Blogs from Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy, Europe - page 4

Visited churches today. Walked for hours. And then walked some more. Up hill most of the way. Except when it was down hill. And then walked some more.......... read more

Bologna the capital of Emilia-Romagna Region Italy 21 October 2013 After it rained on and off during the night, we headed off into Bologna. It was very overcast and foggy. Thus area of Italy is as flat as you can get it and so virtually sits in a hollow with mountains all around. This continues as far north as Treviso, north of Venice. We were staying at the Citta Di Bologna camping village which has a hotel attached, plus many bungalows, chalets, a restaurant and shops. Bologna is one of Italy’s most prosperous cities. We learned that it has a rich cultural heritage, ranging from medieval palaces and churches to leaning towers. Celebrated in the Middle-Ages for its universities – believed to be the oldest in Europe, founded in 1088 – Bologna came under Papal rule ... read more

Took a while to get everyone showered in the one bathroom so we headed off quite late. Raechel took us on a walking tour of "her" Bologna. We moved the car to the hotel parking and headed for the centre of town. Checked out the church in the main square and the community building and then went to the two towers. Bologna is known for its towers, each powerful family built one for protection. We then headed to Giardini Margherita, a park just outside the city gates, which was very pleasant and much cooler. We wandered around and checked out the turtles. Back in town we went to the markets and bought cheese, pasta, clams and wine. We walked back through the university and saw where Raechel had her classes. Back at Raechel's she cooked us ... read more

Suzy was on the road again and this time heading for the second time to Camping Hotel Citta di Bologna. Readers of the blog will realise that this time last year we had tried this campsite with a view to catching the bus into Bologna. We failed mainly because the campsite was noisy, we got little sleep and didn’t fancy another night so we moved on. Well we arrived again and it felt like deja vu. The same camp site the same guy was in reception. He said we could park in any plot we liked as the site was empty. Good start we thought. Last year there had been a lot of rain and the plots were waterlogged. This year they were dry and we had the pick of most of them. There were a ... read more

Dear Max and Dominic, I have been missing you boys very much and I know you have been missing me too. This week especially, when I have been thinking about you both my heart has been swelling up in my chest with a yearning to hold you in my arms. I want to hear all your stories without the barriers of distance. Justin and I are both looking forward to coming home to you and to our families and friends after this Big Adventure, and we are looking forward to Christmas at home and to a beautiful New Zealand summer together. We hope you have enjoyed reading about our travels. Ci vediamo! See you very very soon! Never forget that I love you both very much, Dad.... read more