Category: Photography

 

We left the town of Parma for a day trip into the countryside. The first stop was to be a salumi factory in another small village – I had images of a sterile building, following a guide on an industrial tour.  Didn’t sound all that great to me.

The reality was totally different: this place reminded me of the estates one finds in Napa or Sonoma.  The property was the birthplace of a famous Italian: Giuseppe Verdi.  It became the manor home – some call it a castle – where taxes had to be paid to cross the bridge in the long Po  river, nearby. Today it is an exclusive small hotel, with a Michelin started restaurant, and a basement cureing center for pork.

So how does salumi figure into all of this? Salumi is a generic word for all kinds of cold colds, like salami, but the king of cold cuts is called culatello Parma ham, which is taken from the black pork and is considered the ultimate delicacy for those who like cold cuts. The pork is hung and cured in the basement of the building.

These hams are sold to the finest restaurants the world over and are reserved in advanced. It takes at least six months to cure one, and we saw the names of restaurants and individuals who have reserved their pork: Prince Albert of Monaco is one, Prince Charles of Great Britain is another.

After our visit to this magnificent estate, we were driven to the Po river -Italy’s longest river – for our pontoon river cruise with our captain, a naturalist who also fishes the river and knows much of its lore. We docked at Giarola Island and had a picnic lunch in a fisherman’s cabin and heard tales of life on the river .  We had focaccio with cold cuts of ham, a fruit salad and cookies, washed down with red or white wine and water.

Continue reading “ON THE ROAD: a day in the country”

We met up at 9:15 and walked to the Piazza Garibaldi for our walking tour of the town. We were met by our guide Alicia, who gave us a very comprehensive tour.

In Italy the masterpieces are found in the churches. Google “duomo in Parma, Italy” for details.

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The baptistery across the square is also an architectural wonder, with frescos from floor to ceiling. I did a couple of videos but was unable to upload then to this site, unfortunately. Folding chairs are provided in both buildings for better viewing.

The afternoon was free but museums were closed so after a light lunch with Ann, I headed back to put my feet up, read, and spend needed time on the last post.

 

Our included dinner this evening was in a traditional restaurant with courses from the area.  The starter course was cold cuts and Parmesan-reggiano cheese, with fruit compote, washed down with a sparkling red wine of the area. Then we switched to a more hearty red wine, with the pasta dishes shown above, which have been in existence since the 1200’s. My favorite was the one on the right with pumpkin.  Our main course was black pork cheeks -melt-in-your-mouth marvelous  – with roasted potatoes. The sorbet was to aid with digestion, followed by a local liqueur and small cookies that could be dipped in either the dark chocolate provided or the liqueur, or both. We had a 20 minute walk coming and going from our hotel, which was a good thing. Food, drink and merriment was had by all!

Tuesday: we get out of town for a day in the country, with a visit to a beautiful manor home famous for making cured cold cuts, known as salumi, followed by a boat ride down the Po river, and a picnic in the cabin of a fisherman. Stay tuned!

This was a travel day, as we were changing cities and hotels. We had an early wake up call: on the bus by 7:00 AM. We had to be at a technical school in time to make cheese. The milk is delivered daily, and the cheese must be made daily, even on a Sunday.

There are technical schools offering courses in all areas of study, and this agricultural school teaches students to make the local Parmigiano-Reggiano  cheese. Giuseppe, a retired cheese maker, is in charge of the program, and today we’re visiting to watch the process. We arrived a little before 8:00, just as the milkman made his daily delivery. Giuseppe was aided by our guide Alice, who grew up on a farm and whose mother is a veterinarian.  She even has her own cow, so she’s acquainted with farm life.  She’s also learned on the job from Giuseppe and served as our translator.

Guiseppe kept stirring until the cheese was formed, which took quite a long time. While we were waiting,  we went to other areas of the room to see other other steps in the process.

Alice explained the labeling, after the cheese was ready and about to be stored.

(Side note: Doesn’t she look like a young Julia Roberts?)

We returned to watch the men roll the cheese with cheesecake, cut the ball in half, re-form it and put the two circles in molds.

We were taken to the storage rooms to see the wheels of cheese.  The cheese must be aged at least a year before attempting to eat it and it  must be tested by the government and certified that it is really Parmigiano-Reggiano, from the area.  Each wheel is dated.

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Suppose the government indicates that the cheese does not pass the test to be authentic? It can be given a lesser designation, and at the worst, be sold in the bargain bin at the local supermarket, but it can’t be called Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese because it didn’t live up to the standards..

Our last stop was tasting, where we tasted cheese aged  12 months, 24 months and 36 months  I preferred the 24 month cheese. A tradition is to put honey on the cheese or with cheese and crackers.  This school also makes ricotta cheese, which does not have to be made daily; we tasted a dessert with local cut up fruit in the ricotta and a little added sugar. There is a small school store which sells local produce, honey, and cheese.

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Giuseppe spoke passionately about teaching young people and the importance of keeping the tradition alive. He already retired from his career in the factory making cheese but prefers the hands-on personal method with the instruction of the young people at the school.  He’s a man with a passion. We reluctantly said goodbye and thanked him for his hospitality.

We were back on the bus and on the road for an hour more for our next visit: to Villa Bianchi, near Modena, to visit the Biancardi family,  a balsamic vinegar maker. Their son Emilio greeted us.  He was our host for the visit.

We started outside, with the grapes on the vine.

This family has been making balsamic vinegar for centuries, though World War II stopped the progress when their house, but not the barrels of vinegar, was damaged. They moved to this beautiful villa which was owned by the ruling family of Modena.  The place is fantastic but requires a lot of work to maintain.

We took a small four person elevator to the top floor, where the barrels are stored in the attic.

The process is deceptively easy: grow the grapes, crush the grapes, boil the grapes, seal in wood containers and keep for years and years.  The aging process is the key; don’t even think of using balsamic vinegar for six years or more.  The longer it ages, the better it will be.  It is labeled as a “traditional balsamic”, indicating that the same process has been carried on from one generation to the next. We started tasting the newest – and worst – balsamic, and continued to the oldest, a smooth, flavorful sweet vinegar. It was delicious, even on its own.  There is some mixing in the process, where some younger liquid is put into aged liquid but most of the original remains in the barrels. The barrels of vinegar compete with beamed ceilings and rooms filled with family memorabilia.

Our ” light lunch”, served in the elegant dining room of the villa,  was actually substantial, consisting of recipes which included balsamic, with tomatoes, in a zucchini-Parmesan quiche, and other dishes. The pièce de résistance was a dessert of vanilla gelati with very aged balsamic sprinkled over the top. The dining room was gorgeous and  we were charmed by the placemats, which explains the vinegar making process. They were made by Emilio’s mother, who is an art teacher.

The lunch was made by Emilio’s  wife, who was not in the room. We could, however, hear her playing Gershwin on the piano in a nearby room.

Again we reluctantly bid arrivederci to our host and one of his cats, who came to visit. and thanked them  for their  hospitality.

It took another hour or so to get to Parma, where we checked into the ultra-modern hotel in a renovated area just outside the historical center, once the site of the Barilla pasta factory.  We had extra time, so we strolled into town for some cafe-sitting at the main square, Piazza Garibaldi.  As luck would have it, there was a Palio going in – medieval festival – so we were able to watch the parade – what a treat!

Sunday evening is pizza night so we went to a popular local spot near the hotel.  Ann and I split an individual pizza -doesn’t it look good?- then split a tiramisu, which was made in a glass: same ingredients, different presentation.

Portion control!

We’ve had great weather for touring so far, with highs in the high 60s or low 70s, but rain is expected for tomorrow.  We’ll be doing a city tour of Parma followed by free time in the afternoon, with a four course dinner showcasing the  culinary delights of the region to end the day.   Mamma mía!

 

 

 

Jaw dropping,  that’s what they were, the mosaics in Ravenna, seat of the Western Roman Empire in the fifth century and later the westernmost outpost of the Byzantine empire.  The city was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site for its stunning variety of early Christian mosaics and monuments. We had to see it. We traveled there by train from Bologna.

An hour and a half later we met our local guide and began our tour of the city. Our first stop was the Sant’Apollinaire Church, built in the 5th century as a Gothic baptistry where we saw mosaics representing scenes from the Old Testament as well as depictions of the Byzantine emporer Justinian.

Our next stop was the tomb of Dante. No, he is not in Florence, as some claim. His tomb is very popular.

The Mausoleum of Gaila Placidia is small and very dark.  It is so small that only fifteen people were allowed in at a time, and we were allowed only five minutes to drink in the beauty of this spot.

Next door was the Basilica of San Vitale, where mosaics mixed with frescos, giving a variety of textures to this massive structure. My first feeling when entering this huge space was the realization of how insignificant and transitory we humans are. It was a mind boggling and jaw-droppingly overpowering experience.

It is impossible to capture the immense beauty and skill of this work in photography. You have to be there. I hope some day you will.

We had lunch in a local restaurant and visited a modern day mosaic artist, whose unique and creative work is in demand today. It’s encouraging to know that this ancient art has not disappeared.

We took the train back in the late afternoon after a long, fulfilling day.

We did a walking tour of the city today and it afforded me the occasion to do some picture-taking of people at work and play. 

We passed by a machine shop on the way into the center of town, where the owner was working on a bicycle  for a customer.

This one-man band is a fixture, always at the same corner. He seems to know the people in the neighborhood, and I’ve often seen him chatting away with friends.

 

The produce market area always brings out lots of vendors and customers.

We were invited to watch a pasta making demonstration at one of the city’s finest pasta stores. Our pasta maker was a delight! We were not as successful in rolling pasta as she was.

we learned that this was the oldest bar in the city, so I ran in to take a peek. I noticed that at least one older gentlemen had embraced technology.

People enjoying a meal or just stopping for a drink..cafes and restaurants are everywhere in this bustling city.

 

Whether at work or at play, people in Bologna have a magnificent city to enjoy.

 

 

This is our new room with a view, which is in a quiet residential area about a 10-15 minute walk from the city. We’re at Hotel Porto San Mamolo and about to meet our new tour people. The hotel itself is family run, simple and charming, but has all we need for our three day stay.

I guess I’m giving the punchline away at the beginning of the post but I’m a little punchy anyway, since I just woke up from a long-deserved nap. This is the first afternoon nap I’ve taken since arriving in Italy. Jet lag has been almost nonexistent on this trip, but it’s been an active morning as usual so I needed to crash a bit.

Our first stop after breakfast was the Basilica of San Francesco, a Romanesque Gothic gem founded in 1251!

Yes,  we were welcomed by baby lions on the fence. Mass was going on when we arrived so we sat in the sunshine and read a bit about the church in Ann’s handy Berlitz guidebook before making our visit. The Gothic arches were impressive, as was some of the stained glass, but overall it was a dignified rather than flashy basilica.

We headed a few blocks back to the center of the town, first to the church of Saint Petronius at the Piazza Magiorri, then to the Piazza Galvani to visit a part of the world’s oldest university that houses its library and a most unusual room: the anatomical theatre in the gorgeous Palace of the Archiginnasio.

The University of Bologna was founded in 1088, but the anatomical theater wasn’t built until 1636 and was completed in 1737; though damaged during WWII, it still appears as much as it did when candlelit dissections were done on humans and animals alike. The room is completely  carved from spruce with its imposing marble dissecting table still in position in front of the teacher’s chair. Each corner of the theater is elaborately decorated with carved statues of Hippocrates and other famous physicians and two anatomical models with muscles exposed – called spellati, or “skinned men” – are also there, surrounding the teacher’s chair, perhaps to show students what they’ll be seeing as they do their cutting.

You’ll find astrological symbols on the ceiling and overseeing it all is a representation of a woman being offered a thigh bone by an angel.

My details here were taken from the website Atlas Obscura, but if you google “anatomical theater Bologna” you’ll find a wealth of information.

As you enter the building on the ground floor you’ll see, on the ceiling in the lower portico, the coats of arms of the cities or countries of those who studied medicine there and had the honor of putting their names on the walls. The visitor then goes up a flight of stairs to enter the room of the anatomical theater.

This is a must-see site for anyone visiting Bologna

We had our own scientific experiment to do after the visit to the anatomical theater, so we headed to a gelateria, at the Piazza Cavour near by, to taste gelato, which we ate at one of the benches of the lovely park in the center of the square. I used the camera phone; Ann posed with our gelati.  This was a serious taste test: our guide Alice emailed me the name of the two best places for gelato in Bologna and we had to decide on the winner. A few days ago we tested at the first shop and now we’re here. Which is the best of the best? Not sure. We may have to do more testing before coming up with an answer. It’s hard work but someone’s got to do it – all in the interest of science, of course.

At 7:00 we attended our proseco-and-light supper   orientation meeting. Our guide Alice is a delight and our seven other trip mates seemed congenial; there were lots of criss-crossing conversations as we sat at a square table in the middle of the garden room, where we’ll also have breakfast in the morning .

We’ll leave tomorrow at 9:00 AM for a walking tour of the city, with lunch on our own. The afternoon is free, and we’ll have a welcome dinner with the group in the early evening.

I leave you with a view of the garden, in hopes that I may meet Romeo the cat there tomorrow.

 

We decided to have a more low-key day today. We were up and out at about 10:00 after the usual sumptuous breakfast in the hotel. Our first stop was to take the elevator to the top of one of the towers to get an overview of the city’s panorama.

The off-on bus took us to the church of saint Michele de Bosco, high on adjoining hill, then  to MAMba, the modern art museum, where we saw the permanent collection, an unusual anime special exhibit and lovely paintings from a female artist from Oakland!   We had time for lunch there too: their version of a Caesar salad was not what I expected but was tasty nonetheless. The dessert, which came as part of the formula menu, was delicious, and not too sweet.

On the way back to the hotel, we checked out a museum and another church as we managed to get lost on the way back. The winding streets invite exploration but don’t always take us where we want to go..

After a brief rest we set off again in search of a light meal and found the welcoming  Osteria 015, the sister restaurant of the one we enjoyed last night. The plate of local meats and cheeses was wonderful,  with unusually good freshly baked breads.

We  washed it down with a Spritz Aperol with a hint of Campari, a bit different from what I had in Sicily. We chatted with nearby table companions from Oregon.

We change hotels tomorrow to join our tour group;  we have one more day for our independent exploration of this mesmerizing city before we begin our tour. There is still so much to see and do, and roses to smell along the way!

I hope you’re enjoying our explorations and adventures.

 

 

 

 

It’s the end of the day and I’m tucked into bed. I just checked my iPhone to see the miles walked and it registered 7.8 miles, 17,289 steps and 38 flights of stairs. I’m not especially surprised by the mileage, because I read that the average tourist in Paris walks eleven miles a day, but the stairs?  How did this happen?

We climbed a hill to get to the top of it, to see the Sanctuary of the Madonna of Saint Luca. We walked the porticos to the top.

 

Beautiful Bologna is full of wondrous sights, including porticos, arcades that intersect  the city.  The city fathers may have provided these covered arched arcades to protect the citizenry from the extremes of weather, but it is said that the original idea was for shopkeepers to add space for trade in their stores. Originally made of wood, they became a fire hazard so from 1568 on, they had to be built from brick or stone. The city has 25 miles of these structures.

The Portica of San Luca runs three miles, from the Arch Melancello – we took the #20 bus from the historic center to the site  – to the Sanctuary at the top of the hill, a distance of 2.3 miles covering 635 arches – all uphill. This is the longest set of porticos in the city and was a challenge to us. The reward? Seeing the views and the sanctuary, which were spectacular.

 

Sometimes the incline was a little steep, other times it was gentle, and there were sets of stairs interspersed, always with hand rails. We met people of all ages and countries on the journey. We persevered. We succeeded.

 

I think  this qualifies as a kickass adventure!

The church was small but very ornate at the high altar and the profusion of marble was astounding.

Then we went back down the hill, which was much faster!

After we returned to the city center, our next stop was lunch on the Via Santo Stefano, which was a newly renovated section of town, not far from the center. Many of these buildings housed palaces of the rich which over the years fell into disarray and have been transformed into restaurants, galleries and chic shops.  There are also a few government buildings among them.

We had a delightful lunch – tuna salad and house white wine for me and melon and prosciutto for Ann-  and I chatted with three high school students who were on an educational trip to Italy.  I didn’t recognize the language they were speaking, but they spoke English to our server. Their language was Serbo-Croatian!  Nice kids.

There are kids everywhere in this town!

We strolled down to Piazza Santo Stefano, leading to the Basilica of Santo Stefano,  a complex of medieval churches. Of  seven original churches, three remain. dating from the 5th century. The first church was unlike anything I’d seen before, with rough stairs leading to the altar.  It was dark and foreboding, unadorned except for a huge crucifix. Going down and to the left, we passed through another ancient church with a cylindrical form, passing on to various courtyards. The designs of the brick architecture were intriguing and a bit perplexing. If you’re interested, Google the site for more information.

One hightlight: a cat in one of the courtyards. Obviously it belonged here.

Our last stop was for dessert at the best gelatoria in town, on via Castiglione. We came, we saw, we ate! Delicious.

 

We returned to the room for a rest, then went out later for a light supper and a glass of wine in the neighborhood followed by – what else? -another small stroll through the half-lit streets and back alleyways of beautiful Bologna.

 

Yes, 7.8 miles. It adds up…

Buononotte!

 

 

From the bathroom, no less!  Ann and I made all  our connections easily and met at the Bologna airport. We took a shuttle to the third atop, as indicated on the hotel website, with the help of a very nice driver who didn’t speak English but spoke French, and got a taxi there. There was a bookshop at the taxi stop and the kind lady there, who spoke neither English or French  helped us to call a taxi. Five minutes and 10€ later, we were at our hotel.

 

It’s called Hotel Novocento and it lives up to its name. Though the outside of the building is ancient, in the small, charming Piazza Galileo, it’s very modern on the inside and is centrally located to all the major attractions.  Our room is pictured on the site, if you’d care to look. It’s the only twin-bedded room with the white wooded sloping ceilings with shutters, which we kept open. We have a long bench under the eaves – there’s one window in the bedroom and two huge ones in the bathroom, one in the shower!!

The town is a gorgeous Renaissance masterpiece and one can almost imagine Romeo and Juliet flirting in the square. There are present-day Romeos and Juliets doing that now, as it is a very important center of learning for italy. There are kids EVERYWHERE!  I thought I was in campus at Berkeley!

We wandered the central area and strolled for a few hours, then settled in to a restaurant called 015, noted on the map as “a favorite” and it was truly wonderful: we split a lasagna bolognese, and we split a caprese salad, with freshly picked tomatoes and basil, accompanied by buffalo mozzarella cheese  I had a glass of vino bianco of the region, and Ann had vino rosso, also local –  perfect!  The lasagna was not like the American version : it was subtle and not heavy at all. We both sighed when we took our first bites!! Amazing. The price was also amazing, very reasonable for the quality of food.

We strolled back in the dark, the mere few blocks to our hotel, thinking we’d suddenly gotten into a time warp, as the illuminated Renaissance buildings guided our way home.

I managed to get myself a shower; after no sleep in either the ten-hour flight from San Francisco to Paris, or the almost two hour flight from Paris to Bologna, my mind and body shut down at 10 pm. I woke at 2:00 am and assumed I’d not return to the land of slumber; however the next I knew it was 6:30 am  – hooray! I slept better than usual for the first night  I’ll check in later today – or maybe tomorrow morning – and let you know what happened on day 2 of the trip.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here I am again, at SFO, or San Francisco international. I’m sitting with all these excited passengers, ready to go to Paris. Don’t they look thrilled to be here?

Flying used to be a big deal. We’d wear nice clothes. We’d be excited. I still get a thrill, knowing I’m off on a new adventure – and I am!  I’m flying to Paris on the Air France #83, then will transfer to a flight to Bologna, Italy, where I’ll meet up with my friend Ann from England.  I’ll be on the Airbus 380, in the upper level this time in a seat known as <<première économie>>! I got  deal when I booked with the Overseas Adventure Travel people: airfare was free and upgrades to this class was $50 per flight  I checked the website for Air France and the cost was 900€ per flight! Oh là là – did I get a deal, or what?  Ann is flying from London and our planes touch down at about the same time. We will be on our own for a few days, then will join a tour of Bologna, Parma and Ravenna, then meet up for the main tour in Lucca.

This is not a big city tour  we will go to Florence – briefly – and Siena, but the bulk will be spent with travel in the countryside, which should be good photo ops, good tastings of food and wine, and a good time for all.  If you’d like to see the day to day itinerary, go to Overseas Adventure Travel and find TUSCANY AND UMBRIA: RUSTIC BEAUTY  I will be your tour guide, with insights and hopefully we will have some fun along the way.

It’s almost time to board! Addiamo!