Festa di Pistacchio

The Italian officials estimate that over a two-day period, over 200,000 people flock to the mountain-side town of Bronte for their annual Pistachio festival. Token and I estimate that at least 175,000 of those people were headed in that direction at the same time as we were yesterday. We were backed up in traffic for MILES before we got into the town, and then finding parking was something special. Thankfully, we stuffed ourselves with arancini (translated "little oranges," these are little balls that are filled with rice and other yummy stuff - in this case some kind of pistachio pesto) and gelato and forgot our troubles.

Oh yes, the pistachio ice cream was spectacular. Yum!!

We also bought some of this stuff. It was kind of like a peanut brittle, but with pistachios instead. Unfortunately, when it got cold, it was like trying to bite into steel, so it had to be trashed. Ah well.

 

 

Italians love their stinky cheese, remember?

Okay, so, going back to that aforementioned hellacious time of finding a parking space. We eventually found one, but to get into town and where the festival was, we had to walk down a VERY steep cobblestone street that was slick with rain. Probably not the smartest thing to do for a 38+ week pregnant chick. So, when it was time to go, we had to walk back UP that VERY steep cobblestone street (sans water). I thought I was going to die. Here are some pictures. It doesn't look all that steep, but trust me, it was quite the workout.

But from this picture, you'd think Nikko was the one who had the tough day.