Ostia not Rome
Due to the Italian trade union strike (against the genocide in Palestine and in favor of severing relations with Israel), we had to do some thinking to get out of Fiumicino, but before midnight we were back in our seaside town enjoying sea bream tartare, spaghetti vongole with botarga and a carafe of homemade wine.
Fuck you, I'm not going back to my country.
Italians envy us for having a pimp in the presidential chair, and we envy Italians for having an Aperol by the beach.
According to ChatGpt, typical cuisine in Lido di Ostia - known as the seaside district of Rome - includes: <br>Spaghetti alle vongole - spaghetti with clams (vongole), often with garlic, olive oil, and parsley. <br>Frittura di paranza - a fried mixture of small fish, squid, and shrimp. <br>Risotto ai frutti di mare - creamy risotto with a mixture of seafood. <br>Polpo con patate - octopus and potato salad, served cold. <br>Calamari alla griglia - grilled squid, often served with lemon and olive oil. <br>Zuppa di pesce - aromatic fish soup with tomatoes and various types of fish and seafood. <br>Today we checked most of the items on this list. <br>Well, I have to admit, the chef - a bastard - knew his craft.
Our first stop in the Eternal City today was the Porta Portese flea market. Filled with the scent of old books and vinyl, tacky and tacky, yet revealing its loud, slightly dusty, and charming Italian soul.
You'll find the best fry in Ostia at Falco Doro—a cross between a restaurant and a shop. And then, to improve your digestion, definitely have one or two, but no more than three, Jägermajsterki. They taste best at a beachside restaurant, in the glow of the setting sun.
Like any self-respecting Italian coastal town, in Ostia you'll find a market hall selling vegetables, fruit, meat, seafood, and espresso. Today, on our way to the beach, we couldn't resist chowing down on a fresh oyster with lemon, served by a fisherman who swore in broken English that it had ripened overnight in the Tyrrhenian Sea.
In terms of the color of the sand and the beauty of the sunbathing women, our beach in Łeba beats the one in Rome hands down. However, if you consider the color of the sky and the water temperature, the situation is definitely reversed. Many of the beaches here have been converted into closed enclaves, inaccessible to tourists with smaller budgets, and you won't find any amenities on the public ones. I recommend settling in on a sunbed after 4 p.m. Then the sun is bearable, and the sea breeze quenches the thirst for an after-dinner nap. I feel my post-election blues, brought on by the pimp's fake victory, slowly starting to lift...
I recently bought myself an espresso machine—a real Italian one, with a grinder and portafilter—and I'm playing barista, experimenting with different types of coffee. But let me tell you, even if I ate a thousand cutlets, I wouldn't be able to make an espresso even half as good as the one served here, even in the worst place.
For me, one of the biggest advantages of trips organized by booking.com is that you can do and eat whatever you want, whenever you want. Today, we were craving seafood prepared using Adam Słodowy's technique. You buy the fruit, garlic, and vegetables at the market, and wine, olive oil, and butter at the supermarket. You look for salt and pepper in your apartment. Then you combine the ingredients and heat them. The result is in the attached photo. Warning: not for the faint of heart.
The sun slowly sinks behind the roofs of the centuries-old buildings, and the narrow, cobblestone streets of Trastevere begin to bustle with life. The golden rays of sunset reflect on the facades, and the air is filled with the scent of basil, garlic, and fresh bread. We pass artists playing guitar, children playing in the square, and locals chatting on doorsteps. We stop at a small trattoria, tables set outside, nestled against ivy-covered stone walls. Candles flicker on the tables, red wine sparkles in glasses, and the waiter brings the menu with a smile. I love this Italy of mine with a complete, deep, and passionate love.
