Asking for the bill

A funny thing just happened. I asked the waiter for the check after we finished eating dinner and he started telling me about vegetables. "Now that's odd", I thought. Then he gave me a clean knife and fork.  I say contorno, he says "si, verdure". "Un momento". I whip out the Berlitz book, find the word for 'bill' and it's...conto, not contorno. Good laugh throughout the small restaurant and the waiter is very gracious.

Parma - parmesan

New day, new train ride. Our destination this morning was Parma, famous for parmesan cheese and Parma ham. mmmmmm! Our pattern this week is: awake, eat a quick bowl of meusli and drink a small, extremely strong cup of coffee, dress and GO! (fired up by the EXTRA caffeine) Bus 27 drops us off at the Stazione Centrale. We buy tickets from a wonderful machine that gives instructions in several languages including English and take off.
Trains are clean and comfortable. Between towns, the countryside is blanketed in acre upon acre of spring-growth farmland. On this train, a snack and coffee vendor wheeled a small cart down the aisles. Sometimes we catch a double-decker train and sit on top, unless it is primo classe. They all have toilets. (Water Closets).
It is so much fun to travel with Gary. Between us, we are able to make sense of the language and seek out adventures upon arrival. Good thing we studied before the trip. We each travel with a pocket Berlitz phrase book. From the train station, we make our way to the Tourist Information center where we gather maps and plan the day's activities. The night before, we research a bit online.

 
Parma is another pretty city with a magnificent ducal palace in the city center. Both of my birthday wishes were fulfilled here; a delicious meal of creamy risotto cooked with, what else?, authentic parmesan cheese, and a visit inside the Galleria Nazionale. The museum houses a glorious theatre, and great works of art by Correggio, Parmigianino, Da Vinci, Canaletto, Canova, and Hans Holbein the Younger.
Once again, I tried to purchase georgette fabric, but this time from an Italian-only speaker. What fun trying to communicate! Still too expensive, though.

Ferrara

Wonderful Ferrara was the home of the powerful Este family who gave great patronage to the arts. Lucrezia Borgia lived here after marrying into the family. Limited car traffic in the historic center of the city encouraged us to make a walking tour.  Our walk began with a story of poor Savonarola, a priest who broke with the church, was hanged, then burned in 1497. Makes a person pause to consider the cruelty of the Chruch. I'm so glad I live now, when I am free to pursue my philosophical, religious, and political inclinations witout fear of retaliation.

Gary - Then as now, it's all about money and power.

Now I understand why Ferrara is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Magnificent Medieval and Renaissance buildings decorate narrow, cobble-stone streets. The city is enclosed by ancient walls and the walls are surrounded by tree-filled parks.
Oh! Spring is in full bloom here with flowers and flowering trees.

Cattedrale - front

Cattedrale - side

                                                                                 
                                                                             
                                                                     

Motorcycles and Scooters Galore!

A Harley 883 in Parma Italy

At least 25% of the vehicles on the road in Bologna are scooters and another 10% are motorcycles. Obviously they are less expensive then cars, have higher gas mileage, and are able to park everywhere. The scooters are outfitted with windshields and "skirts" to keep the rider warm. Scooter riders are well dressed men and women driving what I would describe as *semi-aggressively and squeezing through impossibly tight spots. The scooters are of many different makes and models and range in size from 50cc to 500cc. Mostly they are smaller models, 125cc to 150cc, that you don't find in the U.S. But I am seeing many Suzuki Burgmans: mostly 400cc but some 650cc. Being a former owner of a Burgman 400, I can really appreciate how well they are suited for the city and occasional autostrata riding. If we move to Bologna, I want one again.
The motorcycles are Ducati, BMW, and the big three Japanese manufacturers. Motorcycle riders are almost all men wearing expensive leathers. I am not seeing many "crotch rockets", instead "Adventure Tours" like the VStrom models seem to be the most popular. These bikes are mostly for commuting in and out of the city. I have seen a few Harley's and other Boulevard cruisers but not many. By the way, the police are riding Ducati MultiStrata and BMW R bikes.

*semi-aggressive in my definition equates to cutting in and out of traffic moderately but yet overtaking every vehicle possible. I've only seen one accident so far.

Modena - The Dowry. Home of Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, and Bugati

In the Acetaia di Giorgio

This city is renowned for Lambrusco, tortellini, and BALSAMIC VINEGAR. Today we learned how real, traditional balsamic vinegar is made only in Modena, from a combination of lambrusco and trebbiano grapes. For a very good explanation go to: http://www.thenibble.com/reviews/main/oils/about-balsamic-vinegar.asp. In the home of Giorgio and Giovanna, we were given all the time necessary to learn the art. A young couple from Miami/San Francisco, who is travelling with their beautiful, 5 1/2 month old baby boy, Rohan, joined us for the tour. Exquisite rooms were filled with many series of barrels made from different woods, and filled with vinegar in different stages of development. Approximately, 2,000 pounds of grapes produce only 2 liters of vinegar. Twenty-five years ago, Carlotta was born to Giorgio and Giovanna, and they immediately started her dowry, balsamic vinegar. Today, 3 ounces of Carlotta's vinegar sell for 75 Euros, or approximately $105! In the tasting room, we were treated to two 12 year old vinegars and two 25 year old vinegars. I have never tasted anything that compares. We purchased a small bottle of very precious, 12 year old balsamic vinegar.

Giovanna with Carlotta's dowry

Fabric

Store clerks want to wait on customers. I ventured into a fabric store with the intention of buying material to sew a summer dress back in the States. A perfectly gracious man, who spoke English, placed bolt after bolt of fabric on the counter from his neatly-wrapped and carefully-stacked columns and rows of fabric. I selected a cotton voile print. He measured my hips and determined that ' 1 meter 4' would be enough. "Quanto costa questa?" "50 Euros, but for you, 40 Euros.: (about $60!) Ooops! I thanked him for his help and tried to make a graceful exit.

A Walk in the Italian Countryside!

Our host Shoshanna

Marge and I were invited by our host on a walk in the countryside to view the spring wild flowers. We drove into the foot hills of the Apeninnes Mountains south of Bologna and parked just outside of a tiny village called Scoscoli. Surounded by steep hills on all sides the views were beautiful with wild flowers everywhere and fields of lush green grasses! The weather has just turned warm and the trees are only beginning to leaf. We hiked a couple of miles and then stopped at a perfectly charming tiny village with a trattoria where we talked and laughed for hours. It was very soothing to be in the quiet countryside after the hustle of Bologna. Grazie Shoshanna.