SURFED IN RIMINI: FRANCESCO MUSSONI (24 HRS)

PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE:

• Before my trip to Riccione (August 2011), I reached out to Alessandro (COUCHsurfer) because he is a local food enthusiast from Bologna
• Alessandro replied back to me and told me he was organizing a FOOD WAR: BOLOGNA vs. RIMINI in September… and well, here I am!
• Oh yeah and since I’ll be in Rimini, I organized my first surfing experience with my CS HOST: Francesco!

OBJECTIVE:

1. To meet new people and share our stories
2. To taste local dishes from two key regions of Emilia-Romagna
3. To trust the CS system and stay at a strangers home… here goes nothing!

MATERIALS:

• Train Ticket
• Packed Luggage
• CouchSurfers
• Empty Stomach

INTRODUCTION:

• Book a train ticket from Milano Centrale to Rimini (Cartafreccia Discount, please)!
• Pay an additional 3,50 (don’t get me started on the public transport increase) in order to get to Milan from Monza during off-peak hours
• Get on the train carriage that has air conditioning, otherwise you will end up stripping off your clothes to refrain from passing out.
• Remember to thank the ticket collectors when they suggest a seat change and slowly put on all of  your layers as indiscreetly as possible.
• Arrive in Rimini Station 4 hours later and get picked up by your host on a scooter- can you say AWESOME!?!

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RIMINI TOWN:

• Even though I only came to Rimini for the Food War, my host decided that I needed to see the town of Rimini (kinda chose sleep over the CS guided tour at 10:30am)… so he grabbed two helmets and put the petal to the metal.
• Favorite part? I have two.

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  #1: Aside from touring the city by scooter (since my legs were sore-as-hell due to my lack of muscle-tone… remember my recent adventure to Monza’s Autodromo??), I really enjoyed seeing the old market area where fisherman came to sell their seafood on big marble slabs in the center of town.
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  #2: The Rimini Sea. Walk in approx 25m deep and the water will  just reach below your knees. And if it couldn’t get any better… I saw a woman collecting clams to make a sauce for her dinner… umm, can you say free food?? I immediately got to work and started digging for clams. I found 15 clams slightly below the sand in hopes of making a sauce with Francesco and tried to give them to the kids digging with buckets… but they learned the rule, “don’t take clams from strangers.”

CONCLUSION:

• The trip to Rimini was well worth it. I met a great group of people from all over the world and hope to keep in touch with everyone!
• Ate a ton, and I’m not exaggerating when I mean, a TON of local food. Picked up quite a few foodie tips and tried ‘coppa di testa’ for the first time in my life.

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Coppa di Testa: DELICIOUS, just don't ask what's in it... seriously.

• Last but not least, SURFING at Francesco’s apartment was a complete success! Even though he was hosting four people, I repeat, FOUR CouchSurfers, he honestly went out of his way to make everyone comfortable and did such a great job as my FIRST HOST, thank you Fra!!!