Wow, what a day! Seriously, I can’t even. So, I’m a Maiko, right? And today was just... ugh, intense. I woke up in my little room on Via Roma, the sun was shining, and I thought, “Today’s gonna be chill.” Spoiler alert: it wasn’t.
First off, I had to get my hair done. You know, the whole geisha look with the elaborate hairstyles and all that jazz. I went to this cute little salon on Via Garibaldi. The lady there, Maria, is a legend. But today? She was running late. Like, super late. I’m sitting there, tapping my foot, thinking, “C’mon, I’ve got places to be!”
Finally, she shows up, and I’m like, “You’re killing me, Maria!” But she just laughs and says, “You know how it is in Monteroni, right?” I mean, true, but still!
After the hair drama, I had to rush to the market. The Mercato di Monteroni is my fave spot. Fresh produce, local cheeses, and oh, the pastries! I was on a mission for some pasticciotti. But guess what? They were sold out! I was like, “Are you kidding me?!” I could’ve cried.
So, I settled for some fruttini instead. Not the same, but whatever. I was walking down Via G. Marconi, munching on my fruttini, when I bumped into my friend Luca. He’s a total goofball. We started chatting, and he told me about this new gelato place on Via S. Giuseppe. I was like, “Dude, let’s go!”
We get there, and OMG, the gelato was to die for! I got pistachio, and Luca went for stracciatella. We were just sitting there, enjoying life, when suddenly, this pigeon swoops down and tries to steal my gelato! I freaked out, flailing my arms like a maniac. Luca was dying laughing. I mean, who gets attacked by a pigeon in Monteroni?
After that, I had to head to a tea ceremony. It was at this beautiful little place near the Chiesa Madre. The vibe was so chill, and I was finally feeling zen. But then, outta nowhere, this lady starts talking about how she thinks tea is overrated. I was like, “Excuse me?!” I mean, who says that in a tea ceremony?
I tried to keep my cool, but inside, I was fuming. Like, how can you not appreciate the art of tea? It’s a whole experience! Anyway, I just sipped my tea and tried to ignore her.
Later, I strolled down to the park by the Villa Comunale. It’s so pretty there, with all the flowers and trees. I sat on a bench, just soaking it all in. But then, I saw this kid running around with a soccer ball, and he kicked it right into my direction! I barely dodged it. I was like, “Dude, watch it!”
But then, I couldn’t help but laugh. Kids are hilarious. They just run around without a care in the world. I miss that sometimes.
As the sun started to set, I made my way back home. The streets were all lit up, and Monteroni looked magical. I was feeling all the feels. Happy, angry, surprised—just a rollercoaster of emotions.
Finally, I got home, plopped on my bed, and thought, “What a day!” I mean, Monteroni-di-Lecce, you never cease to amaze me. Can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings!