Bologna

Day two of the Italy trip was devoted to Bologna. Christen and I got up early and walked into town. I was so full from eating an entire pizza the night before that I didnt eat breakfast before we head out. But we passed an outdoor market on the way and after browsing through the meats and cheeses i decided i was hungry again. So we got ourselves some canoli.


when we got to old town and piazza maggriore and my jaw dropped. its a large open square surrounded by marvelous medieval buildings. There is a large bronze fountain of Neptune, a palace, the huge and unfinished bascilica Petronio Basilica, archways leading to crowded market streets, gelateries, street preformers, and we took several minutes just turning in circles in the middle of this, trying to soak it all up.


We started our city tour with the Basilica of San Domenico- according to the lonely planet guide mozart once played the organ there. Its also where the Dominican order was founded.


Then we went to the University of Bologna- the oldest university that is still operating and granting degrees, they think it was founded around 1088. famous students include Dante, Petrach, and Albrecht Durer. It was great, every inch of wall and ceiling was covered in student and professor family crests, many of which were left blank. We also checked out the universities anatomical theater. Its a large room decorated in wood carvings. There are benches surroundind a central marble table, where animals and humans were dissected.


Next up we set out for a church that supposedly combined 7 different architectural styles. We found it, but it was closed. In the meanwhile we also stumbled on a huge antique market and perused the stalls there. I found some cheap old sun glasses.
From there we went back to the main square and visited the bascilica. I think that brings our total bascilica tally to 7. Not bad for two days.
Lunch was a nice sit down restaraunt that Christens friend had recommended. We both got the special- buttery pasta with mussels and octopus. like little baby octopus with the tenticals cutely curled. Chewy. dessert- gelato. The labels were long unpronouncable italian words so i pointed to two and hoped that i hadnt just ordered cotton candy and mocha or some other weird combo. Nope, delicious. We wandered around the streets a little more. The architecture was incredible. We saw the famous two towers, which lean drunkenly over the sidewalks.
We went back to the hostel around 3:30, picked up our luggage, and went to the bus station. The minute we stepped under the bus shelter it started to rain. we turned back towards the city and no joke, there was a clear and bright rainbow arcing across the sky. a double rainbow no less. I could barely believe it. I think that trip gave me a very distorted impression of italy- I will always remember it as a perfect land of friendly people, sinful food, and magical sights.
The bus ride back was about 14 hours including stops. I managed to get a decent amount of sleep again.
We got back into aix around 7 am and I had a long cold walk home. I was actually glad to be back at cuques. one of the best parts about any trip is coming home.