Tabacchi

I walked home from work on Monday, I promise I did, but I haven't had time to write a proper blog post about it yet. I also walked home today, but that post will have to wait 'till later. Right now I want to tell you about my Tabacchi store (pronounced "ta-BAK-ee"). When I was in Italian language class, before coming to Italy, the teacher told us about the Tabacchaio, a store that we would all go to often. I thought to myself, "Why would I need to buy tobacco? I don't really think this store will apply to me." Little did I know what it really was.

The Tabacchi store ("tabacchi" is the plural of "tabacchaio") does sell cigarettes, so some people literally do go there for tobacco, but the rest of us go to the Tabacchi for other assorted items: mainly bus tickets. The public transportation system in Rome is very good, in my opinion, but you can't buy the tickets on the bus (except some of the small buses or the trams). Instead, you have to buy the tickets before you board, and you have to buy them at a Tabacchi store. These stores are everywhere...you see them on every other street corner downtown and they are often just a small hole-in-the-wall. They also sell phone cards, postage stamps, pens, lighters, watches, candy, jewelry, maps, and other random, everyday items. The Tabacchi is not really a place to shop - most transactions take less than a minute. You just stop in, buy what you need, and go on your way. Its usually very convenient.

We have a Tabacchi store right around the corner from our apartment, literally across the street from the bus stop. Its very handy when I'm waiting for the bus in the morning to run across the street and buy some tickets (or send Bill across the street to get the tickets for me!). I've been fascinated by the whole Tabacchi store idea. They are everywhere and each one looks pretty much the same. There is also a blue "T" sign outside to indicate that they are a legitimate Tabacchi store...setting them apart from all the imposters, I guess! I pass at least 20 Tabacchi stores as I am walking home, passing by "our" store last of all.

"our" Tabacchi store

its legitimate
bus tickets