In Bologna

After three days in Bologna,we knew we had found another favorite place. In the town there are 100,000 students, and the vibe is energetic. The town itself is charming with its winding streets, plazas nestled among the historical buildings, and cafes open to the beautiful spring weather. We spent a day with a guide who shared her knowledge of the museums, libraries, and churches they are so proud. Later she took us to the local markets and told us a out the various pastas, meats and cheeses. We learned that tortellini are very small - the size of half a chestnut and shaped to look like a woman's navel, and are meat filled. Tortelloni are larger - more the size of our ravioli- and they are filled with cheese. Tortellini are usually served "en brodo" - in broth. The larger tortelloni are often served with butter and sage. We ended our little tour with a sampling of local cured meats - prosciutto, salami, and mortadella paired with the local bread - fried puffs of dough that look like beignets. Next came chunks of aged Parmesan with aged balsamic vinegar drizzled over it. This was all accompanied by local sparkling wine. Last we sampled several varieties of their dark chocolate, one a cube of chocolate and hazelnut that was created for the Fiat company when they brought out a new car years ago. The car was not a success but the chocolate was.

The next day we took the train to Ravena, home to many well-preserved mosaics in the churches which were created during the 6th and 8th centuries, the finest in all Western art and the most splendid outside Istanbul. They were exquisite and the work so fine it looked like tapestry. Later we visited one of the modern-day workshops to watch the craftsmen piece together mosaics out of tiny shards of Murano glass.