Whenever I think that I’ve had my “best city yet” moment another one comes along to surprise me.
I started off the week by visiting Riccione. Though the day was hardly perfect beach weather, I saw a snippet of what the saying, “life’s a beach,” meant on this side of Italy.
Riccione is by far one of the more touristic cities that I have visited to date. Keep in mind that I am speaking of the city’s center.
There was a very “Manhattan meets Miami Beach” atmospheric mood. Everything that you were in the mood to spend money on was in the vicinity. Popular retail shops such as Sephora and Guess, local crafty shops like Ricami Veronica and Bartolucci, sprinkled with gelaterias and pubs provided the ideal retail therapy heaven.
The company Bartolucci is synonymous with wood crafting. From the moment the wafting scent of wood hit my nostrils, I just knew I had to step foot inside of this shop. If the scent was not enough of a draw, the colorful wooden figurines definitely were.
One can easily see that it took skills and very specific techniques to give these wooden items the various characteristics they posses.
Ricami Veronica felt very homely. Maybe it was because the products reminded me of my grandmothers, in that I could easily remember them using similar items. Or perhaps it was the sewing machine which reminded me of watching my neighbor in Guyana, Mrs. B, transform ordinary lengths of cloth into elaborately designed outfits.
Whatever it was, my only regret was that I did not know of the store sooner. I left with some perfectly personalized items. For being a good customer, despite my poor attempt at conversing in Italian, I was awarded a lovely souvenir:
In addition to being a beach town, Riccione is also considered a party city. Many pubs and discoteca are common in the area. Whilst I skipped the party scene (this time around), I did enjoy my walk along the beach.
No matter how long I have been here, I can never get over the splendor of the Adriatic Sea. Every city, and beach, has offered something new and ponderous about the body of water.
Riccione was a laid-back type of fun! I hope to visit again, and get a taste of the nightlife as well.
R. K
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Roaming Kitty 