Bologna

Stories from the road
Bologna, Italy
September 31, 2018

The other night we ate at a fine restaurant recommended by the concierge at our hotel. We sat outdoors, and a team of people waited on us and the people around us. Bread, butter, mineral water and mixed salad all appeared in an orchestrated fashion. The servers were fun and pleasant. As main courses Vicki had ravioli, and I had a pork cutlet with roasted potatoes. The food was excellent.

Today we wandered through we streets of Bologna eventually ending up at a panini shop near our hotel. The server told me his name was also Davide, and he did a great job getting our order. The other day in Venice we had a ticket issue, and the man we talked to told me, “I am named DiCicco also!” He quickly solved our problem.

How attuned to life in America in 2018 are a group of rich, white, old politicians who spend most of their time hanging out with other rich, white, old politicians in Washington, D.C.? You have to wonder. As I watched the Republican Committee function during the hearings, I really wondered to what degree they had their finger on the pulse of the country. The mid-term elections will be interesting.

Having done a lot of hiking in my life, I will have to say that one of the most dangerous trails  I have walked is that which leads into an Italian shower. You have to climb over a deep tub, grab a bar, if there is one, and then hope you remain upright. Figuring out the water handles is another story. It is easy to fire a burst of scalding water at yourself which will further challenge your ability to stay upright in the slippery tub. All I can say is, “Bather beware!”