What a lazy day today. Dan was still not quite up to par, and we just took our time doing anything.
Dan figured out the shower (turns out the device on the thing is to turn on lights, a fan, and music. I’m sorry, but I do NOT want to listen to music when I’m in the shower! Oh .. wait … I lied. I am not at all sorry about that!
We had coffee in our room since they do provide that here (I didn’t pay for their breakfast), and eventually we got outside. There is an area with an indoor market, along with a multitude of restaurants and food shops, and we went into the market area to have another (and better) coffee, OJ, and we shared a croissant. So many of the croissants I’ve had in Italy have been sweet, and this was the case with this one.
We walked a while, seeing more graffiti than you can ever imagine. Or maybe not. Maybe you have a very graffiti-filled brain. Heck if I know. But there was a lot of graffiti. We knew to expect that this time: when we first came to Bologna years ago we were rather shocked. I think it’s the only city I’ve been to where, had I an implement that would work, I would feel nearly comfortable putting something up on a wall. (I hope there is nothing written that is offensive, but I don’t speak Italian so pardon me if that’s the case! I realize some just find graffiti offensive and I can’t do much about that. It’s just a reality in Bologna.)
Both of us began to feel a bit weary — Dan due to recovering and me due to that sweet croissant — so we we went back to our room where one of us napped and the other just wasted her time.
After a time Dan suggested I could go out on my own … a good suggestion because I was getting antsy and rather bored. So I took a somewhat long walk, wandering here and there with no destination in mind. I think I found the restaurant we ate the first time we were here. Pretty sure, anyway. I might have found the garage we parked in as well. I never did find the place where we spent the night though. If I remember correctly the entrance was rather nondescript, so it’s no wonder I can’t remember. (Plus we were barely here.) I think I could wander Bologna for a fairly long time. I did take one little break on a bench in the shade and just enjoyed the people passing by. (I’d never heard of the man pictured with the clarinet, but figured I’d post it in case any of my clarinet friends are interested.)
I came back to the room and decided to give that fancy shower a whirl. For the life of me I can’t figure out how to get the water to come out from above, but only from the side thingie (does that have a name?). After the walk the shower did feel mighty fine. I did not, however, listen to the music. Nope. I said I wouldn’t do it and I didn’t.
Out the door we went, and we walked a little and then headed to Sfoglia Rina for dinner. Neither of us had lunch, so dinner was on the early side (which is good since this restaurant closes quite early). I had lasagna and it was quite delicious! While we don’t eat meat at home, aside from some chicken and the occasional fish, here we try to have what locals have and/or recommend. So yes, I had lasagna alla bolognese. Quite yummy! The place is not your run of the mill restaurant. They have a board with items written on it (some crossed out if they are no longer available that day), and then you write what you want on the paper provided at your table, along with your table number (which we neglected to write … oops!), and hand the order to a server. While the photos below show empty seats it was full shortly after that and people were waiting outside.
We walked more, had (gulp … shame on me) a small cone of gelato, and yet more walking. We amble slowly, so I only got eight miles in today, but my watch is happy with me. Hey, maybe I’ll sleep tonight …? I can dream, right? Or, should I not sleep, I suppose I can’t.
A domani!