SUPERstores

Yay for living out of multiple suitcases in multiple locations! [sarcasm] 

I have finally been reunited with the rest of my belongings, which means one thing:

I finally have my fuzzy socks!

Oh yeah, and my camera cord, hehe. So pictures, yay! I've snapped over a hundred pics since I was last able to upload, so be patient and I'll try to space them out. Unfortunately, however, I'm going to have to renege on my mantra for this year, and regret that I didn't take more pics...(I'll explain later).

In any case, here you go, catch-up sesh Part I:

On the Monday after Easter, Silvia and I headed up into the mountains with a group of her friends for a little getaway. In prep for the big lunch we headed to the supermarket to buy our meat to be grilled. And I assure you, "Super" is an understatement. Holy cannoli.

Seriously, it was a madhouse [going to the grocery store the Friday afternoon before Easter probably wasn't the greatest idea].

Maybe it's because they don't have a Publix on every corner, but they have truly giant stores here. It's weird, in the more suburban towns, they have itty-bitty versions of American grocery stores; in the city, they have colossal versions.

There are no mirrors involved in this photo. I promise.

I will admit, though, that they are pretty smart about some things, these crafty Italians:

• parking garages below the store and ramped moving sidewalks for the shopping carts
• the little baskets (alternative to shopping carts) that we usually have to carry: They have versions with a telescoping handle so the baskets can roll. They're like a desirable variant of a rolly backpack.
• the plastic bags cost 15¢, so people use reusable bags much more often
• in the produce section you go ahead and weigh your own items and it prints out a barcode (to save the cashier effort), which at the time I thought was a clever tool. In hindsight, I guess it just means you could weigh whatever you want, then add more to the bag...Hmm...

We finished up nicely though, and I was quite proud when the three of us successfully made the mile+ walk carrying all these things:

 Although I wasn't so proud that our haul included this:

That's all for now. [What a goshdarn tease, huh?!] Next, it's my birthday! (in blogworld, that is)
-M