We decided to make our way out of Venice for a day last week. Our destination was Ferrara, the city which the Ferrari car is named after (Well, not really. But it makes a nice story), and a Picasso ceramics exhibition. Since we have a couple of rail passes, we could take this trip for no additional money, and figured it would make a nice day without having to wander the streets of Venice yet again. Bologna was a bit farther away than Ferrara, and if we had enough time, we would go there, too. Bologna is the site of the oldest university in Europe, founded in 1088. Since we have already been to Paris and Oxford, the sites of the two other oldest universities, we thought it would be nice to see where it all started.

As is our wont, we did not get up too early to try and catch the train out of Venice to Ferrara. We knew that there was one leaving around 8:30, but thought that there maybe additional trains later than that. We left the apartment around 8:45, got to the train station about 9:10, and could NOT find a train leaving for Ferrara until about 11:00. So Doreen queued up to ask information, and was told there was a direct fast (Inter City – IC train. They have more types of trains here than you can believe. IC. ICE, ES, blah, blah, blah. They all have different attributes (bar car, no bar car, little cabins. Air conditioning, …) and different pricing. Because of our rail passes, we are able to use ALMOST any train without supplemental payment, and this little IC train qualified) train to Ferrara leaving at 9:25! We quickly jumped on the train, got OK seats, and started on our way.

Most of the trains that we have used this trip are formatted two and one – that is two seats, and aisle and then one seat. Also, all the seats are arranged into little seating areas with pairs facing each other. Interestingly enough, when Europeans travel together, they take the FACING seats. When Americans travel together, they take the ADJOINING seats. So we got on the train, and Doreen found two adjoining seats, facing backwards, facing an old couple, who were obviously American. (In the strictest sense of the word. It turns out that they were Canadian, but Canada is part of America, right? Just not yet part of the United States…) We started chatting right off the bat. (Much to my chagrin. I was nursing a grudge about something or another, and I had to start talking and being animated for the entertainment of these old canucks. Doreen then took advantage of that to get me to stop grudging. Harumph.) It seems as if they had been renting an apartment in Venice as well. It was an interesting ride.

When we got to Ferrara, we were able to find the location of the Picasso exhibition without too much trouble. It was in a house called the Palazzo Diamonte or Diamond Palace. Now, that brings a lot of things to mind. A house shaped like a diamond. A house built on diamond wealth. A house that is as hard as a diamond. But what we did NOT expect was a house with diamond shaped stones. It was built in the 14^th century by one of the rich guys of Ferrara, and I tell you what, he had bad taste. It is one ugly thing, but the exhibition, and the inside spaces were amazing. I have become enamoured with the Picasso ceramics, and it was nice to see a well done exhibition of over 200 pieces. (ed note: this is a true sign of a "stalking art addict. First, we bought the posters advertising Picasso’s exhibitions of these ceramics. Next thing you know, we are on a train to Ferrara to see the ceramics themselves. dns)

We wanted to go and see the Duomo (that is a Cathedral) in Ferrara before we tried to make the train to Bologna (What? Trying to see another church! No kidding!) and went to the Tourist Information Bureau. I had an idea where it was, and it turned out that it is in a 14^th century castle built by the Este family to protect themselves from their own subjects! It is complete with drawbridges, loopholes for arrows and everything. It is a real medieval castle as I had always thought about them.

The Duomo in Ferrara is a small one in relation to others that we have seen. It has an odd shape – like three triangles, and has some really cool carving on the front, especially of the Last Judgement. It was closed when we were there (Most everything in Italy closes from 12:00 or 1:00 to either 3:00 or 4:00. Nap time. I love this country!) so we just had a chance to see the outside. The stone was pinkish, and it just had the feel of a really OLD place.

Another interesting thing about the town of Ferrara is that is was a walled city. There is much of the wall still standing, but we had no trouble getting through. Even with Attila the Hun’s direct descendant holding firm on top of the wall, I was able to outflank her.

We were able to scamper back to the train station to catch the 1:40 train to Bologna (yes, where that wonderful sausage originated. But it is called Mortadella there. Translated, that means Death to Della, or since Della is really De La (Of, The), the two articles that were used to identify royalty in the middle ages, it can be translated as Death to Royalty. Hence, our own plebian association of Bologna with a simple meal. It is what was used to feed the troops in most popular uprisings in Italy, and from there, throughout Europe.)

On this part of the trip we had no conversations with strangers. I had no grudges to nurse, though (since I am the forgive and forget type) and we had a nice (short) ride to Bologna.

Bologna is the site of the oldest university in Europe, arguably the world. You will have a few French and a few Brits who say that Paris university or Oxford is older, but every learned text that I have consulted put the argument for who was SECOND Oxford or Paris, not who was first.

Bologna is where Gallileo and da Vinci studied, where scientific discoveries were made before most of the western world had even started to think about a logical means of solving problems. Even in San Petronio here, they have an observatory built in , so you can see the path of the sun as it rises and falls with the seasons.

And this is one odd church here. It was originally designed to be bigger than St Peter’s in Rome, until the Vatican cut the funds allocated for its construction. The façade was never finished, and you can see where every fourth or fifth brick is turned sideways to allow the (still to come) marble a place to hang. The lower part of the façade has been finished, and there are some interesting sculptures located there. Indeed, Michaelangelo studied these before he started working.

Bologna feels like a bigger city than anyplace we have been since Paris. The streets are crowded, they have real stores, the university is still active, so you have all sort of students, and much of the city is has arcades built into the buildings, so you are always walking under cover. Rain or shine, there is no problem walking or shopping in Bologna.

In San Dominico church, they have a couple of Michaelangelo’s very first sculptures. Only one of them was there (The other had been loaned out to a museum) and they decorate the tomb of St Dominic. He is the one who started the Dominican orders. His head, well, his skull was in a reliquary behind the tomb. It was very impressive.

While in Bologna, two interesting events were taking place. One was that the police union was having a rally in the main square, and the other was that some strange student organization was having a big party on the main square. They were both setting up as we were relaxing with a cool beer in the shade. The cops got mad every time that the students tested out their music, and made them stop. Many of the students were dressed in capes and funny hats, and had city shields sewn into the fabric of their outfits. Evidently, the students have some sort of associations, I would liken them to the Society for Creative Anachronism, where they pretend to be from the various dukedoms, principalities, or Papal states. It was all very cute, they were drinking beer, dancing and just having a good time. The cops, probably 100 of them, just circled the square three times, blowing whistles, and luckily for us, left.

It was a pleasant day on the road, and the rail passes make this sort of day trip easy and cheap. We got back to Venice about 10:00 PM, (Make that 2200 train time) and had a light dinner and then to bed.

RETURN TO GRAND TOUR HOMEPAGE!!!