Before you get any false impressions, I must preface by saying that a "bar" in Italia is not synonymous to the American conception of a bar. Although pretty much every bar does indeed serve beer, wine, and cocktails, they can essentially be equated to coffee and pastry shops. What we would consider bars in America are called pubs or discotecs here. In addition to coffee and pastry, these bars also serve paninis, lunch and dinner items, and often gelato. And to truly live the life of an authentic Italian it is common to have a caffè in which you frequent almost daily and become "cliente" or well-known and respected customers. For me (as well as my friends Allie, Alexa, and Becky) this has become Bar Impero. It is located only a few blocks from Hotel Holiday and extremely close to the BCSP office - where some of our classes are located. Not only does Bar Impero have every type of pastry you could ever imagine, a scene that only a crazy person would be able to pass by nonchalantly without having to resist the tempting urge to enter immediately, but its assortments of caffè are endless and the apperitivi that are offered for lunch and dinner are some of the best I have had. We probably go at least once a day, especially since we are still living out of our suitcases and currently do not possess the means to cook for ourselves. Moreover, a caffè costs only 1 euro, and most everything else is moderately priced as well. Thus, we are hoping to make Bar Impero "our caffè." Slowly but surely I have begun to recognize the waiters and bar-tenders who work there, and we found out today that you can even obtain a card that gets you a free caffè or pastry after 10 purchases - EASY! ;] Suffice it to say however that Bar Impero has become our favorite place and the amount of hours we spend there daily would probably be considered a waste of time by most Americans. But Italy is a culture where the time spent over a meal or a caffè is of the utmost importance, and the ideal time to converse with friends and enjoy life.
Our intensive language and culture class with BCSP began today and I must not fail to mention the very important lesson I learned concerning the infamous Caffè Italiano. Despite the fact that class lasted for 2 and 1/2 hours (from 10:00-12:30 everyday), it passed quickly, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Our professoressa is from Romagna, the southern part of of the Emiglia-Romagna region in which Bologna is located and though she is strict, and speaks little English (which I think is better), she is a wonderful teacher. We spent most of the day learning about Italy and some of the different national, regional, and local customs, in addition to speaking Italian amongst ourselves. During our discussions we read an article about an American journalist's experience with colazione, or breakfast. Cappuccino and brioche (croissants essentially) is considered to be the staple of a traditional Italian breakfast. However, it is viewed as extremely strange to even consider ordering a cappuccino after 10:30. (This kind of behavior is only tolerated between the hours of 8:00 - 10:30 am). You will immediately identify yourself as a stranger if you decide to order a cappuccino any time after that. And God forbid you ever order one after a big lunch or dinner. While caffè is extremely common (espresso) for these times of the day - or at any time of the day for that matter - ordering a cappuccino after meals is believed by the Italians to be bad for digestion and extremely strange. Needless to say, the "culture of caffè" in Italia must not go overlooked. It runs through the veins of the locals like blood and can be found in countless flavors, styles, and sizes. It is the honest truth that you can never go wrong with a caffè. And much to my surprise - and I'm sure a surprise to the people who know me well - I have rapidly become a frequent drinker of this beloved beverage. I very much enjoy a nice caffè italiano in the morning - and perhaps after dinner at night - and have quickly developed a favorite for what is called a caffè macchiato, consisting simply of espresso and milk (and a little bit of sugar as well). I must also note that despite the cold weather, outside dining is a popular practice. Many bars are even equipped with heaters, some located above tables and some located directly in the middle that emit huge flames resembling mini fire places. We have taken to this practice often, and are slowly adapting to "la vita bolognese" (the Bologna lifestyle). Just give me a caffè from my favorite bar, an outside table with a little heat, perhaps a pastry or panino, and a few hours for conversation with friends, and I will be perfectly happy.
No comments:
Post a Comment