Bologna - Siamo Qui

Well, if I were prone to pessimism, I would have said that today’s travel day would have been a disaster given the last one. However, as I am not prone to pessimism, unless all the chips are stacked against me, I felt that today’s travelling would be positive. And it was. The nearest thing to calamity that we encountered was at Ravenna train station when a guard came along and said, ‘are you going to Bologna?’ “Yes,” we said. “The platform has been changed from one to two, so just make your way over there for the train”. “Okay, grazie”, we said.

The train ride was unremarkable. Comfortable, air-conditioned, uncrowded. I think I might have even dozed off for a few minutes at one point. We booked our luggage into a luggage storage place at the station when we arrived and went out and had some lunch. That was very welcome. Our train journey was just over an hour so not very arduous, but we were thirsty and a little hungry. It’s still hot here, don’t forget. Once our apartment was ready, we made our way there.

I think this is one of those apartments where you need a face to face to induction on how to get in, how to get to your floor, how to call the lift, how to open the door, and how to lock all the doors after you. Instead, we had a picture graph of each step, and I intend to let them know how I feel. Frankly, it was confusing and unnecessarily stressful. By the time we got into the living room, we were a mess of sweat and decomposition. The apartment is nice, a bit pokey, but nice and I think we’ll be okay here for a week. The bedroom and bathroom is up a serious spiral staircase that turns for one and a quarter full rotations. We’ll manage.

First impressions of Bologna, after heading out to PAM the supermarket for provisions, and then out again for a drink and something to eat this evening: friendly, young people, energetic, old buildings, porticos and colonnades everywhere, travertine and marble walkways (take note Newcastle City Council). Tomorrow morning, we take our only booked tour for the whole week, a walking tour of the University, one of the world’s oldest. For the rest of this week, we will take it easy, process our trip, read and write and discover a few Bologna treasures along the way. Should be very nice indeed.Read more