Market Day in Fabro Scalo!!!!!!

April 10, 2022

Today it was sunny so I planned to work in the garden and tackle at least one section (the yard has 3 sections and is huge). I decided to go into town and grab a cappuccino & pick up some things I forgot yesterday. As I drove into Fabro Scalo there were people everywhere and tons of cars. I know it’s Sunday and the week before Easter, but this was a lot of people for this quiet little town. And then I saw it…Market Day!!!! WooHoo!!! For those of you who know, this was like a Siena-size market, stretching from one end of town to the other! (Granted, Siena is 50x or more the size of this little town but this was a BIG market for a small town). I parked my car and headed out with pure excitement.

As I quickly walked up the road, I encountered a small Italian boy selling something in a large box with a lid sitting on the ground. We had an interesting exchange as I tested out my Italian and I was dying to know WHAT was in that box so he opened the lid and alas, it was filled with baby chicks that he was selling for 2 euro each. I said ‘Grazie, ma no!’ and headed off to the market. Sorry buddy but I don’t live here full time and those chicks need a home.

Jess and I LOVE market days, at least those north of Rome, all through Umbria and Tuscany. We always see the Nonna’s (technically Nonne) walking down the street with their market goodies which has always helped us locate the market in a new town. Most of them have these very specific market bags (on wheels), which are cute and helpful. Now that I own a house in Italy, I NEED a market bag of my own.

As I strolled towards the train station, the first vendor was selling purses, wallets, bags and luggage. Out next to the luggage was a cute red market bag, I HAD to have it!!! 12 euro later, I was on my way, feeling like a true Italian Nonna.

Market days are equally fun for both shopping & people watching. So what did I buy? 2 table clothes, curtains for the bathroom windows, pasta making tools (gnocchi boards, rolling pin, drying rack), bathroom towels (the ones I grabbed at Ikea in January suck and I can’t seem to find decent ones anywhere). To put it in perspective and why we love market days, you get a body towel & a hand towel all in a single bundle. I bought 5 bundles and a set of 3 kitchen towels….all for 20 euro!!!!

And no market day is complete without stopping by the Porchetta truck for a fresh pork panino. They literally carve various pieces of meat off of the fresh roasted pig and layer it onto a hoagie roll. SOOOOOO delicious! I love being behind the Nonni where they order extra slices of meat and fixings from various parts of the pig, probably for dinner…they definitely know what they are doing. I am always tempted to say “I want what they had!” but I need to nail that down in Italian first.

“Voglio quello che hanno avuto, per favore.”

On the way out I stopped at the plant guy and bought 2 basil plants for 1 euro, which when planting was actually 4 plants… what a bargain!!! Who needs a gym when you have a giant yard full of weeds, boxes of furniture to build and stairs you go up and down numerous times per day!!!

So with my market goodies, all tucked within my new market bag, I headed back to the Twingo to head home and get to my chores for the day and plant the basil. I am SO happy!!!