Coffee Coffee

WOW! I cannot believe 9 months has already flown by!!

Life is finally starting to be a routine, and the dreams are becoming plans, and plans are becoming reality! So much to talk about!

In a couple short weeks, Marito and I will be going to London and Dublin. Our first real big trip, planned by ourselves. We researched airlines, and decided that we don't need luxury, just affordable flights.

We will be flying EasyJet at about 50 Euros a person, each way, and Aer Lingus to Dublin for roughly 50 Euros a person. The ticket to London is VERY cheap, but mind you, we are only bringing carry-on luggage. I believe they charge 34 euros to check a bag- I'll pass.

So, I am looking forward to that trip with Marito (and some friends) after that my niece is coming back out here and we plan to go to Cinque Terre and Pisa, as well as hit up Ischia and have a Spa day.



Most recently, I went on a trip to Barbera Coffee- the worlds Oldest Coffee Roasting company. I've never been a big fan of coffee besides a Starbucks Frappaccino, but let's be real... A frap is not real coffee. It's sugar, milk, and a hint of coffee flavor.

MWR/ITT charged $8 for this tour, essential to pay for the bus to get us there. We were the companies first ever American tour. Kinda cool! We learned the differences between good coffee beans and bad, where they come from, how they know when they are ready to be harvested, and then we got to witness the process of the actual roasting of the beans.

I could go into detail on how they roast, but I recommend taking the tour for yourself. After the tour was completed, we went out to the Lobby and we all sampled their best espresso, and were able to purchase freshly packaged coffee grounds, espresso cups and even try their chocolate covered espresso bean. Silly me, when they went to refill the bowl of chocolate beans, I stuck my purse out there, open, and they gave me a giant handful! I obviously made a good connection with them and then spent more money! I was wired on the bus ride back to base... just ask the girls on the bus with me!



 A couple coffee tips before I end this post. Italians prefer cappuccinos in the morning, and cafes or espressos throughout the rest of the day. Something to do with having milk after breakfast. If your cafe/cappuccino isn't hot enough, next time ask for a cafe bolenta (boiling). The cafe shops are open all day and late into the night. It's a gathering place, and they seriously drink coffee at 1 am! You can also ask for a Cafe Correcto- it will have a spash of Sambuca in it. Majority of the coffee shops sell alcohol and little snacks to munch on while you sit and sip with friends.

On Monday, my girlfriends and I are going to Capri and Anacapri with the MWR/ITT tour. It is a little bit more pricey (ok, a lot more pricey) but it's an all day trip, transportation, tour guide, the works. It's an easy way to go explore and not worry about planning anything. It is all done for you.

Looking forward to telling you all about that trip, and hopefully give you pointers on how to do it yourself!