Friday al mercato

Even with the super-strong Euro, there's still something that's just plain good value in Italy. No, not the wine (although that's good value too).
The town street market.
My little town's market is Friday morning. And every Friday morning that I manage to get there, I always find something to buy.
And I'm not that big of a shopper (too cheap).
Today, I bought two autumn jackets for 10 Euros apiece. Used, yes, but quite cute -- and in perfect condition. One a padded short black one -- the kind everyone's wearing here. Perfect for autumn, or even mid-summer, in London.
The last time I went to the market, right before I left, I bought a couple of big beaded long necklaces -- two for five Euros -- all the rage here. I wore one of them a couple times in London this last time I was back, and both times, a stranger, a British stranger no less, stopped to tell me they liked it.
The stuff's cheap -- and cute.
Besides clothes, there's household goods. So I've bought tablecloths, towels, pots, pans, spatulas and paper towels there. And there's toiletries too, so I've purchased all manner of nail polish, cotton balls and hair clips there over the years as well.
It's a winning place to bring people who visit -- everyone I've ever brought there has bought something too. One of my son's girlfriends bought the most adorable long dress -- and patchwork bag -- there one summer. I hope she found somewhere to wear the dress back in the States. It looked stunning on her. I can't remember what it cost, but it couldn't have been more than 20 Euros. And I want to say the bag was a tenner.
And then there's fresh fruit and vegetable vendors -- and little deli-like stands selling prosciutto, cheese, tuna -- almost anything you'd get in the supermarket.
So after my jackets, I picked up some dishwashing liquid.
And then a bunch of asparagus and a melon -- for next to nothing.
And a big hunk of mozzarella di bufala, of course, to just eat with my fingers, with the water from it running down them, for lunch.
Who needs anything else when you've got a market like that down the street?