. It costs almost 4 euro for the tiniest tube of all time. Not that all the tourists checking out the Vittorio Emanuele monument are really in the area for toothpaste, but apparently it costs twice as much there as my grocery store. But hey, I really needed it. You don't wait when you need toothpaste.

Tomorrow I think I'll go to Mass at the Irish college in the morning... I want to attend Mass in English!! But then I want to go back to the Byzantine Liturgy I attended last week. I feel I belong there. I have never thought twice about my being roman rite (and I'm not thinking of going oriental either), but I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Eastern Liturgy. My first time was, well, amazing. Their weekly celebration is on the level of the awe-inspiring beauty of the Christ the King Triduum, which many of you know is simply.... awesome. To have that level of reverence and beauty every week. Wow!

This is making me realize there are a few more things I need to post about! Coming soon.... A recap of my first day here (visit to the necropolis below St. Peter's and seeing St. Peter himself's bones) and my experience of a Byzantine rite liturgy. Two of the most moving things I've experienced so far. Really, this begs the question: "why do I talk about my mosquito bites when I could tell you about the bones of St. Peter...?"

Things for me to ponder.

Love you!!
E