Our little train trip was thrown together in a frenzy of late night planning, internet hostel booking and Lonely Planet referring. The very next morning we departed for Bologna, a bustling university city in the middle of the Italian countryside about 4 hours north. We arrived around 3pm and walked about 15 minutes in the burning heat to our hotel. We weren’t sure whether the strange looks we were receiving was because we were blonde (and therefore a rarity) or because we were carrying matching Marietta backpacks… I fear it might have been the latter! Hotel Arcoveggio in Bologna was really nice and our room although basic was nice and cool with our own bathroom. We dumped our bags and caught a bus right outside the door into the heart of the city.
As per usual the heart of the city was a big Piazza flanked by the world’s fifth biggest Basilica dedicated to the city’s patron saint. Our eyes were however drawn to the ‘Due Torre’ – Bologna’s two leaning towers – who knew there were other leaning towers besides Pisa? We climbed the 498 rickety wooden steps to the top, occasionally pausing to take in the view (aka puff, pant and rest). As we emerged gratefully into the wind at the top and saw the whole city spread out before us the impulse decision to climb was instantly worthwhile.
A small amount of shopping on the way home – Anita’s and my sight seeing seems to always centre around the shopping district… but who can wear the same outfit every night? Freshly showered and new purchases donned we headed out for dinner and drinks. For those who haven’t yet cottoned on Bologna is THE home of Bolognese… hurrah! So we soon found a trattoria with a nice garden setting and settled in with our carafe of wine for some tasty Bolognese. One traditional and one modern spin on the dish later and bellies satisfied we were craving cocktails. We headed out to the local happening street but not before the two waiters wrote their number and ‘we finish at 12pm – call us’ on the back of the bill… sooooo typically Italian.
We expected a decent night – Bologna is after all Europe’s oldest university town but were a bit disappointed at the lack of people. Sure a few cocktail bars were thriving this Friday night but upon questioning the lack of people we were informed “It’s August – everyone goes on holiday to the sea.” Well we just bloody came from there and thought we’d head inland for a change! Still we managed to find a club with a DJ dressed in an inflatable rabbit costume… and I really have no more to say about that…
The next morning after making the most of the free breakfast and countless glasses of orange juice we headed for the train station to board a train for Verona but not before stopping at two small Asian foodmarkets just across the road from the bus stop. We spent half an hour ooohiiing and ahhhhing in amazement as we sighted some craved treats from home and left with each of our backpacks 2 kilos heavier. For the next few days we carted around a jar of marmite, a jar of peanut butter, sweet chilli sauce, sweet and sour sauce, miso soup, instant noodles, rice noodles and tom yum paste. The lengths Anita and I will go to to satisfy our stomachs!
Finally we made it to the train station. Here’s a tip for all travelers following in my wake… DO NOT I repeat DO NOT EVER EVER travel on any train that is not Eurostar in Italy in August and particularly not mid-morning on a Saturday. We piled onto the train along with thousands of other Bolognians (??) to find all the reserved seats taken, the air conditioning out of order and a dozen scouts with fully laden trekking backpacks lining the aisle… where apparently we were supposed to sit on small fold out seats. I have never heard Anita swear so loudly as she did at the man with the food and drink trolley who insisted on ringing his bell and forcing his way through. It wasn’t until five minutes later when we were lamenting our lack of cold drinks that she venomously stated… “I should have bought something from that lovely man!” (Please replace the aforesaid ‘lovely man’ with a string of obscenities to gain the real picture.)
Nevertheless we made it to Verona and peeled our hot, sweaty selves off the train. We deposited our bags at the luggage storage place and headed into town on the bus. Promptly after our arrival in Verona’s beautiful main square we caught the same bus back to the station as Anita left her camera on the counter. Camera safely accounted for we then hopped on the wrong bus and disembarked twenty minutes later in the suburbs before catching the correct bus to the centre again (we’ll blame it on a hangover). 2 hours later we arrived! Verona made an instant impression being clean and well ordered unlike most Italian cities. In the centre of the square was the Arena which looked just like the Colosseum – I guess most Roman Amphitheatres look the same. As the third largest in existence it is also Verona’s opera house and we had booked tickets to go to Rigoletto that evening.
Verona is home to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet which is based on the 14th century family feuding between the Della Scala family. All around the centre plaques bearing the famous bard’s words are proudly displayed. We wandered along the main shopping street (of course) before arriving at Juliet’s house. The famous balcony which played host to those words “Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?” is actually smaller and less impressive than you imagine. In the courtyard is a statue of Juliet and apparently if you rub her right breast you gain a new lover. Well I’ll try anything so I gave her by now well worn boob a good feel… lets see how that goes…
That evening after a quick dinner in the bustling main square we headed to the Arena for the opera. It was a magical first time opera experience as we and 15,000 others sat on ancient stone ledges still warm from the days sun and watched the sun set behind the elaborate set. In the central area men and women who had paid a small fortune for their tickets were dressed in their finest ranging from ball gowns to bow ties. It was a wonderful atmosphere and I loved how people still respected the ancient art and the sheer performance of it all. It was such an ‘event’ and the Arena sparkled with life and the small blue light torches used by patrons to light the program. We were entranced and even though we couldn’t understand the language being sung the emotions still shone through in the powerful voices. Towards the end of the performance a really well known song started up and ½ the audience (including us) instinctively started humming along. About 2 seconds later the other ½ of the audience made an enormous ssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhh sound and the Arena went deathly quiet while the lively song continued. It was hilarious!
The next morning we caught an early train (6am) to Venice keen to make the most of our time there. However we arrived so early we could not check into our hotel and burdened with our increasingly heavy backpacks and exhausted from two late nights in a row we spent our first hour in Venice having a little nap in the sun on a park bench. We eventually deposited our bags at our hotel reception and had a quick freshen up in the toilet before walking out for our first experience of the floating/sinking city. Venice has a remarkable atmosphere – it is Italy’s most expensive, most ethereal, most touristy, most romantic city and everywhere you turn you are assailed by incredible sights. Gondola’s drift by on the grand canal calmly passing ferries and cargo boats. Walking between the alleyways you are suddenly confronted by small bridges passing over little canals only just big enough to let two gondolas pass side by side. Looking up you see where the Venetians truly live as the second and third floor balconies of the canal side terrace houses are covered in colourful flowers and lined with drying clothes. That morning we walked from our hotel which was situated in a fabulous location on the Grand Canal near the train station through the middle of this amazing city to the famous piazza San Marco where thousands of tourists only just outnumbered the pigeons. This walk also took us past the Rialto bridge one of Venice’s most famous bridges although it was difficult to take a photo when you are hemmed in by so many other tourists.
We ticked off most of the main sights on that walk and then our legs gave a thankful sigh as we purchased a ferry ticket for our remaining time in Venice. Late that afternoon we boarded the ferry for a trip to Murano, the Venetian island famous for glass blowing, but by the time we arrived the shops were closing so we swore to return the next day. Coincidentally after seeing I was going to be in Venice on the internet one of the Australian crew we spent the day sightseeing with in Florence turned out to be on his boat in Venice as well and we promised to catch up that evening. So after dinner we joined Tim (our friend from before) and the chef of his boat, Justin – a Kiwi, for a quiet drink. It was Tim’s first time in Venice too and after we revealed it was my birthday we planned to form a foursome the next afternoon for a gondola ride and some celebrations!
The next morning after a well deserved sleep in we headed to Murano island again to do some gift shopping – for friends and also for me! Anita had woken me that morning with a big bouncy hug and a card with a cow dancing on a cake on the front… not sure what that is supposed to mean… I bought a gorgeous white Murano glass necklace for my present (thanks Mum and Dad) and we spent two hours wandering the beautiful galleries mostly admiring things that were very far out of our price range! After Murano we ferried to neighbouring Burano island which is famous for Venetian lace. Anita’s mother is getting married early next year and we were determined to find a pin cushion and garter – both of which we did successfully.
As always when two girls go shopping the time literally flew and by the time we realized how late it was we only just had enough time to run back to the hotel, freshen up and don our pre-purchased Carnivale masks before we headed out again to meet the boys. We stopped at the local supermarket on the way to meet the ferry and stocked up on all sorts of Italian goodies ready for our planned picnic in the park. I am not sure quite what the boys expected when they got off the ferry but it probably wasn’t 2 blonde girls dressed all in black with bright green and blue feathery masks. It wasn’t until we sat down on our little rug with picnic food spread out and the champagne cracked open that we produced the all black superhero masks we intended them to wear as our companions!! After more champagne and some fruity cocktails it was time for our much anticipated gondola ride and after purchasing some plastic cups (its all style here) and another bottle of champers we found ourselves seated in a gloriously gold leaf decorated gondola being pushed down the grand canal.
It was as romantic, elegant and surreal as a Gondola ride is supposed to be, except we were there with friends not lovers and our driver kept talking about his wife being on a nearby beach having ‘pushy pushy with a big black man…” which made the ride also hilariously fun, slightly drunk and incredibly memorable. We wandered the streets of Venice cocktails in hands, masks on faces and boys from home in tow and it was one of the most amazing birthdays I have ever had. I am so lucky that even after being away from home for over a year I got to spend my birthday with good friends in one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
The next morning we bade goodbye to Venice after a final wander through the unforgettable streets and boarded the long (6hr) train home. Fortunately an intercity train on a Tuesday from Venice to Roma appears to be a lot less busy and we managed to score an entire cabin to ourselves meaning we passed the time dozing, reading, gazing out the window at Italy’s stunning countryside and constantly giggling as we remembered moments from the previous nights. We were completely exhausted but we made the most of every second of this trip and the memories will always put a smile on my face.
