Let's get the orange clock...Arancia Orologio!

May 21

Last night at dinner, Richard asked Pierro what stores in Matera are good for buying clothes. This prompted an invitation to shop and enjoy the family discount at the store where his sisters, Antonella and Maria, work.

Richard and Nonna on the way to run some errands, how frickin' cute is she?

So this morning Luca took us to this shop, which was an extremely awkward experience because we felt obligated to purchase something, however, the store is a sports store and we were really just looking for fashionable Italian clothing. Of course, the language barrier made things that much more difficult because we were being asked what we were looking for and Richard tried to explain that we weren’t looking because of need but just “shopping.” The concept didn’t translate well and we ended up purchasing some clothing, a European style swimsuit for Richard (teeny weeny boxer briefs), which will never see the light of day in the US (pictures to come in a later blog), and an overpriced beach towel to take with us to Amalfi and Sardegna.

On the walk back, we stopped at a modern furnishings store to inquire about “the orange clock.” I had been eyeing this clock since our first walk through the center of Matera. Once we heard the price, we decided to take some more time to think about whether or not to purchase the clock.

Random Picture of the coolest church door ever, on the via del Corso, I developed an odd fascination.

We returned for lunch consisting of Orrechiete con sugo (pasta named “little ears” with meat and tomato sauce). The second course was a local sausage with mushrooms, salad, and some more chat about the orange clock. We enjoyed some fresh cherries and espresso then off to take our afternoon nap. Of course, before falling asleep I made it a point to bring up the clock once more. After a great nap, I bugged Richard some more about going to get the orange clock and we agreed that if the clock was made in Italy that we would buy it. After visiting with Nonna, we headed out to get the clock! Along the way, I purchased a shirt that I had also been eyeing and Luca visited a friend who works at a local shop. Finally, we made it to the store and found out that the clock was made in Milano, so the quest had ended with the acquisition of a great conversation piece. It’s just too bad that I don’t have a wall to go home and hang it on, it is just going to have to live in a box until August.

Nonna, Luca, and Richard at Dinner...empty plates, full bellies.

Dinner already? We ate dinner earlier tonight than previous nights, and I wasn’t the least bit hungry when Nonna began setting the table, but I rallied and ate like a native. We had some leftover sausage from lunch, some fresh mozzarella, green beans, and a small hamburger-like patti (kind of an individual serving of meatloaf minus the tomato sauce), again followed by cherries and apricots.

Crystal eating gelato in her glasses, due to the aforementioned eye ailment.

We ended our visit to Matera with one last trip down the Via del Corso for Gelato and to say goodbye to Pierro, but this time there was no orange clock in the window!