Showing posts with label Italy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Italy. Show all posts
Bologna: A few days in an Italian foodie city!
We arrived by train to Bologna in February and the temperature was posting 4 degrees C ( around 39 F) and coming from Roma Termini my first impression was that of a regional town and also my impressions moments after that was that it also was a University town. We felt a calmness strolling around the parks and green walking areas as well as admiring the monuments and artifacts of history scattered around this city.
We could see flocks of University students crossing en masse when the traffic light allowed their time, but it was amusing to see people cross in different paths, avoiding the zebra crossing (cross walk) as if it didn't exist, with cars waiting patiently! We chose to follow their style and walk in the same manner! Bologna is supposed to have the refreshing reputation of being more open minded, more LGBT friendly and politically leaning to the Left! (bravo!)
We had an appointment with a blogging opportunity with a wonderful group, Blogville Emilia Romagna http://www.blogville-emiliaromagna.com and a private tour of Bologna. Carrying our bags, we found out our meeting point was deep into the centre of historical Bologna and we raced through the longest covered arcade in the world, and found our guides waiting patiently for us.
We enjoyed the eccentric feel to this city of red and white as their proud colours, and to know that it's unique character of contradictions, politically, religious affiliations, and many others, which started long in the past still holds up to this day.
Our guide Simona was very knowledgeable and humourous! We enjoyed going through churches, squares, and even to a church were the controversial painting which upset people of the Muslim faith (The painting features Hell and the underworld, and the dead Prophet Mohammed, lying in Hell.) that we had to pass through security before entering the church. Later we went into a progressive cafe and had an interesting chat and learned more about the quirky politics of Bologna and the equally quirky politics of the current Italian government they had. Simona told me that it was easier being a gay than it was being a woman in Italy! I asked her about being a lesbian in Italy and her eyes rolled with grief at me!
Bologna is known as a centre for very good food. We went down the foodie streets where one could buy many kinds of fresh local vegetables which were artistically arranged to catch one's eye and visited many small and unique shops which specialise in certain epicurean delights like handmade tortellini, truffles, pasta shops, different hams, and many other specialties.
(photo credits: http://www.blogville-emiliaromagna.com )
There was a large gastronomic complex near the foodie streets called "Eataly". This was like a bookstore and gourmet food store (with gourmet prices!) combined with every culinary dream about Italian food coming true.
We enjoyed wandering around back streets and seeing another leaning tower which was similar to the one in Pisa. When we walked through that whole area, it felt like we were stepping into some relics from Old Europe!
We were lucky to stay with a friend for that night in his cozy flat located on the edge of the historic part of Bologna. We enjoyed some nice conversation and made some instant tortellini which was fun, and inexpensive!
Our friend Nicolas, who met us about information for writing blogs also took us both for a lunch to sample different local specialties of Bologna, in a very local restaurant which was enjoyable.
Our time in Bologna was short but my eyes flashed around quickly around the old buildings, cafes, shops with cute looking gay guys, with perfect clothes and perfect hair, who are sales associates at the designer name clothing stores, to have a sneak preview of what we will see when we return to this beautiful city.
We realise there are many special nooks and crannies around the city as well as the region waiting for us to experience, taste and write about on our next journey here.
We had an appointment with a blogging opportunity with a wonderful group, Blogville Emilia Romagna http://www.blogville-emiliaromagna.com and a private tour of Bologna. Carrying our bags, we found out our meeting point was deep into the centre of historical Bologna and we raced through the longest covered arcade in the world, and found our guides waiting patiently for us.
We enjoyed the eccentric feel to this city of red and white as their proud colours, and to know that it's unique character of contradictions, politically, religious affiliations, and many others, which started long in the past still holds up to this day.
Our guide Simona was very knowledgeable and humourous! We enjoyed going through churches, squares, and even to a church were the controversial painting which upset people of the Muslim faith (The painting features Hell and the underworld, and the dead Prophet Mohammed, lying in Hell.) that we had to pass through security before entering the church. Later we went into a progressive cafe and had an interesting chat and learned more about the quirky politics of Bologna and the equally quirky politics of the current Italian government they had. Simona told me that it was easier being a gay than it was being a woman in Italy! I asked her about being a lesbian in Italy and her eyes rolled with grief at me!
Bologna is known as a centre for very good food. We went down the foodie streets where one could buy many kinds of fresh local vegetables which were artistically arranged to catch one's eye and visited many small and unique shops which specialise in certain epicurean delights like handmade tortellini, truffles, pasta shops, different hams, and many other specialties.
There was a large gastronomic complex near the foodie streets called "Eataly". This was like a bookstore and gourmet food store (with gourmet prices!) combined with every culinary dream about Italian food coming true.
We enjoyed wandering around back streets and seeing another leaning tower which was similar to the one in Pisa. When we walked through that whole area, it felt like we were stepping into some relics from Old Europe!
We were lucky to stay with a friend for that night in his cozy flat located on the edge of the historic part of Bologna. We enjoyed some nice conversation and made some instant tortellini which was fun, and inexpensive!
Our friend Nicolas, who met us about information for writing blogs also took us both for a lunch to sample different local specialties of Bologna, in a very local restaurant which was enjoyable.
Our time in Bologna was short but my eyes flashed around quickly around the old buildings, cafes, shops with cute looking gay guys, with perfect clothes and perfect hair, who are sales associates at the designer name clothing stores, to have a sneak preview of what we will see when we return to this beautiful city.
We realise there are many special nooks and crannies around the city as well as the region waiting for us to experience, taste and write about on our next journey here.
ITALY: Our dalliance with Gelato
Gelato! Even the sound of that word begins to make my mind and my tongue grow dreamy and weak!
As the weather gets warmer now I am feeling prompted to write about a desire which both Chris and I share. Gelato is eaten anytime of the year, even during the cold weather months of winter!
Our last memorable moment which involved gelato was when it was our last night with our lovely friend Raniero in Rome, as he so generously hosted us for our Rome section of our trip. He took us to a seaside town called Torvianica, which is not far from Rome, to have gelato and wander by the seaside again, as he knew we both are lured in by the sounds and excitement of the sea.
Gelato is quite different than the ice cream one would have in USA. There is more sugar in gelato and, unlike the ice cream in USA which has plenty of air , gelato has almost little or no air.
Upon entering the gelato "temple", our eyes glance immediately at the menu of flavours which are posted everywhere, but mostly we glance longingly inside the glass covered case at all the different colours and more labels of the goodies inside, with decisions spinning around overtime in our heads. I tend to go for the more adventurous flavours such as licorice, brandy , etc, but I can also have a scoop of dark chocolate to accompany the others to complete the diversity. All sorts of extra accessories such as sprinkles, creme, a cone, dried fruit, etc could be put on top, but I personally can't be bothered with all the extras. ( I fear they will drop off from the scoops and onto the ground or my shirt!)
Gelato is not a new invention or fad, as even the ancient Romans and also Ancient Egyptians had the same cravings for gelatus, which means "frozen" in Latin, as they would get the snow from mountaintops and bring it down below ground to keep it frozen. I'm not sure if I would be brave enough to try "earth" flavoured or even mountain air flavoured gelato next to my scoop of stracciatella. Maybe a "falafel flavour" gelato would be novel?
Interestingly, gelato only started to become all the rave in Italy in the 1920s - 1930s in Varese, where it was carted around in a gelato cart. Thank goodness today there are thousands of gelateria around Italy and also in many parts of the world! Which are your favourite flavours?
ITALY: Some of our favourite "foodie" things and the places we had them
This was wonderful! It is a sweet replacement to butter, or jam, or Nutella
The aroma when entering this claustrophobic shop in a small town in Castel Romagno area ( where the Pope has his holiday home) was so wonderful! We also go "educated" in different salami and dried pork items as we sampled each one further back in the shop.
Chris is a wine connoisseur, and we visited a very local, wine making depot for the neighbourhood.
Lovely local cheese. We brought back some Pecorino cheese as a souvenir reminder of Italy, and we are still using and enjoying it!
Rome, Italy: Restorante Pizzaria
We had just finished walking the streets of Carnavalle in Rome at the Piazza De Popolo heading back to the Roma Termini when Jim suggested a we stop for a bite to eat. We decided on a (....) a cozy little place that surely would remind anyone of Italy. The staff was courteous and our server spoke English as we practiced our Italian.
Our appetizer a salmon brochette - often ordered by locals was a favorite of our as well. We shared a Traditional Pizza, which was big enough to share and a seafood Risotto, an Italian fare composed of a creamy rice. The tradition of eating Pizza is with a knife and fork - I tried this and well after seeing a 10 year old Italian boy go for it with is itty bitty fingers, I had to acquiesce. The Pizza was fair to good on this occasion. The Risotto was I guess a 3 star - the taste was just ok. But tonight I am having homemade Risotto and I will then be able to let you know if I am a Risotto guy.
Our meal and the atmosphere was a good experience - but by far the meals we have had at the homes of Italian gay family have been superior.
