Bologna and Florence in November on my own?
- Thread starter miss direct
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Mrs Miggins
Eternal
Spag bol is a British dish 
co-op
But....but cLoWnFiSh....
I know, I never get the whole Italian obsession with using the "right" pasta. Sometimes it makes sense like using fusilli with gloopy sauces because the sauce gets picked up in the tube when you're eating and I was always told that you should use conchiglie with small nuggety foods like capers or finely chopped pancetta because, again, the shell catches the chunks when you're eating so it's all mixed together.
But the difference between spaghetti and tagliatelle is just one has eggs in it the other doesn't and if it's dried I can't taste the difference (although it goes without saying that really good fresh pasta is waay nicer than anything dried). Basically it's mostly localist snobbery, spaghetti's from the south, tagliatelle's from Emilia-Romana so anyone from Bologna prefers tagliatelle. It's like supporting the local team.
I think also non-Italians who have learned these conventions like to over-emphasise how important they are.
co-op
But....but cLoWnFiSh....
Absolutely! Italy has this effect on people, it's very tempting to try and become a perfect insider for some reason. Never order a cappuccino after whatever o'clock etc. My feeling when I go back is that a lot of this has changed and Italians don't really care about all these little rules any more but they seemed quite strong 30 years ago - to me at least, but I was pretty young. I don't really care about fitting in these days.
When I was in Bologna I didn't get around to going to the Morandi Museum, which I now regret. Giorgio Morandi painted very simple, almost abstract still lives: Home - Museo Morandi
The Compianto I mentioned upthread is mentioned here: Niccolò dell'Arca - Wikipedia
That's made of TERRACOTTA.
That's made of TERRACOTTA.
miss direct
misfungled
I'm back and I had a fabulous time. So glad I went - and it was actually really good to go somewhere with no expectations, plans or knowledge. I stayed in a hostel - accommodation was expensive there - the first night was grim because I was exhausted from the time difference (only two hours, but I had got up at 5am to travel) and everyone seemed to be screaming and banging drums and wanting to talk all the time 
. But it got better and I actually quite liked it by the end. Dopa hostel if anyone wants to know - good breakfast and great location.
I'm not into museums but am into food and walking and I got both of those things in. I always feel slightly awkward in a new place when I don't know how things work or the language but on the first day I was wandering around the central market and saw people eating lovely plates of cheese and ham, drinking wine. I thought I'd like to do that so popped myself down and a friendly waiter helped me order. I love that tipping is not expected! Makes life a lot simpler.
On the second day, I got a (double-decker!) train to Ferrara, 30 minutes away, to meet a friend who's working there (great coincidence and a good example of the poisitve side of social media - she knew I was around because I'd mentioned it on Facebook). What a lovely town - relatively quiet compared to Bologna, wonderful to walk around, cool castle - and we had a fantastic meal in a trattoria that we just chose randomly. Great bread platter, lasagne and chocolate torte warm from the oven, washed down with red wine. Loved it. I often feel bloated after pasta but never did in Italy.
Later that day I discovered the joy of aperitivo - rather a lot of drinking took place that day! Not sure how Italians stay slim with all the free carbs doled out.
I was also most uncultural and stocked up on goodies at Flying Tiger and Lidl (neither of those are in Turkey so got advent calendars, craft bits and of course, cheese, wine and pork).
On my last day, back in Bologna, I walked up to San Luca - incredible walk through 666 arches in the world's longest portico. Good work out and great views of countryside from the top. Once I was back down, I spotted a trattoria with a fixed menu and went in. After some initial confusion, I was delighted to learn that the fixed menu was spaghetti carbonara (my favourite and not something I'd seen anywhere else around as it's not from the region), mozarella salad, prosecco, water and coffee, for 12 euro. Thoroughly enjoyed every bite.
I also enjoyed finding the secret hatch that opens onto a canal. Overall, a wonderful region - no rubbish to be seen, friendly people, easy to walk around and great food everywhere.
Maybe my post would be useful for anyone else thinking of going. I'm glad I just stayed in Bologna and went to Ferrara - including Florence and Venice would have been too much and I'll save them for another trip.
. But it got better and I actually quite liked it by the end. Dopa hostel if anyone wants to know - good breakfast and great location. I'm not into museums but am into food and walking and I got both of those things in. I always feel slightly awkward in a new place when I don't know how things work or the language but on the first day I was wandering around the central market and saw people eating lovely plates of cheese and ham, drinking wine. I thought I'd like to do that so popped myself down and a friendly waiter helped me order. I love that tipping is not expected! Makes life a lot simpler.
On the second day, I got a (double-decker!) train to Ferrara, 30 minutes away, to meet a friend who's working there (great coincidence and a good example of the poisitve side of social media - she knew I was around because I'd mentioned it on Facebook). What a lovely town - relatively quiet compared to Bologna, wonderful to walk around, cool castle - and we had a fantastic meal in a trattoria that we just chose randomly. Great bread platter, lasagne and chocolate torte warm from the oven, washed down with red wine. Loved it. I often feel bloated after pasta but never did in Italy.
Later that day I discovered the joy of aperitivo - rather a lot of drinking took place that day! Not sure how Italians stay slim with all the free carbs doled out.
I was also most uncultural and stocked up on goodies at Flying Tiger and Lidl (neither of those are in Turkey so got advent calendars, craft bits and of course, cheese, wine and pork).
On my last day, back in Bologna, I walked up to San Luca - incredible walk through 666 arches in the world's longest portico. Good work out and great views of countryside from the top. Once I was back down, I spotted a trattoria with a fixed menu and went in. After some initial confusion, I was delighted to learn that the fixed menu was spaghetti carbonara (my favourite and not something I'd seen anywhere else around as it's not from the region), mozarella salad, prosecco, water and coffee, for 12 euro. Thoroughly enjoyed every bite.
I also enjoyed finding the secret hatch that opens onto a canal. Overall, a wonderful region - no rubbish to be seen, friendly people, easy to walk around and great food everywhere.
Maybe my post would be useful for anyone else thinking of going. I'm glad I just stayed in Bologna and went to Ferrara - including Florence and Venice would have been too much and I'll save them for another trip.
bcuster
Well-Known Member
A man damaged a 16th-century Florence fountain while climbing it for a selfie, the latest example of tourists wrecking things
Yet another tourist has defaced an Italian monument. The German caused around $5,000 in damages when climbing on the Fountain of Neptune for a selfie.
