Bologna

A couple of weekends ago we took the high-speeed train North to Bologna. Sadly, many Americans leave Bologna off their list of must-see cities when traveling in Italy. Its close proximity to more famous cities, namely Florence and Milan, causes travelers to mistakenly bypass this vibrant city.

Bologna is a bustling medieval city with a colorful population, and a wealth of historical sites. It is home to the oldest university in Europe, and people from all over Europe have flocked here for centuries to pursue higher education. The university population swells to over 100,000 students when school is in session. I could go on and on about the wonders of Bologna, but I will spare you the long version.

Just a few of my favorite things about Bologna:

• Piazza Maggiore - The piazza is beautifully framed by the Basilica of San Petronino (clearly being renovated while we were there), and the Town Hall (Palazzo d'Accursio). I could sit at one of the outside cafes looking onto the piazza and people watch all day! AC ran in a circle in the piazza for over half an hour.

The Basilica of San Petronino

Palazzo d'Accursio

• Walking under the Arcades - There are over 38 kilometers of arcades in Bologna. Although the weather was beautiful when we were there, the arcades lend a certain ambience to the city. We tracked over 18,000 steps on our iPod nano while in Bologna, and enjoyed every single step. 

• The Twin Towers - Not those Twin Towers! The famous leaning towers built in the 12th century in the university district are certainly a sight to behold. We climbed the 498 not so sturdy steps of the taller, non-leaning Asinelli Tower (Torre degli Asinelli). The view from the top (97.2 meters) was simply amazing! Legend has it that one can see the Adriatic Sea and the Alps from the top of the tower. We saw neither, but the view was great nonetheless.

• Food - One of the most amusing things about living in Italy is the food. The cuisine differs between each region. I was told that by several people that Bologna has the best food in Italy (or the world depending on who you ask). Wait! I thought Campania had the best food! Who knows?! Some foods that are from this region are tortellini, parmesan cheese, Mortadella ham, and balsamic vinegar. Certainly heavier than the Neopolitan diet, that's for sure!

Aside from our day trip to Ferarri and Maranello, we also went to Modena. Modena is a great mid-size city to visit, and is mostly known for the Cathedral of Modena (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), and for being the birthplace of both Luciano Pavarotti and Enzo Ferarri. Clearly there's more to the city than this, but after a bus nearly took off the front end of our rental Fiat (causing us to back into another car!) we were ready to end our trip. 

Cathedral of Modena

Best antique market ever!

Travel vs Vacation

In American English vernacular the words travel and vacation are often used interchangeably. After some experience with both traveling and vacationing I can indeed tell you that they are not synonyms.

No sir.

No way.

No how.

Traveling is usually a journey that involves going from one place to another. Traveling is a time to absorb culture (your own or another), learn history, and see sights. Although traveling is often fun, it is rarely relaxing.

A vacation more or less involves having a break from general duties and responsibilities; like work or school. Vacations are generally used for rest, relaxation, and recreation. For example, a week at the beach with your family, or a weekend at your in-laws' lake house are vacations. In general vacations perfect for reconnecting and strengthening bonds within families or friendships due to the fact that vacations are relatively stress-free.

Okay, okay... so a vacation from work might be used to travel somewhere, but in general they aren't synonymous verbs. Both traveling and vacationing are good for the soul and spirit, and will probably result in a more well-rounded person.

Last weekend we vacationed in Parco Nazionale d'Abruzzo (Abruzzo National Park), Italy's largest National Park. We filled our time wisely with a perfect balance of relaxation and recreation. Our trip brought us to the clean, quite, serene, town of Pescasseroli;  a tiny little town resting in the Apennine Mountains.

Despite the warm weather we were fortunate enough to find a ski slope with snow (albeit artificial). AC out skied all of us! We did some snowless snow tubing (only in Italy!), and got a taste of AC's thrill seeking, adventurous side. We rounded out the weekend with horseback and pony rides. Of course, there was good food and wine all weekend, and we AC even made some new friends along the way!

First with help!

Then with no help!

As always, check out more of our pictures under the Travel With Me tab at the top of the page.

Roman Holiday

Traveling is often like rolling dice. Simply put, you never know what you're going to end up with.

Traveling with a toddler is more like playing Russian Roulette. The consequences of "bad luck" much more devastating than a bad roll of the dice.

I'm not much of a gambler myself, but decided that the odds were in our favor when planning a trip to Rome with AC the day after Christmas. She is after all, a well-traveled two year old. 

Rome is arguably the most historically significant city in the world (at the very least, the Western world). To say that I was dying to see the city that lies just 2 hours north of our Napoli is an understatement. Rome has long been at the top of my "bucket list" cities. The history, art, and architecture contained within Rome are beyond comprehension.

It would be impossible to see all of the Roman jewels in two days, but living so close I knew we'd have a return trip or two. I meticulously planned our activities and sights for our stay, accounting for everyone's needs and wishes. We were simply going to do the Caesar Shuffle (as Rick Steve's calls it), which consists of the Colosseum, The Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, and the Pantheon. We had to see the Trevi Fountain for AC, as that was the only thing she expressed interest in seeing. This itinerary seemed completely doable by most people's standards, as most of the sights are relatively close together.

My biggest mistake is not accounting for what we could do with a cranky toddler. We were all exhausted after opening presents for 4 hours on Christmas, and AC wanted no part of leaving her new trike and doll stroller the next day to go see some "ancient rubble". Pair that with the fact that Rome was having a record cold spell (according to one of our waiters), and our trip was doomed before we even checked into the hotel.

Upon our arrival we went out to lunch to kill time before our 3:00 pm hotel check-in. As expected, the food in Rome was superb, but felt a little more "touristy" than the food of Naples. Once we checked into our room at the Hotel Colosseum, AC decided she'd already had enough. Holding true to her two year old form she exclaimed that she didn't want to go anywhere else. Hmmph! Most sights in Rome close early during the winter months, so by the time we coaxed her out of her funk we barely had time to explore the Roman Forum. As I sipped my wine in the hotel that night I realized that the next day's schedule had to be readjusted.

AC: 10   Chief and I: 1

After a frigid romp through the Colosseum in the morning we strolled to the Trevi Fountain. I new the grand fountain would cheer her up, and it did deliver. She enjoyed throwing her coin into the fountain. Although, I'm fairly certain that if she realized that throwing a coin in the fountain ensured a return trip to Rome, she would have pocketed the coins in a heartbeat. Chief later confessed that he was desperately looking for more coins to give her and could only find €1 coins. Hah!

AC: 15   Chief and I: -10 (€)

In reality the hardest part about traveling in Rome with a toddler is that there really is no place to go to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. Sure, there are stunning piazzas every which way you turn, but no true green space exists in Rome's historic districts. The Central Park and Hyde Park that other great cities of the world boast are not to be found in this ancient city. 

Despite a few bad moods, tantrums, freezing temperatures, and some wrong turns we did enjoy our Roman getaway. It certainly was memorable! I look forward to going back in warmer weather with high hopes that the odds of traveling with my (typically) sweet toddler really WILL be in my favor!