Reggio Emilia
In Reggio Emilia, where Rosanne and I happened to be, food shopping is a social event. This is why small communities are so appealing. Take a look.
In Reggio Emilia, where Rosanne and I happened to be, food shopping is a social event. This is why small communities are so appealing. Take a look.
Feeling quite European now, I suppose, huh? Sounds quite romantic. Is this a daily market? As a weekly event, farmers’ markets are actually also quite popular in the States, as I’m sure there is also much shopping done in store building at Reggio Emilia just like in the U.S.. We have an outdoor market in our little town of Smithfield here on the east coast in VA, as do other towns in the local area. They are really quite abundantly available throughout the U.S.. We also just spent a weekend with family in Delaware and many of the towns we passed through have them there, also. Not only are such food markets popular, but so also are flea markets, and at times auctions, and many other small town regular events like music gatherings, such as blue grass concerts and car shows. One evening every weekend at Arthur’s General Store in the neighboring small town of Driver, there is a music night with several different musicians “taking the stage”, also a ventriloquist may even perform. There’s really village life common to Reggio Emilia throughout the world where people gather to shop and greet and have conversation, and it’s wonderful how each one also has its own unique personality. A concern we have about weekly markets, however, is that they are generally on Shabbat and not available on a work day. It sounds quite romantic there, but just wondering, if this one in Reggio Emilia is on Shabbat or is it available on other days as well?
Good question on the day the market takes place.
I too find lots of this sort of camaraderie here in the rural mid-western part of the states. Farmers markets are everywhere but generally on Saturdays. Everyone works during the week and I’d like to see the reception to one held on a Sunday!
Markets here at Piazza Fontanesi are on Tuesday and Friday mornings. There are other squares with markets on other days, but generally food shopping occurs on these days. By the afternoon, everything is packed up and gone and the square becomes a place of social gathering, having a glass of wine while the children play, visiting with others. Very calm and peaceful. But, of course, American commercialism is invading. There is a BIG supermarket on the edge of town. There are designer shops along the streets. And yesterday I stumbled into a CHAIN store with the mandatory canned music and racks of the same USA clothing. I rushed away as fast as I could.
Romantic? No, not really. Just a nice change of pace. Lots of other issues to deal with. Things generally don’t work very well and everything is old. But there is a charm to it all. When we encounter locals and tell them we are thinking about moving to Italy, their reaction is “Why would you do that? American is so wonderful.” It’s all about perspective, isn’t it?
Interesting. That’s fortunate to have weekday open air markets. But I totally get the “rushed away as fast as I could” sense with the chain store experience. The same feeling I get with most American commercial experiences, except in the small town scene, especially with privately owned businesses. I did have some fun even at Walmart last week, though, using a motor cart due to a bumb ankle. It was a bit more of an exciting challenge, especially at max speed, and it was interesting to connect more with other people using them too, in a sub-culture sort of way.
Ahh…those wonderful European markets, full of food, clothing, jewelry, misc. stuff (all fun to browse through and make purchases while enjoying the community feel of the entire town…adults, children, dogs, cats.) Fortunately, markets in Europe are the norm and can be found on most days of the week in one fashion or another…unlike the U.S. where they are usually limited to Saturdays for 4 hours. I have very fond memories of strolling through markets and small shops with you and Rosanne last October on our cruise…Italy, Greece and Israel. I think my favorite was the island of Rhodes. What a surprise that was. Remember the Jewish memorial right in the center of town?
I never realized this could be something special. We have a market in our village every week, so it’s quite normal to me. So have many Dutch villages. It’s very relaxing strolling along the different market stalls looking for a bargain.