Football.  Manchester United versus Milan. Last night, all the bars that had coverage via satellite were doing a roaring trade.  I found it difficult to find a place to park – and we’re the opposite side of Milan!  It seems that, to really enjoy the evening, people had travelled from outside Milan into the centre to go and watch the spectacle at a bar!

And A had telephoned to ask if we would come out.  F is a big fan of Milan and wanted to watch it in a bar near A’s home.  Given that he’s only slightly more interested in football than me I think he just wanted some non-fan support.

On our way there, as it’s pissing down with rain, I’m thinking that I can hardly believe that I am going to watch a football match at all – much less to a crowded bar full of Italians.  To be frank, although I do understand some of the rules of football, the finer points (are there any?) of the game are completely lost on me.  I only watched a bit of the world cup because Italy had a chance of winning.

However, in line with my many ‘firsts’ since coming to Italy and my desire to ‘enjoy’ (or, at least try) different things – things that I certainly would not consider if I was still living in the UK – here we are, on the cold, wet, miserable Milan evening, catching a tram a few stops to A’s house where he has booked a table at a bar.  It didn’t help that we had had to wait for a tram for about 20 minutes (we probably could have walked there in that time).

Then we missed the stop and had to walk back (still raining and us, without an umbrella).  A phones to ask where we are – and it’s far too difficult to explain.  We arrive to find that, although F was supposed to be joining us later, she’s at the bar already which is just round the corner.  A suggests that we suggest going for a meal to a little trattoria that he knows that does Tuscan food (remember, they’re keen on the regional food here).

Anyhow, F phones him and they talk and he suggests to her that we go there and she agrees.  So we get to his car and go and pick F up from the bar.  She’s very excited because Milan have scored a goal!  However, she doesn’t seem to mind leaving the bar for food – a lass after my own priorities.

And off we go to a restaurant that is about 1 minutes walk from where we live!  We have been past it many times.  All neon lit, called K2.  We always thought it looked dreadfully tacky.  However, A & F think it’s fantastic.

As suspected it’s nearly empty, most people watching the game.  We had a wonderful meal and, of course, it wasn’t really spur of the moment as A had just signed the contract for his new house (flat, to you guys, but casa can mean a multitude of types of housing), which he is very excited about.

And, I must say, it was a great evening.  F & I had Fiorentina – a thick piece of meat (like a steak only thicker) from a special type of cow.  It is barely cooked so that it almost moos!  But the meat is so very tender and tasty that it was really fantastic.  Crostina (I think that’s how it was spelt) a kind of very rough liver pate on toast and V & A had papardelle (pasta, but home-made) with wild boar.

In a way, I regretted not sitting in a bar watching a game that I hate with no love for any of the teams involved.  I didn’t get the ‘first’ I expected although it was the first time I’ve sat down to a full Fiorentina since the time we were in Florence almost 9 years ago, so that was a ‘first’.  And now we have another great restaurant (and not so expensive either) right on our doorstep.

Oh yes, and Milan won 3-0, so Manchester are out!  Still, they had brought the Manchester rain with them, so it might be deserved (only my opinion).

As a final note and nothing to do with the evening, V, in his desire to ‘get fitter’, has suggested we go running/jogging/whatever.  I said no, politely, then ‘no bloody way’ when he ignored my polite ‘no’ and kept on.  I remember doing it once, for a short while, in my early 20s.  I didn’t like it then and I sure as hell am not going to do it again.  I made suggestions of several people he could go with but I just can’t be doing that kind of stuff I’m afraid.  We’ll see how it goes.  Now, if he were to suggest cycling?……..