Bologna and Parma

We moved on from La Spezia to Bologna ..... on the day the regional train crews went on strike. We hung out at the train station for a couple of hours because they said they may go back to work at 11 o'clock. This was not to be so we ended up catching a fast train back to Torina and then from there to Bologna. What should have taken a couple of hours on the regionale train ended up taking nine hours ... what better way to spend a Sunday in Italy.

We are here for four nights. We have wandered around the streets (without getting lost!!) and done a bus tour. Bologna is famous for a  few things .... their food culture (John and Amy are doing a cooking class today.....how to make different types of pasta and three different sauces), the fact that the world's first uni was founded here in 1088 and their two towers.  

Bologna's iconic towers. The smaller one has a lean .... but is not nearly as spectacular as the Pisa tower. 

The girls were quite happy to pose for this pic, but there was no way they were going to walk the 500+ steps to the top....even if the view is spectacular.

Bologna - from one of the local hill tops......terracotta as far as the eye can see.

Parma was our destination yesterday. (the regionale trains are back on track) We took the advice of our trusty Lonely Planet guide and headed to Trattoria del Tribunale for lunch....one of the best yet. We wandered around their antique markets (if only we had more space in our suitcases) and checked out the local church and baptistery, (from the outside only - we're getting a bit over churches. To quote Amy - "Seen one church..you've seen them all")

John and Amy after enjoying their delicious lunch. We even managed to fit in dessert....pannacotta with strawberry coulis, creme caramel and lemon sorbet...Mmmmmm...we shared, of course.

 The church in Parma.

One of the beautiful shop windows. The shopkeepers go to so much trouble to make their shop windows look good for Easter. Would love to be here to see what they do for Christmas.

We are off to Ravenna tomorrow for two nights (apparently the city has eight World Heritage Sights and it is very close to the Adriatic Sea), then Venice for four nights and then home. 

Time really does fly when you are having fun. Though it will be great to see everyone again none of us are sure about having to go back to school.
                        Work v Holidays.....Holidays win every time.