on to Bologna!

so we are off to Bologna- here is the map of the area we traveled on this trip- Trieste (upper right hand corner) then Venice about 2/3 of the way over - in the middle of the top of the map) and finally Bologna (lower part of the map in the middle) 

so- again- we are off to Bologna on the high speed train - 220kmph (132mph) - a quick trip of a little over two hours- 

then we took a cab to our hotel - which was perfectly located right by the square in the city center - from the middle ages... 

we almost immediately leave for lunch because our room is not quite ready- we found an EXCELLENT place only a few blocks away- Da Nello...

our starters- salumi plate and zucchini flowers- 

mains - tagliatelle bolognese and lasagne carbonara-

the place was absolutely perfect and we got to eat outside to add the icing on the cake!  ON the way back to the hotel we made a circuit of the main square where they are holding a festival celebrating the pride of Bologna - mortadella (or as we call it- bologna! LOL)

tonight we have a reservation for the fancy place in a hotel- with a ceiling recently uncovered which revealed a fabulous frescoe---

 a salmon crudo for an amuse-

triple tartare dish for my starter (below) - Phil's (above) was culatello I think--- LOL - this is what happens when you get delayed in posting- LOL

butternut squash mezzaluna pasta and spinach on the side-

Phil's main and my main (scallops with mushrooms)

a very nice extra - a pre-dessert of chocolate mousse with cherries and pistachio macarons-

I couldn't eat dessert but Phil managed- LOL

this was an excellent meal but way too much food - I was unable to eat much of the last few courses-- we are only in Bologna for two nights so that we can stop on the way back home in Frankfurt to see our friends Claus and Evi... but I may not have mentioned that we had been here before... so this is a return engagement - driven by the food Bologna is famous for...

our lunch the following day was unexciting but dinner was fabulous- and so I will follow up on that right here and now- this is another place worth seeking out (along with Da Nello)

fried zucchini flowers, again (sigh! LOL- only kidding!)

White truffle tagliatelle and white truffle ravioli--- we may not get this again this year so every where we saw it we ate it!

and a house made mascarpone with intensely flavored berries! yum yum!

OK so that is the run down on the food- three of four meals were fabulous... so worth heading to Bologna more than once.... next up a final post of some of the center of Bologna and its famous library---

the rest of Venice

Venice - more photos to round out our trip there- and wrap it up before we leave for Bologna...

the Teatro Gran Fenice--- opera lovers world wide know its reputation!

one evening we went back for at least my fifth time to Da Ivo- a restaurant long ago recommended by a travel friend of the family- sadly it has changed hands and is no longer the fabulous place we had loved before-  a lack-luster meal for far too much money... will not recommend it any longer....

stuffed zucchini flowers were prepared long before they were served only moderately warm- :-(

the ravioli pesto might have been good but who could tell drown in all that sauce? - I love pesto but this was way over the top- far too heavy handed...

should have probably gone to the self serve take away- LOL

masks - of course are a Venetian tradition and from the first trip I made there I have always had mine on display prominently in my home - she is much less scary looking than these from an artisan's shop window...

souvenir pins of various venetian masks- you can buy similar earrings etc....

along the way there is an abundance of architectural detail worth noting-

if you happen by in your water taxi or gondola you can stop and check out the menu for the restaurant and arrive in style via the canals-

one of my favorite shots from this visit-

this one looked even more atmospheric when I played around with my phone's photo settings-

along with masks the marionettes here are works of art- every trip I have made to Venice - the cat ones have called to me - but good ones are extremely expensive upwards from a thousand dollars - and I have no skill in operating a marionette nor a desire to learn - therefore I take their photos and move on ---

if you are tourist don't even think of sitting here- this seat is for Gondolieri!

on the evening of our disappointing dinner at Da Ivo, we assuaged our disappointment with drink in the bar on the Grand Canal in the moonlight- a nice recovery - LOL

the following night we had the meal we had wished for the night before- at Ai Mercanti (I think my fourth visit there- and still wonderful, sadly it was raining so we couldn't sit outside like I had every previous time... still my all time favorite meal of the trip with Jennifer - although it might have been colored by the two bottles of wine we waxed off over the course of many hours - or the lady who hung her laundry out over our heads in the campo and when it was dry (yes we stayed that long- LOL) took it in and closed her shutters... anyway- I recall the evening with great fondness...

I started with the salmon tartare- as did Aase and then went on to wonderful ravioli in a pesto that did not overwhelm the delicacy of the pasta. Phil had this very cute round lasagne- and that was fabulous - I could have eaten two of those... three of us had the chocolate assorted dessert plates- excellent all around! a fitting celebration for the actual evening of Phil's 60th birthday.

so every morning when I went to breakfast I took a photo of the canal right alongside the breakfast restaurant in our hotel... the fried eggs were very good - so I chose to order ala carte rather than the extensive and expensive buffet..... most mornings it was foggy and some the sun tried to break through but each day offered slightly different light--- (as well as a different seat- LOL)

the view looking directly across the canal from the breakfast porch...

life is good.... and so is Bologna's food! so stayed tuned...