Throw Mama from the Train!: Bologna

This is a beautiful city. Our apartment is small - but does the job. It's right in the center - about 2 blocks from the 2 towers, and 5 blocks from the Duomo... near the University. The kitchen is smaller - but is large enough for us to cut up the gorgeous fruit we've been buying and eating. (Fruit is the perfect snack when travelling - a little sugar, lots of water, and a burst of instant energy.)

Bologna is very international - lots of tourists - but also lots of locals from all over the world... I base this on the the languages being spoken by folks on bicycles that are beaters... clearly not rented.

I'd done some research before we arrived on great food places - there was a great article in the Telegraph about inexpensive, but amazing restaurants in Bologna. I noted three places to try. Last night we had dinner at one that is literally fare due passe (two steps) from our apartment. Ristorante Brace. Apparently the Pizza places in Bologna also specialize in fish. Yum. We split a caprese salad. Piero had a GIANT calzone with cheese and mortadella, Rigo had a mixed grill meat platter. Lou had gnocchi with spinach followed by a pork chop, and I had swordfish with tomatoes. I had a local sparkling wine.

This morning Lou woke up pre-dawn... as usual... and went out. He said it was clear there had been quite a bit of Saturday night festivities - trash, ciggy buts, bottles.... but the city workers were cleaning it all up. When we out together - around 9am - it was all clean.

We started with a cappuccino at Bar Max - great cappuccino. Then we walked to S. Stefano church. Bologna has 2 main churches - built around the same time. S. Petronio was built by the city of Bologna, without approval from the Bishops. S. Stefano was built with church blessing.

Pictures from San Stefano

The chapel of the neon Madonna. Actually a room that honored the soldiers of WWII of the Resistance.

Even a cat likes the quiet of the cloister.

Next we went to Santuario di Santa Maria della Vita, and the adjacent Museo della Sanita and dell'Assistenza. The S.Maria church was small but GORGIOUS. Unfortunately, they had a no photo policy. The museum was a combo historic museum of the old hospital - and a modern art museum. Very interesting combination.

Finally we went to the main central church, Basilica di San Petronio. This is the church built by the city in 1260. Here are some photos:

This church is BIG. Like really big. Rigo read that it is the 15th largest church in the world. The scale is hard to show in pictures.

There's also a meridian calendar designed by Cassini in this church. We were close enough to mid day to check it out. Keep in mind we're also close to solstice. The following few pictures show the son "dot" moving till the solar "noon" was reached.