I’ve been here almost a month and yet to write a post. So maybe I’ll make up for lost time.
First up- the Germans in the church. A tour guide that I know mentioned one evening that since she also spoke German she was going to be busy the next day. 300 Germans were to arrive from Rome in a fleet of tour buses and after a walking tour around the center of the city, at 3 PM (insert joke about German precision here) would all go to the biggest basilica in the city – San Petronio and sing. So I went and indeed they did. There are more behind me so there were certainly at least 300. It turns out that September 8th is thought to be the birthday of the virgin Mary.
300 germans singing in San Petronio
I had seen this restaurant at a piazza where I often change buses and Paolo suggested that we go to dinner there. The tree is considered the oldest one in the city and makes for a great dining environment when the weather is nice.
Dining under a 400 year old plane tree (sycamore family) at Osteria Bartolini
So what do you do when you need to repair a street in the historic center of a medieval city? Do you just throw down some asphalt as we would do in the states. Well, that’s kind a mute point since we don’t have any cities even close to that old. Here you save the cobblestones and put them back down. A lot of work but it maintains the look of the city. It’s worth it.
Repairing a street in Bologna – via Saragozza
A lot done – still more to do.
When I’m in the center and want a cheap satisfying lunch I walk to the Due Torri – so named because it’s right across the street from those towers – duh. Good and cheap – stand or sit on the edge of the sidewalk.
Pizzeria Due Torri
Takeout only – mostly by the slice
2 euro for the slice and one for the water – good cheap lunch
Destroyed moka
So I started some coffee then decided to make a quick trip to bathroom. Starting back I noticed my phone in the bedroom. Ah, that’s where I left it. Someone sent me a message so I need to respond. Oh yes, I search for some info and include a link in the message, etc, etc. So after 1/2 hour I walked back and found the kitchen full of smoke. Oh, well, it can be replaced with a new one for less than 10 euros. I related the story to a conversation partner at the library and she said, yes, she’s done that a couple of times.
Vicino dove vivo c’è un piccolo (e ricco) paese si chiama Piedmont. Si’ come la regione in Italia. Anche se sia ricca quel paese, ogni 4 luglio la comunità organizza una parata. E’ simile ad una parate in molti piccoli paese qui. Niente molto speciale ma e’ certamente un po’ di “americana”.
Inizia con i vigili del fuoco
Una banda “dixieland”
Poi passano le vecchie automobili
Un altra banda
Un’altra vecchia
vengano i “marinai” – detto la Pattuglia Palloncina. (Rima in inglese – Baloon Platoon)
Whenever I’ve been here I’ve watched some TV. I rarely do so at home because not only do I dislike most of the programming but I absolutely hate all of the commercials on broadcast TV. Here I watch it to try to improve my Italian and at least the commercials are often easier to understand than the programming. I discovered something new this spring. They show some American TV programs and movies in the original language – and without subtitles. I was told that many films and non-italian language TV series have been available  in the  original language since the TV broadcasts went digital and added a lot of channels. I really prefer the dubbed ones since I will watch even the worst B grade movies (well, I do have my limitations) if they are dubbed to try to pick up little bits of Italian.
I’ve also stumbled across a very interesting program called LOL that comes out of Canada. It consists of a bunch of short sketches that are basically language free. Some are indeed hilarious and of course with no language they can be shown worldwide. In fact, searching for YouTube I first found a Vietnamese version. I’d like to see it come to the US. I might even watch it.
During this stay I haven’t gone anywhere except to the rugby game at Parma and that really doesn’t count since I only saw the autostrada and stadium. I had wanted to go to Sardegna for a long weekend but decided that I really didn’t want to do that alone. One of my conversation partners at Scioglilingua (I did a post about this that you can find HERE) was talking about having gone to Comacchio which is on the Adriatic coast east of Ferrara. So I talked to my friends, the Palmieri sisters Liu’ and Monica. It turns out that neither of them had ever gone there either so we planned a day trip.
First go to near Ferrara and then to Comacchio
It takes about 1½ hours to get to this little town. The terrain is mostly very flat since this area, the Pianura Padana, is very flat and fertile, much like the central valley in California. As such it is also wall-to-wall farms, as is the central valley. Unlike the central valley it is an alluvial plain, having been formed by rivers rather than a sea and therefore has lots of water – rivers, streams and canals.
Comaccio, like Venice, was originally built on a number (13 to be precise) islands and so canals and bridges still exist. There is a large marshy lagoon next to it and apparently, until a bit over 100 years ago, the marsh surrounded the town. The marsh is a favorable environment for eels and they are both an economic benefit and a characteristic food there. For lunch I opted for a mixed seafood plate but found the eel so delicious that should I visit again I’ll go for all eel – which is served with polenta.. Very good!
The Trepponti (three bridges) bridge. A symbol of the city.
One of several canals that we crossed on the way to the restaurant
The street and canal where our restaurant was located.
Monica left (looking very serious for some reason) and Liu’. Note that we are seated at a table in a boat on the canal.
Interesting translation . from “scaletta” to ladder. Should be “flight”. Also note that there must be a lot of german speaking tourists.
Now how they got “nipples ” as translation for “little sepie (cuttlefish)” is a mystery.
Monica’s pasta with scampi (the real thing) and pomodorini (little tomatoes).
My fish plate. The eel (anguilla) as at bottom left.
