Day 12

Have to keep it kind of short today, as we lost our lease in Bologna (some big concert tonight has everything in town sold out solid.)

Fortunately, every alternative in Italy is pretty decent- we ended up coming down to Florence a day early, but our hotel for tonight doesn't have wi-fi, so we're sitting at a gelateria using the free link.

no idea, but i found it in Bologna

We got in quite a bit of touring before we left, including a great science and art museum in the Palazzo Poggi, in the middle of the University district. Really more of a science museum set in a beautifully painted space, with vitrines full of early science displays of creatures and geology, and a wax model anatomical museum that was phenomenal!

Wax anatomical model in the Palazzo Poggi museum

There was another beautiful library full of antique architectural volumes that had me wishing I had a key, and an interesting military museum with large wooden panels with geometrical motifs that were actually plans for fortesses.

Fortress diagrams made of wood.

When we came out we sat in a little piazza there to drink some water and bathe in the university atmosphere. Lots of bikes and interesting hairdos, with some fun looking cafes all around. We made our way down to the center again and passed by the leaning towers (and their amazing crystalline stone bases) before finding the Palazzo Pepoli Campogrande, which I had sought the day before but missed. The house was built in the XVII century and houses an art collection which is not nearly as interesting as the fresco decorations, most of which were created around 1700 and are in good shape. The house was restored in 1997. 

The bases of the leaning towers of Bologna are made of  massive selenite blocks. Very cool looking up close!

A few more churches and arty bits, and then we jumped on the train down here to Florence, where we will stay 5 days (tomorrow we have a better place with wi-fi) Caught the Duomo at sunset- WOW!

Giotto's belltower next to the Duomo of Florence

Day 11- To Bologna!

Said a fond farewell to our cool cave in Ferrara this morning and boarded yet another train for Bologna. Gotta say, the Italian train system is cheap, reliable, and often air conditioned even in second class. Our tickets to Bologna cost 4 euros (about $5.50) for a half hour haulin-ass ride between the two towns. Pretty sure you'd spend that much just on the gas, even if you multiply it by two for our tickets. You get there fast and you don't get lost plus you can read your travel notes for the next destination. Very cool!

Old and new ornament living in harmony. Ok, maybe.

Arrival in Bologna was smooth- our new place is again a little apartment with kitchenette within a very reasonable walk from the station and also to the town center. Right as we arrived there was a small earthquake (5.0 centered near to the coast west of here). Not a real shaker, but given all the damage we had seen yesterday, it was enough to make you think about what would happen if a major one hit while we were here. Not a good scenario!!

Who would argue with a hotel that has this on the stairwell ceiling? Nice!

Anyways, got out and walked downtown through one of the city's myriad arcaded sidewalks- nice and shady so we were comfy today, plus the temp has dropped about 5 degrees which is welcome! First stop was the Piazza Maggiore where we had a bit of deja vu seeing the Neptune fountain that our home town has a 2/3 scale copy of. 

Yours may be bronze, but ours (in Palos Verdes) still has squirting boobs!

Then we actually did climb one of the famous medieval towers that clocks in around 300 plus feet (498 steps to be precise!) Normally wouldn't really make me nervous, but because of the earthquake I was a bit, especially where the stairs lean into the center of the hollow tower. I asked the ticket woman if she had felt the quake and if it made her nervous and she replied (in essence) that if it's been here this long...

Looks like a set for Hitchcock's Vertigo. Not for those who don't like heights!

On the way to check out a couple more sites we ran across an amazing arcade that was all painted with grottesca from the 19th century. Outstanding work and I could photograph it to my hearts content! Saw the oldest University in Italy, the Archiginassio, and then went by the market to pick up our cheapie dinner. Don't worry foodies, we'll get some good stuff soon, but the market is actually really fun- the produce is great and the cheeses are amazing and cheap too.

Wonderful covered arcade in downtown Bologna