Eating and Walking Our Way through Bologna Italy (PART 1)

For $130 round trip, Peter and I made the 1hour, 15 minute trip to Bologna, Italy from Tirana. You have heard of Bolognese sauce, picture an entire cuisine that is top notch. Bologna is less touristy than Venice, Florence or Rome. The people are friendly, the antiquity preserved and the scale/color of the buildings was soothing to the eye.
One of the distinguishing features of this city are the porticoes. Back in the 1400s, shopkeepers would add a primitive structure to the front of the houses. With urbanization, many cities torn them down. Bologna decided to turn the roofs of the shops into these wonderful covered walkways (sidewalks) that stretch 26 miles throughout the city.

The first University in Italy (founded in 1088) is located here and the young styles and attitudes show it.
We ran into a graduation celebration on the streets with happy graduates in their crowns.

People put up these posters on the portico walls to "honor" their friends. 

Maybe it is the curves of the streets that create the intimacy  plus the color of the buildings.

These are two dueling towers. In the 1400s, two rich families had a competition to see which could build the taller tower. In the haste to win, the family building the tower to the left found their foundation sinking and had to concede!

Our Bed and Breakfast was in a great location. It was decorated in that modern Italian design style.     Taking a shower was a different trip each day!

Sometimes the small details on the buildings are the richness that makes buildings from this era so gorgeous.

Certainly statues in the 1500 to 1800 century were plentiful, soaring to heights and giving inspirational and territorial information.

We walked into many churches but only photographed this 14th century church that in subsequent times had 6 more churches added on to it.

This city of Bologna had canals running through it like Venice. Now, most of it is under the ground and not navigable .

Along with flowers and condom machines, take a look at the little shops everywhere selling food products.

We are talking serious pasta cooked in scrumptious ways!

Parmesean cheese, anyone?

           

 Don't forget the dessert...gelato ice cream at its best!

 There are no inferior restaurants in Bologna. Above is our artichoke appetizer..4 outrageous items!

 The main course is my pasta in the foreground and Peter's rabbit in the back. The wine was "maraveloso" from the region. The varieties of grape are Barbera and Sangiovese.

Below is a family photo, proudly hung in many restaurants, to honor their culinary roots.

ON TO FLORENCE - A HALF HOUR TRAIN RIDE FROM BOLOGNA

Eating and Walking Our Way Through Florence, Italy (Part 2)

Peter and I couldn't resist taking the half hour train ride to Florence. It is almost totally in the dark as the train goes under the mountain to reach this bigger and more glamorous city.
Below and above is the jewel of the city, the Duomo

My camera only captures sections of this huge icon up close

This complex took 150 years to build (1296 -1436) and is entirely  out of green and pink marble with white marble borders.
All the marble is from different areas in Italy

Again, the massive structure can sometimes make one forget to look at the carvings, full of emotion and very intact 500 years later. I like the one below of people showing themselves doing the carving.

One of the old gates to the city and the famous Ponte Vecchio Bridge

Built in 1333 it seems that in the 1500s the then ruler was not happy that the butchers on this bridge were throwing their raw meat into the water so he banned them from the spot and invited jewelers to take up residence. There are many of them now!

The Uffizi is a palace filled with art on the river. Some say you can spend an entire day inside.

Purported to be the oldest church high on a hill above Florence, it was built between the 11th and 13th century

The country side around Florence looks out to the Tuscany hillsides, lush and green.

These are the remains of old Roman baths.

Had to take this funky reflection of the tower in the puddle.

This is a fashion town with lots of money. Just a few of the items for sale.
Not your typical window display...

We met a friend of Peter's who lives there with his wife and 6 children. They worked together in Afghanistan.
Of course we ate pasta at their neighborhood restaurant and went around the corner for ......gelato.

Florance has the reputation, the tourists to prove it and gorgeous architecture, that's for sure.