Bologna

Stories from the Road
Bologna, Italy
September 29, 2018

The bike shot by me, and I thought, “I have never seen that before.” You might rightfully so ask what I am talking about, since bikes and Italy go hand in hand. But not indoors!

We had taken a bus tour of the city, and one of the stops was at the Eataly, a building perhaps one half mile long with multiple boutique restaurants, food shops, and places to buy wine. There was a theatre for cooking demonstrations and even a beach volleyball court. Hundreds of people shopped, rode bikes with shopping baskets, and ate attractive looking Italian food in this remarkable place.

I have been to similar places in the US, which I think may be modeled after the one in Bologna, but they are much smaller. They say Bologna is the food capital of the world, and after being here a day, I am beginning to believe it. We are staying in the Old Town where there seem to be places to eat every fifty feet. Last night I had a delicious pasta vongole. Sitting near the kitchen, I watched the chef prepare the dish along with Vicki’s eggplant ravioli.

Bologna is a couple of hours west of Venice by train. Home to the oldest university in the world, the city of a million is populated with many students who help create a vibrant atmosphere. The city’s architecture is appealing, and its buildings in the old town are scattered around large squares where people gather, talk, and celebrate. The Italians knew how to design communities that facilitated people being together.

The trip from Venice went smoothly, though it was complicated. We walked to a vaporetto, which we took to the train station. On the boat a woman complained to one of the boatmen that my suitcase was blocking her entrance to her seat.  I guess she was having a bad morning, since she had plenty of room to maneuver. I paid no attention nor did the boatman.

The train ride was pleasant in a new car which was very comfortable. The attendants brought around soft drink and cookies free of charge. Once in Bologna, we took a cab to our hotel, whose staff presented us with fruit and Prosecco.

England Stories

Stories from the road
Lower Slaughter Village
September 21, 2018

This morning was cold and windy in the Cotswolds. We layered up and headed to a village on a river. We chose an alternate route from the one we had been given due to the weather and some aches and pains.

The town was quaint with lots of tourists. We had a scone and talked with a couple who were tending their Westy. Our friend Dennis has had three Westys since we have known him, so we knew the breed. The people were very friendly as most people here seem to be.

After they left a man wearing Patagonia clothing appeared. I had on my Nano Puff so we struck up a conversation. From Utah, he and his wife had been hiking in the Dolomites in Northern Italy. We told him we were doing a walking tour in the Cotswolds and he established type A credentials right away when he asked me how far we walked each day. He was a nice person, and I would have liked to have talked to him more.

Eastern Europeans seem to make up much of the workforce in this area. At our hotels, we have chatted with people from the Czech Republic, Romania, and Hungary. They are all very friendly and appear to be competent workers.

We came upon a  group of boarding school students on a backpacking trip today. They were energetic and fun. One tramper was from San Francisco. I asked him what he was doing in a British boarding school, and he said his father was working in England. In response to my question about other Americans on the hike, he said he was the only American in the entire school. Though tired, the hikers were responsive and humorous.

London Stories

Stories from the road
September 16, 2018
Soho, London

"Everybody is talking about Jamie", is a new musical developed and produced in England. We saw it at a matinee yesterday down the block from where we are staying. A boy is struggling to find himself in an environment that is making that process difficult. Through courage and mentorship from an unlikely source, he finds the courage to take a stand and move forward. The most powerful moment in the performance comes when the hero, an evolving transvestite, tells a local bully, to " be a man", and come to the school prom.

The show received a lengthy standing ovation which was well deserved. Fun, inspirational, and poignant, "Jamie" hopefully will come to the United States.

After the show, we bantered with the spaghetti chef at a local restaurant. He was taking individual orders and then cooking the dish in front of us. The line was long, and he was working hard.  We told him he had great moves and should come to Calfornia. He appreciated our comments, and the interaction made a tedious process go by more quickly.

We went by Buckingham Palace yesterday, and not only does it look like a prison, but in many ways, it must be. The Royals can't hop up for a walk or a burger, and all their moves must have to be choreographed. They probably go from one palace to another and then to ceremonial events.  They can't even enjoy the popular pubs in London. Being Royal isn't a gift.

Today we wandered around a different part of the city. At one point we emerged into a square, and there was Margot, the fine Italian restaurant at which we dined the other night. Quickly we rearranged our plan and decided to make lunch our main meal. We both had chicken rolled in prosciutto preceded by a salad. The meal was delicious!

London Stories

Stories from the Road
September 14, 2018
Soho, London, England

A chilly wind blew across Trafalgar Square this morning as we made our way around bustling London. we walked through St, James Park near Buckingham Palace and had a snack in a boutique restaurant in Mayfair. The server said our money wasn't good, and I thought here we go again in reference to multiple disasters on a past trip. However, things worked out. Apparently, the country recalled old bills and substituted them with more robust ones. He took the currency saying he was going to the bank later.

In  Mayfair, I wandered into a Church's Shoe store with Italian salesmen. I had fun talking with them with one guy telling me I had seen more of Italy than he! A short time later we entered an Episcopalian church, where preparations for a wedding were in progress. The choir was warming up with beautiful music.

I have been using Google Maps to find my way around. At one point I realized I was so focused on the phone that I was missing the sights. Tonight we have tickets for Motown, the musical story of Bery Goddy, the founder of Motown Records. It should be good.

The next part of our trip will be walking in the Cotswolds. My brother, Stephen and his wife Harriet were scheduled to join us, but Harriet had a medical crisis and they have had to cancel their trip. This was necessary but disappointing to all of us.

Motown rocked from start to finish. I didn't resonate quite as much with the story as I did last night at The School of Rock, but the music was familiar and fun. The consistent energy of the performers is mind-boggling.

Stories from the Road
September 9, 2018
Brookline Village, Mass.

Fall has come, perhaps temporarily, to Boston, Mass. A cool breeze followed us as we made our way to the North End. Before we walked to this Italian section we met Cynthia O'Grady, her daughter Melina, and George and Kathy Arguin at the Union Oyster House for lunch. Vicki and I had clam chowder and then split a lobster roll, both of which were excellent.

In the North End, we came upon a religious festival. The police had blocked Hanover Street, and a group of men dressed in white was carrying a religious statue with dollar bills plastered on it. Normally I would be excited about this kind of cultural event, but it seems every time I go to the North End, there is a religious parade in progress. The band following the process honoring a saint was playing, "Arrivederci Roma, not a particularly spiritual piece.

Later we ran into two men smartly dressed all in white. I learned from them that they were going to a dinner in a mystery location with 2000 other people. This pop-up event was an annual affair that has become popular in several cities. Later we saw perhaps 100 people in white assembling at different spots, waiting to learn the location of the party.

Cannollis and espresso at Cafe Paradiso were on our agenda.  The pastry was very fresh and screamed at us to order more. We didn't. We said goodbye to our friends, and Vicki and I walked to the Parker house, where we took an Uber back to Brookline.