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lundi 13 mai 2013

Backpacking in Bologna - Day 1


You probably already realized, but my dad and I get along well. He brought me up the Italian way, therefore, I grew up in the love of food & cooking.
And everytime we travel to Italy, it transforms into a culinary trip.




Compulsory picture of the plane's wing. Flying with Ryanair. Since it was only for 3 days with light clothes, we didn't register any luggages and flew for cheaper.



My dad bought this very useful device some days before, so we could listen to music together.
Yeah we get along in this too, we like all kind of music but mostly the same (not Johnny's tho, except drama songs).

I couldn't take a picture quickly enough, but you know, when you land, there's this car guiding the plane? Here in Bologna it was a Lamborghini (Bolognese car) (ToT)



On the Piazza Magiore, the San Petronio Basilica is getting restored, and the work is hidden by a Converse advert directly aiming at me haha!



First thing after getting off the aerobus, Tourist Information Desk to get this :



If you are visiting any city in Europa, check out Use It website, super useful free maps made by locals (I think I should deticate a full post to them one day).



Carefully checking where to eat according to locals. I'm the one in charge of translating from English, and my dad translates from Italian.



We finally choose Rosso, we arrived early, but people quickly started queuing to eat there. Wow.



We took a 10€ menu and crescentine.



Crescentine, Bologna style. This is a speciality and this a kind of deep fried bread. I personally like Bolognese crescentine more than Modenese.
You eat it with a slightly sour cream (in between mayonnaise and soft cheese) and it usually comes with prosciutto, mortadella, and other Italian hams.





Bologna used to be a water city, but now you can only see the last stream from this small window in the middle of the street.




Typical Italian streets. I always joke about the "best selling colour in Italy"



We went to the hotel to lighten our backpack and had a ice cream at Castiglione. Ice cream flavours' names come from old nobles of the city.



I had Crema Michelangelo (almond ice cream -my fav-, with sugared Sicilian almonds) + Cremino Ludovico (hazelnut ice cream, with I-don't-know-how-to-translate hazelnuts).



I think my dad had Dolce Emma, a ricotta cream with sugared fig and lemon peel, plus another flavour.



We shared our ice creams in front of the shop, next to locals. The taste made me want to cry. I don't think I've ever tasted something this good.



You pay for the size of the cone and can get as many flavours as can fit in.








Haha. Definitively.







Unusual bookshop in a former church.



The Piazza Del Nettuno (Neptune's square), at the side of the Piazza Magiore.



Neptune's back, looking at the Piazza Magiore.



That's when he started imitating One Piece's Neptune (ToT), jamon.



It started raining, so we entered the Urban Center next to Neptune




Reading foreigner newspapers. Couldn't find any Belgian ones, though. (Ah, forgot to mention my dad is a bookseller and stationer)

When it stopped raining, we spent time on the Piazza Magiore with a free guide book we got at the Tourist Information Desk. They only had them in Italian or English and we decided I'd be the one translating, so we got the English one.



Then it already was aperitivo time.



Spritz! They do it Venitian way (giant olive less) and it's very common here too.



In Italy, aperitif is at 7PM, and usually comes with a free buffet (hot food or not). But it's not a free meal!! Just a snack!
Fill one or two plates depending on the amount of people and share the food. You can go as many times as you want, if you want to try everything but think of it as chips at a party and only take small portions. (I say it because I often see tourists eating like it's dinner, and find it quite disrespectful)



That night, we decided to have drinks at different places to try different buffets and not have dinner.





In the student part of the city (Bologna is a very young city, with one of the first university). Small ads fence.





8 commentaires:

  1. Stunning pictures!! I want to go to Eataly, too <3<3<3<3 I enjoy food way too much, haha...

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    1. Aww thank you!!
      I promise even the worst food is delicious in Eataly! :D

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  2. I want to go to Italy/Bologna! You and
    your dad takes so many fun trips together c:
    The food looks great, but yeah its Italy
    afterall c: xx

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    1. Bologna is very small, that's nice for planning short trips :D
      I recommend~!

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  3. The adventures and food you guys experience! Ooooh the envy! :D
    It's really awesome you guys are so close.. I can just imagine that you guys are able to discus everything :p

    What about your mom? I don't remember you mentioning her.. she at home while you guys eat delicious icecream and food ;-)

    Hope you guys are still having lots of fun!

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    1. We really talk non-stop, and I think it gets pretty annoying for everyone around.
      I sure should talk about my mom sometimes! Mom, I love you too~

      Thank you for your always kind comments ♥

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  4. Nice pictures~~~
    Are you italian?
    Feel free to read my blog~(:
    meyloddie.blogspot.com

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Come back to see my answer~