Shopping in Pisa

We learned a few things about shopping in Italy while in Pisa. First, and this may be the most important thing you can ever read, ladies; it is possible to buy an inexpensive shawl from the vendors outside of the main Cathedrals. This will save you the decision of paper or chastising. Go for the shawl.

Second, there are no Super Walmarts in Europe. The closest they have is a large grocery store called IPER, but those are mainly in the big cities, away from the touristy areas. This leaves you a few choices for your basic food needs. On every other corner, there is a BAR. This is not the American version. No beer on tap or salty nuts. This is a place you can grab a sandwich, cup of espresso, and a bottle of water. Be prepared to pay about $4 euro for a bottle. Or, you can find a little grocery store. These are more than just a convenience store. Here is where most of the people of the community do their daily grocery shopping. I'll talk about why Europeans have to shop daily for groceries when we get to the part where we find our house. For 1/4 the price, you can buy a larger bottle of water and a piece of fruit. If you're going to be in Europe for any length of time, find one of these. Grab your sodas and water from here. Save the money for your meals, you'll need it.

Ciao' for now!