Mercato "La Piazzola di Bologna"

So far Bologna has taught me:

Fresh OJ here is "sprimutti" which delights me.
Pasta Bolognese is actually better in Bologna.
Italians serve a shot of fizzy water w/coffee, and this is the way it should be.
I looked at 2 places for chocolate croissants and .... So far that isn't Italia's strong point.
Italian is easier for me than French, so far.

I arrived late: RyanAir is cheap and priced appropriately. But the flight was otherwise not much notable.

My hostel has a bullshit policy of charging an extra 10€ for check-in after 7pm. Lame. That's a 15% penalty for a pretty normal arrival of 8pm. And... If you run a lodging business, you probably shouldn't plan to work 'normal business hours.'

But I got a shower and headed out for a meander and dinner. Bologna is/was a quick layover between plane and bus, not so much a destination for me (I'm here 12 hours overnight) but I am glad I did stop. It's fun to have some mental images of the place and I had a nice meal (albeit tourist-priced, for sure).
I also had a delcious aperol spritz with a noodle for a straw. This is a good biodegradable solution, I prefer it vs. paper straws.

I did find the city oddly.... Dark. The buildings just aren't illuminated like many other cities and the construction is more massive/close than some, lending a not too inviting feeling overall. I woke to overcast and the threat of rain (drops are falling now) which does little to dispell the sensation that for me, this just isn't as happy a place to visit as some ofhers have been. I guess that's normal - after a string of "I freaking love Santiago/Vigo/Oporto/Salamanca/Marseille" I was bound to be somewhere that just doesn't click as well for me. It's probably not even Bologna's fault... Just a difference of personality.Read more