The sun has finally come out in Reggio. The city has come back to life, and is now full of people and open shops. What a difference nice weather makes. Living in Washington, it is easy to forget that most people would rather stay in than venture out in the rain. An errand can wait, if it means staying dry. If this were the case in Washington, nothing would ever get done!
We started our day early. Our first stop was at "Cafe Tropical", a very trendy cafe in the town center. Zebra table clothes, low coffee tables, and brown wicker benches take the place of typical cafe seating. Taber got his usual cappuccino, I ventured out and ordered a macchiato...Unlike Starbucks macchiatos, Italian macchiatos do not come with caramel. An Italian macchiato comes in a tea-cup the size of a shot glass, it is straight espresso with a splash of milk and foam. Although it can be taken down in one swig, the barista still takes time to form a little heart in the foam.
After the cafe, we went into two humongous and ornately decorated churches. The first, Chiesa Catterdrale, is a magnificent building worthy of a fairy tale. The church’s design is rich with Religious symbolism featuring details describing the birth, life, and death of historic church leaders . Bordering the interior walls of the church is several sanctuarys, each one containing a tomb with a portrait hanging above. The portraits may be of whomever is buried, we are not sure. We also are not sure who these people were, but whoever they were, they were important and significant enough to have personal sancuarys and be buried in the church. Perhaps the most awe inspiring is the artwork on the walls, ceiling, and large central dome. They are intricately painted with angels and ancient religious scenes. On the walls, circular stained glass windows are framed by gold.
The second church we visited (not sure of the name) is as breathtaking as the first. Four large lion statues sit outside the entrance. They do not hide their age very well, they are chipped and discolored. The most visually beautiful aspect of this church was the massive organ. The pipes took up a wall the size of a 2 story home. The church is in the shape of a cross. Being in the church you are unaware of this, but if you were to get a birds eye view it looks like a cross in the middle of the town center.
The market was open, and full of shoppers. They sell EVERYTHING at the market...fruit, clothes, purses, jewelry, bike locks, hair dryers, flowers, shoes, you can even buy a pair of underwear for 1 euro! We bought two pairs of sunglasses and a bike lock. Both will be put to good use (as long as the sun stays out).
Taber and the guys went out for a team dinner, so the girls were on our own. We went to a restaurant below a historic hotel. The chef and waitress spoke English, which was quite a treat. The cook moved to Reggio five years ago to study, while here he got a job as a cook, and has never left. After dinner the girls met up with the guys and walked to one of the main squares in the town center. Taber and Livingston, the 2nd baseman, had a dance off. Livingston's year experience as a street break dancer put him at an unfair advantage. Taber came up with some impressive moves. By the end of the season, and a little more practice, Taber may win the battle. Livingston is a big fan of Taber. Before Taber arrived in Italy, he bought one of Taber's baseball cards off ebay. Livingston has many fans himself...he speaks 4 languages, is very intelligent, is tech savvy, dances, plays the guitar, and is one of the nicest guys you will ever encounter.
Taber has a baseball game tomorrow and a double header on Saturday. We are considering a trip to either Venice or Florence on Sunday.
We miss everyone and hope all is well.
Sending you lots of love from Italy...