Rovereto & Barbie

Sometimes the best adventures are close to home! I loved seeing Rovereto up close this last week, and as Maria said, “Tourist mode- on!”

Zia (aunt) Mikela took Carlo, Davide, and me to the street market in Rovereto.

Lots of fresh food, plants, clothes, and trinkets being sold on the street. Such a fun environment that I find in many other cultures but we don’t get enough of in the USA. Farmers markets are special to me but typical here.

Nonna (Grandma) Maria Pia made a chocolate fountain for the grandkids! Later the same day Maddi made little chocolate lava cakes. Wonderful day, still not too much chocolate. I’m obsessed with dark chocolate, and Maddi is too so we get along well.

On Friday morning I went with Maria and the boys to see Rovereto’s art museum, the Mart. Lots of interesting and beautiful paintings- a few too many naked people for my taste but such is European art.

Amid all the elegant paintings we found an emergency box with glass to break in case of emergency. We jokingly oohed and aaahed at this particular display. Honestly it’s not that far from modern art. I could argue that there is great symbolic meaning in it. If a professor asked me to write a 500 word essay on the fire extinguisher in the art museum, I could whip that one out in my sleep.

My favorite way to explore Nogaredo and the villages surrounding Rovereto is on my evening hikes/runs. I love getting some fresh air and sunshine, heart pounding and sweat dripping. Makes me feel alive. There are so many beautiful streets, grapevine fields, little towns, and trails to explore.

On Friday night I went to see the Barbie movie with Zia Mikela and Maddi. We’d been looking forward to it all week! I was just tickled to go see an American movie in the Italian language in an Italian movie theater. So fun. I was proud of myself for understanding it well! Overall it was a fun time and I loved going out with Maddi and Mikela. I also satisfied my popcorn craving, so that was perfect. 🍿🎥🎬🎞️

My thoughts on the Barbie movie? Fun to watch, well executed, hilarious, a bit heavy on the feminist movement… but what were you expecting from Barbie? When it comes to feminism, I’m of the opinion that rather than an attitude of division (women vs men) it’s more healthy and productive to have an attitude of support (women and men). Everyone matters no matter what. No matter gender, race, color or age. As Ken’s sweater said at the end of the film, “I am Kenough.”