Month: October 2014

It was a most weird night last night. I live in this secure old building that was once a Palazzo and has an inner courtyard. Very pretty and you can’t get in from the street without a key. However about midnight there was a helluva racket with about 6 young people in the courtyard making an awful noise. This went on for ages, they’d go away and then be back. Not doing any harm, just laughing and yelling and drinking. That did away with a night’s sleep so I was late rising and shining.

I decided to do the other hard thing that needed a tick. Get myself to San Luca. It is this massive church on the hill that Bolognese people see as their symbol. For example coming into Bologna on the train the other day someone in the carriage said ‘San Luca’ and as one they all stood up to exit the train. The look for it as their landmark. The Virgin performed a miracle once and now they have a massive procession every year in May when they bring the old girl down from the church. The thing is that its 5kms out of town so the trick is how to get there and back. To walk is 10kms and the uphill trek is really a big deal. So I’d been working this out and I got on this quirky and slightly embarrassing tourist train attached to a tractor that takes you up. To redeem my punctured pride (after attaining the heights of the Asinelli Tower yesterday) I walked all the way back. 5 kms might seem like nothing but the walk down from the Basilica aint easy. Its quite steep and alternates steep declines with stairs. Anyway I earned the ‘dolce’ I had at the end!!
There is the longest portico in the world that you walk through. It connects the church with the city gate of Porto Saragozza….. 3,796 meters in length. So it was a mild achievement for the mumma.

Each day I find my tiny bit of sunlight to sit in for half an hour before summer dies totally. I did this and then cam home when all sun had diapered. That was my day, the sum total of it. I think my email trail is petering out!!

I’m going to make my third effort to get to Ravenna tomorrow. God know if it will work!

Now for another episode of Game of Thrones. Only 3 more left, then what…any suggestions from my loyal readership???

Today I decided it was the day to go up the tower. The biggest hurdle for me was just making that decision. Decided to go when it opened to try and beat the crowds but when I got there it wasn’t open when it said it would be. Oh well, what a shame….off to get my usual cappuccino. Then I thought I should have another look and it was open…that reprieve didn’t last long. So up I went and to be honest it wasn’t one bit as hard as I thought it was going to be, in fact it wasn’t too hard at all going up or coming down. It’s a secret that it wasn’t that hard!! I was so excited that I posted some photos on Facebook as a bit of a boast I guess!! Its another thing to tick. The next is going to San Luca…the church on the hill with the massive walk through over 3kms of portico. I’m exploring the best way to do that. I think you get a bus up and walk back but I’ll work that one out.

Then (and this is very mundane) but the battery has run out on my camera and I went off in search of a new one. As with all things that I have to work out it means being sent from one place to the next. Anyway I found this lovely man who said that my beautiful new camera hadn’t yet been released in Italy and he had ordered the batteries but he had no idea when they’d be here. He rang around and ascertained that they would be here one day and he was in the process of taking a battery out of one of his cameras for sale (he was a lovely man) when the postman walked in the door. He looked at it and at me and said NOOOOOO, never!!! he opened it and there were the exact batteries I needed. That was amazing, it really was.

I did some shopping. The cleaning lady was coming so I had to clear out of the house. Basically I just wandered around for ages, sat in the sun when I could find a sliver of it and came back after she had left. She changed my sheets and towels and cleaned the place…I pay but its a good service I have to say!!

No more to say for now. More tomorrow as long as there is something to report!!

A day of official business…this is the worst thing about Italy, the bureaucracy. It is a nightmare.

But to begin…I had the worst night’s sleep of all time last night with (would you believe it) mosquitoes buzzing in my ear all night. On top of that I have a rotten cold with a dripping ++++ nose that didn’t help. My first purchase for the day was a large can of fly spray so I can get revenge on those buggers by killing them.

Then, much against my better judgement, I set of for the posh club. Met the Director who was just lovely and has invited me to go there any time for coffee or the restaurant they have there. Then there was the English classes…well the teacher didn’t really like the idea, didn’t think it was the right group etc etc and wouldn’t be of assistance to me. Honestly I have to say it is a relief. It means I can tell Fabrizia that I tried but can also slip out of it. I agreed with the teacher and made a rapid exit. Not sure about going back for my coffee but who knows. It might be useful.

Then I set off for my appointment at the Centro Lavoratori Stranieri- CGIL. I must say I felt so out of place in a room full of African, Asian and Middle Eastern people desperately needing their help. I was without doubt the stand out rich ‘stranieri’. Anyway after a long wait I was called in and they were amazingly, fantastically helpful. I absolutely could not have done it without them. They filled in all the forms online, they told me exactly what I had to do and were incredibly nice as well. May the gods bless a certain Camilla. They didn’t ask me to join the party and they didn’t charge me anything…I call that a good deal.

Then I had to chase up proof from Giancarlo that I was staying here which he provided via a printer in his wife’s orthodontist surgery where I picked it up. Then off to the Central Post Office. There you take a number for the one counter that deals with Stranieri. They were at 135 and I was 143 so I watched a lot of people trying to get through the process…many of whom had no Italian, lots from Asia so even the reading would be a problem. I watched this very abrupt woman dispense with them and surprisingly quickly she got to me. I thought for sure I would be sent away but thanks to Camilla’s great work she couldn’t find anything wrong. I just had to pay 150 Euros + the 16 Euro stamp I had to buy at the Tabbacchi. This on top of the $160 I paid in Australia. As Chris pointed out it would be cheaper really to pay the fine if you got caught. Anyway, it went through, I think as much to the woman’s surprise as mine.

Just got back home very relieved. At 4.30pm now it is chilly and light is starting to fade. It’s going to be a long cold winter I suspect.
So that is my day. Just so it is recorded for posterity:

CGIL- Centro Lavoratori Stranieri, Bologna Via del Porto 16/C.

My overriding impression is how much better Italy treats its immigrants than we do in Australia. This office helps them extend their visas and supports them in finding work etc.

Lots of love from this Stranieri

I got up this morning thinking there was nothing at all on the agenda and found that that wasn’t the case, at least for the morning. Giancarlo’s wife, Fabrizia rang at 9.30 to say she was going to have coffee at this ‘club’, an old naval club where only members can go and until recently you had to wear a tie etc.(like the Melbourne Club). She introduced me and arranged for me to be able to go there. There is a bar/coffee place and a restaurant. Giancarlo’s parents also turned up…they are so lovely!! Anyway Fabrizia then set to work introducing me as her ‘guest’. They have English classes every week and she then insisted that I attend the English classes in case they wanted to talk English!! This is really not what I would have chosen to do but it is so nice and well meaning of her. So, tomorrow morning I have to turn up, introduce myself and see if they want me to sit in on the class….god how daunting is that!!! Then she tried to get me to join a Pilates class a friend of hers runs…I baulked at that.

Then Vivienna decided she wanted to go to this Museum and had me setting off with her while the rest of the family went to church (she NEVER goes to church…she is just lovely!!!… but has now returned home to Milano).
So she only had a small amount of time and scooted around a bit and left. I stayed on for a few more hours. I honestly think it’s the best Museum I’ve ever been to. It is in an old palace but completely fitted out C21. It uses all this technology to create the most amazing displays and has you understanding the history of Bologna amazingly. How I want to share these things with you all!!

After that I wandered around a bit, had some lunch and came home. The absence of Daylight Saving makes a massive difference.

Giancarlo just rang and had me turn the heater on for the first time so things are going downhill fast.

So tomorrow I must go to ‘my club’ for an hour or so then head off to see the communists and see if they can help me with my Permisso di Soggiorno. Then who knows what the rest of the day will hold….no plans right now and no museums open on a Monday so I think it really will be a quiet day. What I have to work out is what to do on quiet days.

Well a fairly eventful 24 hours. I met up with my ‘boys’ last night at the grooviest venue in Bologna. They were straight into the Martinis and ready to set the world on fire. They really are awfully sweet and very inclusive of me which was nice. We sat down and ordered wine and some food. Another couple sat down next to us and they immediately set up a banter with them . She was from Germany and he was Swiss….they were totally delightful and the night ended up with all of us sharing the food and the wine. He was into snuff (the real deal, nothing elicit) and everyone was trying the snuff all night too. We had a delicious meal, drank 4 bottles of wine (not to mention the spirits the boys were putting away). Then another ‘boy’ turned up who had connected with Stephen on the internet. He was Chinese and studying at Bologna University, fluent in Italian. And I just loved him…he was obviously looking for a bit of gay action but he and I chatted away for ages and I think we’ll meet up for coffee again. I think it’s a bit tough for him in Bologna. Anyway I eventually left and managed to get myself home!!! I’m Facebook friends with them now and they are back in London. I saw the Swiss/German couple wandering around today and they said that they stayed a bit longer with the boys insisting on Gin and Tonics. They were very seedy today. That’s about as much excitement as I can endure per month.

This morning I had my cappuccino and decided I was going to conquer this bloody tower. So off I went only to find that there were too many people climbing it and they wouldn’t let anyone else up for a while. That was enough for me…I went and bought a Gelati instead and sat in the sun to eat it. I then pottered around a lovely art gallery for a while and came back home…a very sedate day for someone who set out to climb 500 steps.

Then tonight Giancarlo arranged for a group of people to go to this restaurant in the country for a Tartufo (Truffle) experience. There was him and his wife Fabrizia, his mother and father Vivianna and Enzo, his 2 kids Phillippo and Frederico and a couple from Florida who are also staying here for 2 months. It was an absolutely extraordinary meal with truffles on everything…gorgeous. It was a buzzing buzzing restaurant that is obviously very well known and popular. His parents are delightful, have travelled extensively, speak good English and were great fun. The Americans on the other hand I don’t think I have a lot in common with. Nonetheless a lovely experience. And Giancarlo paid for the lot.

No plans for tomorrow so who knows what it will bring. Daylight saving ends here tonight so winter will now set in with a vengeance as daylight disappears. Its starting to get a bit chilly so maybe I’ll have to invest in a bit more winter clothing.

Well another missive. I must say you’ll be getting really bored by my accounts of life in Bologna as less and less happens!!

But I’m in the habit of thinking I have to tell you this and that as I get around and there is a bit to tell today.

So here goes…I decided to set out early today and go to Ravenna…a long held desire of mine (mosaic’s you know!!). Got myself to the station, got myself a ticket, found the train (all of which are minor achievements) and got on. At departure time all the lights went off and the electronic departure board went down…guess what? Strike!! No trains going anywhere between 9 and 5. But no notification either so everyone on the train and ready to go. There were some pretty angry people I can tell you and I wasn’t one of them because it wasn’t life or death for me.

But then I had a day to fill ! So I backtracked to my ‘hood’ and went to ‘my’ coffee place and had my morning Cappuccino (actually she’s taken to giving me a Cappuccio which has a dash of chocolate…I don’t like it as much but she thinks she’s giving me a treat and I don’t have the heart to tell her I’d rather just a regular cappuccino). Then I thought, I should get my dinner for tonight so I went and bought some delicious looking stuff whatever it is in this wonderful little homemade shop in my street.
So, sorted for the night I decided I’d start to chase up Italian lessons. There is this place called Cultura Italiana that Giancarlo recommended as they often contact him for accommodation for students. So I set off…I can’t tell you how daunting it all is. I arrive at this Palazzo (Palace) , massive building with a massive closed door. On one of the little buttons is a small label…normally I’d run a mile but I can’t do that here I have to take the plunge. So I press the button and the door buzzes open. I tentatively walk up massive stairs in this cavernous building, peer around see a small sign and head for it. I walk in and there are classes all over the place, no idea where to go.
Someone points me up another flight of stairs and eventually I find a woman to give me information. Then she tells my I should sit in on a class to see what I think. Oh shit so there I am in a beginners class not understanding much at all. The thing is, and what is so different to my lovely class at CIS in Carlton, not a single one of the 8 students is a native English speaker. There are Spaniards (including the South American variety), Japanese, Chinese, French, Netherlands. So there is no common language other than Italian and that is absolutely all that is spoken…terrifying. It is shocking how overwhelming it is for me!!

Anyway thought I, I’m not here to admit defeat, at least not yet. So I’ve enrolled starting on 17th Nov because there isn’t a clear 4 weeks until I get back from Lyon for my Ham & Az treat. So…its 20hrs/week, 4 hrs/day for 4 weeks. INTENSIVE!!! Fuck a duck, if this isn’t insane I don’t know what is!!!

At least when I return from 4 days with H&A feeling totally bereft I’m sure I’ll have a very challenging project to get stuck into.

So I then need a glass of wine so I found a place to have lunch and I sat myself down to gather myself up.

Then I went to see one of the museums I haven’t seen only to find it was closed too, I think for the same reason the trains were on strike from what I gather…the problem with these things is that you climb massive flights of stairs before they tell you it’s closed!!

I then found a lovely courtyard to sit in the sun for a while. I rang Chris as she is struggling with an ever deteriorating Mishi and was trying to get into the Vet.
Then I decided I needed a coffee so found a place for coffee and sat down next to a couple of gay boys who turned around as soon as I opened my mouth and said Melbourne! They are from London but one of them has a father living in Kew so claimed he knew a Melbourne accent from 20 paces.
That was hilarious really. I heard the life stories including the death of one of their ex-partners during auto- erotic sex…we became very close very quickly!!! The other one was chatting up the gorgeous gay waiter while I heard this story!

Anyway they have invited me to dine with them tonight and (thinks I) what have I got to lose???
So I’m meeting them at Nu Lounge. I looked up the website…it is where Bologna’s ‘young, hip and beautiful’ meet…a chance to ‘rub elbows with Bologna’s beautiful people’…I mean what the fuck am I doing, honestly??? But I’m now committed to meeting them and maybe the waiter as well as one of the boys tries to get laid (they aren’t partners but friends, they both have partners back in London)!!!

Oh shit…and all of this in just one day, take 2 days and joining the Communist Party and honestly you’ll wonder how the hell you have let me loose.

I’ve come back to the apartment to catch my breath, have a quiet vino and contemplate my decision-making.

Ciao for now dears

Sorry about last night’s missive but I’m already pulling myself together again. I’ve just finished downloading the 4th season of Game of Thrones, thinking I needed some entertainment. I also bought some vino to help provide some cheer.

Its been a big day of chasing around all day after this fucking Permisso but at the end of the day I may have got somewhere. I found some office somewhere that have given me an appointment for Monday to help me lodge the forms. Great I thought …but have been tick tacking with Chris all day and she informs me that what I found was the Communist Party and they are probably going to get me to join!!!!! At huge cost! However Chris says it is good to proceed with this and they can be helpful, so hopefully it will work.

The office didn’t open until 2pm and I was there at about 9.30…so time on my hands!! I went to the train station (which wasn’t far away). This is a nightmare of a place that is incredibly confusing and after Annie and Bob were there yesterday Annie suggested that I should go there and wander around orienting myself before it was an imperative and I needed to catch a train. Which I am considering doing any day now to go to Ravenna or Padova. I did this and I think it was a very good suggestion. It just gives you a bit of confidence without the pressure.
Then I the second of many cappuccinos. Then I decided that the MAMbo (Modern Art Museum of Bologna) was also in the right direction and so I spent a couple of hours there before I went back to this office.

It was amazing…just crammed with African/ Asian etc people looking to stay in Italy. I could hardly get in the door and thought for sure I was in the wrong place but they are taking me on so I’ll give it a try.

I had in the days game plan to buy a lasagna I’d seen in the deli type place behind the apartment. I’d seen it in the window in the morning and thought that would be good for tea but when I got back there the buggers had closed. Its impossible to work out the hours the Italians open, there is no rhyme or reason to it. So to the local coop where they have all manner of fresh pasta.

Back here around 4 with tired legs but not feeling too badly. I’ve decided, as Rose said, that I have to adjust to a change of pace. I’m so used to go, go, going. There is much to do around here, its a matter of having a bit of a plan each day. I’m thinking I might go to Ravenna tomorrow. This has been a longtime desire of mine to get there for the mosaics. I’ll see…then its the weekend again and Bologna just buzzes at the weekend so might just cruise around here then. Anyway, all good.

Lots and lots of love, including to the crew of the Calamia who are part of my much loved reading public!!!

PS I forgot to say in my missive that Giancarlo has organised a dinner on Saturday night at a restaurant outside the city. It is a festa for the Truffle because it is truffle season so this place is apparently preparing truffle dishes. He has also invited a couple from Florida who are staying in one of his apartments (not sure how many this guy has but he must be very rich!!). That should be nice, if only because the Truffles are to die for!!

I guess predictably, this is a rather shitty day. I’m in a bit of a hole wondering why I’m alone in Bologna not knowing what to do next.

But first, yesterday…a lovely day in Bologna with Annie and Bob. Annie climbed the 500+ steps up the tower while Bob and I sat at the bottom and had a Cappuccino!!

We then took off to a museum we really wanted to go to only to find that it was closed. So we explored another couple of museums that we probably wouldn’t have otherwise gone to….they were gorgeous and we loved them. We found a lovely little Trattoria for lunch.

After the days walking Bob decided he couldn’t let Annie climb the tower and not do it himself so up he went while Annie and I sat at the bottom and had an Aperol Spritz. We then went out and had a lovely farewell dinner in a lovely restaurant that Giancarlo recommended.

So…all very nice but the bubble had to burst and Annie and Bob trotted off this morning leaving me to fall in a heap of loneliness and homesickness.

This was exacerbated by a few things. Annie and Bob had hooked up a lovely little clothesline in the little courtyard which was perfect. I had stripped their bed and put the sheets out to dry. But Giancarlo rang to say the other occupants of the building had complained about washing being outside. That’s not a good feeling. He came over and picked it up saying I shouldn’t be doing big washing (very nicely).

Then I had to set off to try and work out how to get my Permisso di Soggiorno. This just seems like an impossible task!! I’ve walked all afternoon being directed from one place to the next and no-one knowing what to do. The post office was supposed to have the application and instructions but after going from pillar to post and finally getting to the central post office… they were out of the forms so try this other place…..no luck. blah, blah. I’ll try again in the morning but the way I’m feeling at the moment they can stick their permisso and I’ll get on a plane.

Anyway, I’ll pick myself up, I’m sure.