Spain leftovers and first days in Italy

I can't believe I forgot about our first dinner in Barcelona! I tried two new things thanks to Irene: squid ink and foie gras. Yes, I'm an official foodie now. I don't think I'll ever feel like it's normal to eat something that's pitch black and that stains everything it touches, but it definitely tasted good. Our first foray into the world of tapas was really fun. We ordered patatas bravas (of course), some croquettes, lamb skewers, squid ink paella, some sort of beef stew... Everything rocked. Nom nom nom.

After dinner we went to buy wine and had a bit of a mishap. Poor Irene slipped on the floor (classic slip and fall case, I want to sue), dropped a bottle of wine, and sliced open her hand on the glass. She's pretty sensitive to losing blood so at first she looked pretty upset. Luckily after pumping her with apple juice and putting a cool, damp cloth on her forehead (that trick comes from my mom) she rallied like a champ.

I made it to Torino on Friday night and spent Saturday exploring the city. One of the first things I did was stop by Eataly, which is a fancy market that also serves various food. The produce was so beautiful!

There was also meat and cheese as far as the eye can see.

I treated to myself to a plate of assorted meats and cheeses followed by pasta. It would not be misleading to tell you that the pasta was easily in the top 5 things I've eaten in my life, ever. The sauce was ragu of sausage, chicken, and mushrooms. There was such depth of flavor and every time I bit into a mushroom it was like a little burst of joy in my mouth. And it was only 7.50!

On the bad side, I got a million bedbug bites from the hotel I stayed at this weekend. Not only do I look like a leper, but I'm really itchy. It was a relief to move into my new home today and wash everything I own in very, very hot water.

Speaking of my new home, I live in the Olympic Village. It's near Olympic Bridge, which connects OV to an area called Lingotto. It looks like this:

Apparently the youth of Torino caught on to the French hobby of declaring their undying love by locking padlocks to bridges.

Here's a picture of my room! OK, it seems a little drab in this picture, but I got some sassy new sheets and soon I'll have decorations. Let's just say it's shabby-chic. Despite being a bit plain, it's huge and airy and has a cool view of the bridge.

So far I have three roommates and we're all from different countries. They all seem very sweet and laid back, and I think living here will be just fine. Orientation is this week - I'll let you know how it goes!

xo,
R

PS. Everyone please check out my best broads' travel blog. Sanaz and Natalie are in Leiden this semester!