Fare la spesa. Grocery shopping.

Another day in Florence has come and gone.
Today I woke up around 10. I had every intention of waking up around 8:30. I had an alarm set and everything, but it did not go off. Those darn alarms. It was okay that I did not wake up early though, because when I woke up at 10 my mother was still in bed and had not had breakfast yet either. (Everyone's place gets set for breakfast the night before, which makes it very easy to tell who's up already and who's not.)
After breakfast I got ready and was able to read for a little bit before she was ready. Then we headed out for the park. There is a very nice, large park down the road from where I live. The park sits right on the Arno river, and is complete with  a bar that is open during the summer. (A bar in Italy is not equivalent to a bar in the U.S. A bar in Italy is a place that you go where you can get coffee, cappuccinos, pastries, and sometimes even a panino.) We went to the park so Megan could walk around for a little bit. In the park dogs can be in the regular area, as long as there aren't too many kids around. If there are a lot of kids then they have to be in the dog area. I should also note how many dogs are in Italy. There are dogs everywhere. In the stores, in the restaurants, everywhere. (And they don't have to be on a leash!) Some places do have signs outside that say no dogs, but not that many. Also, the dogs are VERY well trained and behaved. Italian dogs must be truly happy. :)

After we walked around in the park a little bit we headed back to the car and were off to the supermarket. On our drive my mother took me past the Blockbuster (yes they have Blockbuster) so I would know where it is if I would like to rent a movie. (When I find some time between all of my homework I would like to watch some American films in Italian.) We then continued on to the store. Now let me paint a picture for you. We're driving along and all of a sudden we take a left turn and start going down a ramp. The ramp is taking us to an underground parking structure, which has several levels. The parking spaces are very tiny, so I get out of the car before we pull into the slot. After parking we walk over through the parking garage and inside some doors. Inside I find neither stairs, nor an escalator, but an angled, flat escalator. (There are no stairs. It basically is a moving sidewalk that is raised up to a steep angle.) The escalator-like contraption is there so that you can take your shopping carts up and down with you. The wheels of the shopping carts are magnetic and stick to the escalator so it doesn't slide down. (But I was a little worried about ME sliding down! It was very steep.) We ride up the escalator 2 levels and arrive at the COOP grocery store. Imagine the size of a Walmart. Now take out all of the clothes, and the electronics, and the camping gear and pretty much everything else that is in there that isn't food, and replace it ENTIRELY with food. That was how big this grocery store was. I have never seen so much food in one place in my life, nor so many people in a grocery store at one time. It's a good thing I don't have anxiety issues or I would've had an anxiety attack. It was very overwhelming.
Upon entering the grocery store you can take a cart if you wish. However to release the cart from its carousel you have to put in a euro (this is directly on the cart handle not on the carousel) which you will get back upon returning the cart. Then you may proceed to your normal shopping if you'd like. However, because the grocery store is so big, and because there are so many people, these Italians have come up with the most brilliant thing I have seen yet. There is a very large display with little scanners that you can take. You scan your store card, which will then release one of the scanners to you from the charging station. (A little light flashes to show you which one to take.) The scanner then greets you by name and tells you to enjoy your shopping! You know how some grocery carts in the U.S. have the cup holders on the edge of the handle bar? Well instead of a cup holder, there is a little holder that you place the scanner in. You then proceed to your shopping, at which point you scan the item you would like and place it into your cart. (You have to pay for bags in Italy, so most people bring their own. So when you set your items into your cart, you put it right into your bag, and unlike in the U.S. you do not have to take them out of the cart to be scanned and then placed in bags to be placed back into the cart. Italians are very efficient!) Now, have no fear, you can also take items off of your scanner if you change your mind. The scanner displays the item you are purchasing, the price, as well as your running net total of your purchases. (No need for calculators!) I had quite a lot of fun getting to scan everything! Not only do they have the scanners, but the wheels on their carts are wonderful. All 4 of the cart's wheels move 360* which makes moving the cart extremely easy. This comes in handy especially when a cart is in your way. (Many people will leave their cart and walk away, so there is a very good chance that there will be several abandoned carts in the middle of of the aisle. If you need to get through you simply need to give a little push and the cart will easily move! No need to lift those back wheels to move left or right.)
If you so choose to not take a scanner, you will go about your shopping and checking out as normal.
So, there are the normal checkout counter, the express counter (15 items or less) and the scanner counter (I have no idea if that's what it's actually called, but that is what I shall call it.) When you finish your shopping (if you have a scanner) you head up to the cashier counter, which looks like the self service counters. You put in your scanner which will bring up your total, you pay, and then you take your receipt. You then have to keep your receipt, and scan it at a scanner that will open a little gate to let you out of the checkout area. (They only have the gate at those scanner counters to prevent people from just leaving without paying.)
We then headed out back down the escalator contraptions, on which I was SURE that my very full cart was going to slide all the way down, taking some little Italians down with it. But I decided to test fate and let go of my cart, and sure enough, it didn't move!
Despite the large crowds and overwhelmingly large store, I had a thoroughly good time on this adventure.
After our shopping we came home, I did some homework during the afternoon, took a nap, and then headed out to my friend's apartment where we had leftovers from last night for dinner. They were just as good the second time as they were the first.
Sorry I do not have pictures of my shopping adventures. The last time I took pictures in a grocery store here I got yelled at in Italian. Next time I go I will have to bring my iPod rather than my actual camera so I can discretely take pictures so you can see what I'm talking about! It's really cool! :)

A domani!