Venice: Once in a lifetime

This week has been cold so to cheer us up Al created his version of the beautiful duck ragù with pappardelle, which we first enjoyed in Venice, and I decided it was time I wrote about our July trip there. As Venice is one of the world’s most visited destinations, there’s a good chance you’ve already been or were planning to go and/or already know quite a lot about it from various programmes and articles. If you wanted more information there are some excellent guides including the late Jan Morris’s book on Venice which is considered a classic or the Wikipedia entry is here and the official tourist site entry is here. I want to share our unique trip in this crazy year, give you an idea what it was like and what we experienced.

Last winter Venice suffered heavier than usual floods and lost a lot of its much relied on tourist income. The waters had barely receded and the buildings were just dried out when covid struck. We went in July when international flights, cancelled during lockdown, had not yet resumed and interregional travel bans had not long been lifted. People were emerging from lockdown but were rightly cautious. After our great experience in Liguria we decided to go to other places that could be reached by train and experience as much as we could, whilst using our, admittedly tight, budget to provide some much needed custom in areas trying to recover while being able to enjoy them at bargain prices without crowds. It seemed a silver lining to the otherwise unrelenting black cloud of Covid that has extended over much of the year and pervaded our daily lives.

Venice Santa Lucia station is on one of the islands that form Venice. You exit into a piazza on the Grand Canal itself and from there you can take one of the Vaporetti water buses which run on specific routes with advertised stops. Venice was built around the canals so the best way to enjoy it is from the water and the Vaporetti allow you to combine public transport with a boat trip along some of the most famous waterways and sites in the world.

We arrived at the station on a Monday around midday and stepped into a pretty empty city. Our Air B&B check in was not until 2 so we planned to have lunch somewhere close by. The Air B&B was on the far side of an island close to a Vaporetti stop. Our host had provided us with written instructions from the stop in Italian and we had foolishly put them through google translate which gave us a set of instructions that talked about foundations and fields and did not reflect where we were. Similarly, we found the provided google pin impossible to locate with the patchy signal available in the densely packed streets.

After a short but enjoyable trip down many alleys and lanes, where we lost our signal repeatedly or found ourselves on completely different streets from where google maps thought we were, we were able determine that the Italian word for foundation “fondatore” is also the name used in Venice for a row of buildings or section of buildings and that the word for field “campo” can mean any open area including squares with not an inch of grass. We had only to decipher the word for alley and we were all set with improved instructions that were, in the end, easy to follow. My advice is to forget google maps and get an old fashioned paper map and a sense of direction.

During our meandering we found a delightful restaurant called “Osteria Ca del Vento”, the owner was chatty and seemed glad of the custom. We had a delicious lunch where we enjoyed the local speciality duck ragù, all washed down with a lovely glass of wine. Once we had located our Airbnb and marvelled at its proximity to the canal, given its low price, we left our bags and went to see the sites.

We walked to Ponte Academia, and took the ferry to Piazza San Marco. Although we had already seen that there were much fewer people than usual, we had not been into any of the main areas except for the station, so nothing had really prepared us for Piazza San Marco. Everyone had seen the emptiness wrought on busy areas by this corona virus, like scenes from apocalyptical films, but to breathe it in, in one of the busiest places in Venice, was like nothing else.

Aside from crowds and crowds of tourists trying to take the usual iconic photos and selfies Piazza San Marco is also usually full of queues for the many museums and galleries: the Basilica, the Ducal palace, The Campanile di San Marco and several smaller galleries concentrated in the square. The Ducal palace and many other museums and galleries were only opening at the weekend so although we weren’t able to go inside them on this trip, the freedom we had to roam the canals and alleys without being pressed or crushed in the sheer volume of others more than made up for it.

We went to the Campanile di San Marco where there were no queues at all. We were able to walk straight in and take the lift to the top from where we were able to photograph views of the city spread out below us.

Views from (and in) the Campanile di San Marco

There is a point on the Grand Canal where you can photograph the Bridge of Sighs which runs between the Doge’s palace and the prison over a canal. Usually this is very crowded, three or four people deep rows full of desperate picture and selfie takers but on this occasion, it was almost deserted and we could take all the photos we wanted.

From Piazza San Marco we headed across town to meet our landlords. As mentioned previously, the owners of our apartment had been transferred to Venice from Bologna. We are on friendly terms and had arranged to meet them for an aperitivo on the Monday evening. Andrea had sent us a google pin of where to meet and some directions. We had developed a technique of heading in roughly the direction we wanted to go, but being prepared to have to back track when there was no bridge where we needed it, or for dead ends or other obstacles, whilst also taking sideways routes in order to move forward eventually, keeping the end direction in mind. Thus, by a rough zigzag and some additional time you can pretty much always get where you want to go and the journey is so beautiful along picturesque canals, over ornate bridges and down tiny alleys that you don’t mind at all.

On our way we stumbled on the famous Libreria Acqua Alta bookshop and had a look around. They are no stranger to floods and have an already established staircase of damaged books in a rear courtyard which you can climb to get a view of the canal behind. Inside the shop was a gondola full of books. We enjoyed nosing around the shelves and looking at all the books before we decided we better get on our way again.

Andrea and family live in a residential area and he told us that during the lockdown they had the whole city to themselves, with the children being able to play out all the time because there was no traffic of any kind. He took us to an area where the locals go to relax and to a canal side bar that had moored a barge to provide overflow seating. Covid restrictions meant that they were strict about numbers seated at tables, so as we could not find a table to accommodate all of us, we sat on the barge. Getting on and off was an adventure as the wake from other boats and movements of other people on board made the barge move. On the barge we drank spritz and ate cicchetti bites which you can buy in the bar for a low price) and talked in a mixture of English and Italian. Al wondered out loud how many people fell into the canal every year and Andrea said that only tourists fall into the canal and usually British ones!

As the sun set our stomachs needed more than cicchetti so Andrea and Nina gave us a restaurant recommendation, “Osteria alla Frasca” which sadly was not open that first night, but we found somewhere else nearby with a good local food selection. After filling up we drifted homewards, noting that the town after nine pm was quiet indeed and darker than we expected. We made our way back to our Air B&B eventually and without falling into any canals.

On Tuesday we tried to find a coffee place that Andrea had recommended for breakfast on our way to visit the fish market. We couldn’t find it at first and so we had coffee at another bar before we strolled around the market area. It’s a working market, not just a tourist attraction, so was quite lively, although not as busy as usual. I bought a new mask of Venetian lace from one of the stalls nearby, not one of the elaborate Venetian masks for which Venice is famed, but a much more functional anti-covid mask that wiley market holders had added to their repertoire. Shortly after we found the recommended coffee bar and enjoyed a lovely drink there before heading for lunch.

We met our Italian teacher, Elena in Southampton, but she’s from a town close to Venice and was on holiday from University, so we arranged to take her to lunch as a thank you for all her help. Her father had recommended a very traditional restaurant down a side street. Waiters were white aproned and formal. We ordered some typical dishes of the region and a bottle of local wine. There is a lot of seafood on the Venetian menu and this restaurant had a fish counter from where you could choose your fish to be cooked to order. I ordered the local scampi. Al had a squid ink dish and Elena had some local fried fish.

After lunch we decided to walk it off and trundled around the streets, Elena took us to some of her favourite places including where the Biennale is held. After a lot of walking we decided to go for aperitivo before dinner so we headed back to the area we had been the previous night, after which we left Elena with some friends and headed to the restaurant that had been recommended by Andrea and Nina and this time it was open. Al noticed that the menu said to ask about daily specials so he did. The waiter brought a selection of well-aged uncooked beef joints and steaks and we were able to pick the piece we wanted to have cooked. We also accepted the accompaniments suggested and were really glad we did because we had an excellent meal and one that we would not have thought to put together.

Next morning, we had decided to take the vaporetti out to Murano and Burano so we jumped on at the station where we had deposited our luggage. You can’t miss the Murano glass in Venetian shops as jewellery or vases and other objet d’art. It really is beautiful and rightly world famous. You can watch glass being made on Murano and buy some direct from the factories. We had a little stroll around and then took the next vaporetti to Burano. Burano is a working fishing village with brightly coloured houses. Householders often have heavily patterned curtains across their doors to allow them to have the door open in the heat, but not allow tourists to peer in. We had breakfast in a café before investigating the shops and the island itself.

On the way back from Burano we decided to get off at Piazza San Marco and go to the Basilica. The Basilica was closed for repairs, but you could still access the museum and roof, we waited in a queue of 3 people for approximately 2 minutes. The usual Covid entry requirements applied. From the museum you can see into the Basilica so we didn’t miss out on too much. One of the fascinating things about the Basilica is that it looks as though it’s been painted in gold, but on closer inspection you can see the whole interior is a series of linked mosaics of Murano glass.

After San Marco we took the ferry to Giudecca the island on the other side of the grand canal. We had been told it was usually a bit quieter than the rest of Venice and this proved to be true with few shops or restaurants open. We eventually found a waterfront place which sold sandwiches and arancini as well as some interesting craft beers so we decided to eat there. It was a lovely spot to watch the canal and afterwards we bought ice-creams with the plan to eat them as we were walking along. We were expecting a twenty minute wait for the next ferry, but almost as soon as we had the ice cream in hand, we saw the ferry pulling in. We needed to get to the station to catch our train home so we rushed onboard, masks on and ice cream melting. In the end we stood well away from everyone else, leant over the side of the boat, masks lifted to eat the ice cream as fast as possible while enjoying our final views in a once in a lifetime opportunity to see Venice as she is seldom seen, without her coating of people, before retrieving our luggage and heading home to Bologna.

September 25, 2020

A Short Break in Verona

As part of our plan to see as much of Italy as possible during Al’s extended days off we booked a break in Verona. It’s just less than an hour by train from Bologna on the intercity train service. We chose an Airbnb in the old town, close to the river with aircon as we had suffered from over a week of poor sleep in Bologna due to the heat. The Covid 19 virus had once again taken its toll on the number of usual visitors and we were able to take advantage of lower accommodation costs although Verona had more tourists than other places we have visited recently. We mostly heard German and French accents with one or two Italians from other regions asking advice about local produce.

Verona has a long history of involvement in the arts, particularly music; from the Roman Amphitheatre which still hosts live performances including at least one Opera Festival, to the old castle that now houses an art museum with plenty in between. It’s also the setting for two Shakespeare plays “Romeo and Juliet” and “Two Gentlemen of Verona”. It is fair to say that the Shakespeare influence is evident in many shop names such as “The merchant of Venice” and tourist sites like “Juliet’s house” ,complete with legendary balcony, “Romeo’s house” and “Juliet’s tomb”. However, it has plenty of other things to recommend it too.

Where is it?

Verona is in the region of Veneto in the north of Italy, west of Venice and close to Lake Garda. Its location means that the air here is fresher than in Bologna and many people stop here on their way to the Italian lakes or to cross the borders into France or Switzerland, which are close by.

What to see?

Verona is one of the main tourist destinations of the region because of its many attractions, its 2,000 year history and important location. Its magnificent architecture and city structure were awarded UNESCO world heritage site status.

The Arena

Built in Roman times one of the few remaining arena in Italy. It is an impressive structure and there are information boards giving the history of the arena, various adjustments and extensions to it and the many uses it has had over the years before being renovated to be used as an Opera and live music venue. Sadly, there were no opera performances scheduled while we were there, but you could look around during the day (except Mondays) which is what we did. If you walk to the top of the stands you get an interesting view over Verona but be warned, in the heat of the day it can be a dizzying experience.

Juliet’s House

This tourist favourite still attracted a lengthy queue every day despite the low overall tourist numbers. You can see the famous balcony from the entrance, but you need to go in to get your selfie and visit Juliet’s house museum. We went when the queue was shortest and only waited 10 minutes or so. The museum boasts historically relevant themes over 9 rooms, but some of them were closed when we visited, although this was not reflected in the price. However, it was not expensive and given that Juliet is a fictional character we went more for the experience than the learning opportunity.

Castelvecchio (The old castle)

The old castle is interesting because it is now an art gallery showing a great collection of art from an extensive period in history. It is organized into time periods which allows you to see how art in general, and religious art in particular, has changed over time. There is also quite an impressive armoury: swords, lances and suits of armour etc. Unfortunately, it doesn’t really retain any of the detail from when it was a home or mention much about the history of the castle itself and who lived there, unless I missed it.

The Adige River

The old part of the city is almost encircled by the river so there are a number of picturesque and important bridges uniting the old city with other areas. It is well worth planning a meander across of few of them to get an alternate view of the city and see some other parts away from the main tourist spots.

Giardino Giusti

The house and gardens of Giardini Giusti are well worth a visit. There are only a couple of rooms in the villa open to the public but they are sumptuously decorated and evocative of an earlier time. The gardens themselves are beautifully laid out with paths all around. Sadly the lion’s head no longer breathes fire, but you can climb up the tower in the cliff face to emerge in the “secret” garden on top, with excellent views of the city. You can get guides from the ticket office for both the garden and the open rooms.

Where to Eat?

Here are our top tips for Verona, all personally sampled and recommended.

Breakfast

Pasticceria Flego

Great range of Brioche in a local institution.

Aperitivo/lunch

Osteria Caffe Monte Baldo

Impressive range of wine as well as cocktails and a great Aperitivo. We came here for a glass of local wine when we first arrived and it was so good we came back for Aperitivo. Staff are patient and friendly.

Osteria del bugiardo

Wine, tagliere and secondi. We had their Valpolicella and it was great.

Antica Bottega del Vino

Traditional restaurant serving local classics such as Risotto con Amarone. It has an extensive wine list including several pages devoted to local the local wine Valpolicella. A uniquely Veronese establishment. I don’t think a visit to Verona can be complete without a stop here.

Maratonda – Craft beer pub

Good range of local and international craft ales.

Terrazza Bar Al Ponte

Aperitivo, cocktails with a view over the river

Dinner

Hosteria Vecchia Fontanina

Traditional food, slow service, large portions. Staff were excellent despite being busy.

Locanda 4 Cuochi

A more modern innovative approach to Italian cooking. We had the tasting menu and it was delightful. The staff were attentive and friendly.

Summary

Our main take away from Verona was a new found appreciation for Valpolicella. We drank a few excellent examples and found people who were happy to give advice on what to look for and how to choose the best one to suit you. We would like to have gained an appreciation of Amarone too, but with prices starting at €60 a bottle, this was out of our budget.

Verona is a very beautiful city with excellent local cuisine. Although there are places which cater to the tourists you can also find delightful local dishes such as the risotto Amarone, duck ragù and horse stew. Its historical strategic importance to multiple empires means there are many unique features and stories to uncover. We didn’t have time to see everything we wanted to so we hope to return soon.

July 29, 2020

Rapallo

Where is it?

Rapallo is a beautiful coastal town in Liguria, Italy, where the mountains sweep down into the Mediterranean. It’s excellently located as a gateway for both Portofino and the 5 towns that make up Cinque Terre. It has excellent transport links as it’s just off the main toll road and has frequent rail and ferry services*, with specific tourist ferries running during the season. Due to the mountainous terrain it’s often easier, and certainly more scenic, to travel by boat rather than by car. In fact, many of the more popular towns are best appreciated by approaching from the sea, as they would have been historically.

*Unfortunately, at the time of our visit, Rapallo harbour was being dredged so the ferry to San Fruttuoso was not running from there and the ferry to Cinque Terre was not yet running again. This wasn’t too much of a problem as we could get everywhere we needed to by train, or train and reasonable walk, but it would have been the cherry on the cake.

A close up of a map

Description automatically generated — Rapallo to La Spezia (Genoa is to the left just off picture)

From Rapallo you can walk to Santa Margherita, but it’s only one stop on the train if you prefer. There is a fabulous waterside boardwalk that runs from Santa Margherita Ligure along the coast and then you can take the “Walk of kisses” to Portofino. Some nearby towns can only be accessed by ferry, so make sure you check the return times. The ferry that usually runs from Rapallo goes to Portofino. As the ferry to Cinque Terre was not available we took the train, which was easy and relatively inexpensive.

What’s there?

A palm lined seafront, a reminder that the French Riviera is just up the road, extends along the length of the town, from one side of the castle (now exhibition space), though Piazza IV Novembre where Christopher Columbus points towards his home town, Genoa, and on to the main harbour. Like many Ligurian towns it has some excellent examples of Trompe L’oeil, which is a French painting technique but for the reasons outlined in the link has been made a Ligurian feature. Fake windows and ornate faux plaster details are common.

Rapallo remains more of a normal working town than a tourist destination and so has all the amenities that you would expect from a residential town. It has excellent shops combining the usual high street stores more inland and independent stores in the narrower lanes by the seafront. Restaurants and bars are scattered throughout. You can buy excellent local produce at the many grocers, bakeries, pasta shops, fish shops, market stalls and butchers. This made it a great choice for us because we had the option of buying things to cook at the apartment or going to a restaurant. The produce market is open most days (not Sunday) in Piazza Venezia, but there is a general market on Thursdays which runs along the sea front road (which is closed for this purpose).

The cable car will take you up to a monastery in the mountains. It takes about 30 minutes to make the ascent and the views over the sea and surrounding countryside are stunning. It’s reasonable priced and runs frequently. We recommend getting the cable car up and then using the pilgrim path (donkey track) to walk back down.

Where to stay?

Our online search returned great accommodation in good locations, in fact given the global pandemic we were spoilt for choice and much lower than usual rates. We wanted the option to cook for ourselves, so we opted for self-catering.

The Air B&B we booked was centrally located in a residential block set back from a main esplanade to the castle and the sea. It had a lift, aircon, Wi-Fi and views of the mountain behind Rapallo. As we were the top floor apartment we had a balcony/terrace which included a BBQ so we could admire the setting sun and the mountain view while we ate. Parking was in the private road, if you could get a spot, which we did. Joe, our host, was very friendly and helpful.

Where to eat and drink?

The food and drink options are so good in Rapallo we put together a short selection of our favourite places.

Breakfast (or lunch) and coffee

We only have one entry here because we went here on the first day and were not tempted to deviate.

Tossini

This pasticceria is a local institution. The brioche (pastries) are amongst the best I have ever eaten. The coffee is excellent and the staff are friendly. If its breakfast you are after they have a range of brioche displayed under the glass counter, there are also other sweet treats. If it’s lunchtime they serve focaccia col formaggi as well as salads, panini and pizzette. You order and pay at the counter. It has seating inside and out. We liked the seating in the back porch overlooking the piazza.

Aperitivo

As many of you know we are big fans of the Aperitivo and Rapallo has many great options. In this area a second round of drinks is likely to result in a second round of nibbles being delivered to your table. They don’t always ask if you want more when you order your drink, but they won’t be offended if you turn food away. In one location we had so much Aperitivo we scrapped our plans to go out for dinner and just had some snacks back at the apartment. As we usually cocktail with our Aperitivo, I have used the cost of an average cocktail as an indicator of price.

Bar Enoteca Il Castello

Cost: €6-8 for a cocktail from a fairly comprehensive list.

Features: As this is an Enoteca they have an impressive wine list with some wines available in the half bottle. Tables inside and out both provide sea views. It’s on a little parade of bars overlooking the castle and is a great place to watch the sun set over the bay. Staff are friendly and accommodating.

Special knowledge: Ask inside if they have a “tavolo sotto” and if there are any available you will get shown downstairs, under the main bar, and to a table on the waterfront rocks. You can’t book and people will wait outside the bar for a table to become available.

Taverna Gallo Nero

Cost: €6-8 for a cocktail from a good list, with special seasonal cocktails.

Features: Tables in one of the narrow lanes close to the seafront, also more inside if you prefer. Very friendly staff who made the effort to chat with us. Great beer selection including craft ales from around the world and a good wine list.

Bloody Mary Enoteca

Cost: €6-8 for a cocktail from possibly the longest list I have ever seen.

Features: As they are an enoteca they have a good wine list and they sell craft ales including their own. The bar itself is quite small so it has mainly outside tables along a narrow lane towards the back of the sea front area.

Sky bar Royal 8

Cost: €14-20 for a cocktail (be aware there is a €15 pp minimum spend) from a sophisticated list. Probably the best cocktails we had but by far the most expensive.

Features: It’s a hotel sky bar with views over the Marina and the rest of Rapallo harbour. The best quality nibbles we had but this was reflected in the price. You will probably need to book, which is done through the hotel reception. We were gratified that the clientele were not quite as snobbish as we have seen in similar UK establishments. All in all, a fabulously decadent treat.

Dining

Along the seafront there are the more touristy restaurants who sell everything from Pizza to regional dishes such as trofie and pesto, or seafood pasta. There is also a Chinese restaurant and a Japanese all you can eat buffet which has a robot waiter! In the lanes immediately behind the front there are more restaurants and bars with shops mingled in. As this is Italy all restaurants sell the regional cuisine. In more touristy places you will find Spaghetti Bolognese on the menu (see previous post). Our favourites were:

O Bansin

Great for quality Ligurian comfort food. Al and I shared the focaccia with cheese and the marinated anchovies for antipasti. Trofie and pesto for primi and we shared a braised rabbit dish. We were too full for pudding, but I am sure it would have been delightful. We ate in the back of the restaurant in what looks like a converted boat shed. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable.

Hosteria Vecchia

Combining traditional Ligurian cuisine with innovation. This is the most fine dining restaurant in our selection and was an excellent choice for my birthday meal. They serve regional dishes with a high quality finish and taste and at the same time are not afraid to add a twist. We had the ravioli con salsa noci (ravioli in a walnut sauce) to share after our antipasti. Al’s beef tartare was prepared tableside which added a theatrical touch. My main course was less glamourous but no less delicious. We drank a bottle of local wine recommended by the sommelier, which was fresh and lovely. The staff here were professional, accommodating and friendly.

Ristorante Vesuvio

This is the only sea front restaurant in our selection, with views across the bay and one of the least touristic menus. The daily menu does not include pizzas so you may need to ask for their pizza list, which is comprehensive. However, their seafood pastas are great examples of the regional cuisine. The staff are friendly and it’s in a great location for you to get a feel for the town and find your bearings. The prices are reasonable given the location, but there is a cover charge.

The end of the holiday

We enjoyed our time in Rapallo immensely. There was something different to do everyday, but at the same time, there were places we returned to again and again. We were very lucky with the weather and that we were able to take advantage of the absence of tourists. We were welcomed everywhere we went and found all the people we met to be warm and friendly. We definitely plan to visit again as there are some things we simply didn’t have enough time to do.

July 20, 2020

Liguria

As I mentioned in my last post, we decided to take a holiday in the Ligurian region of Italy. Each Italian region has its own unique cuisine, features and identity so I put together this short, and incomplete, guide. I will post more about our specific trip and the locations we visited over the next couple of weeks, but I wanted to provide an overview of this spectacular area.

General Information

Liguria is one of Italy’s smallest region. It’s situated in the north-west of the country and borders with France. A region of mountains (Apennines and Alps) running into the sea, forming beautiful coves and where towns cling to the cliffs and valleys. It’s home to some of the most beautiful beaches in Italy, the picturesque towns of the Cinque Terre (5 lands) as well as the jet set’s favourite Portofino[1]. Genoa is the capital city of Liguria and is Italy’s biggest port so it combines a heavy current industry with the ancient harbour and the largest medieval centre in Europe[2].

Activities

There seem to be activities for everyone. There are the Apennines and the Alps for keen walkers offering all levels of mountain trekking and several parks and reserves form part of the landscape. There are fantastic beaches to explore, many of which are blue flag, with some offering water sports equipment hire. You can view an array of yachts and working boats or hire a boat for the day from the many harbours. There are beautiful, colourful old towns and villages stuffed full of churches, galleries, museums and historic architecture as well as Etruscan archaeology. If you want the hustle and bustle of the city you can go to Genoa, with is ancient harbour and famous aquarium as well as the medieval centre and an area of merchant palazzi (now mostly banks) which form a UNESCO world heritage site.

Poets and artists

The romantic landscape of Liguria, with its cloud covered mountains and sparkling sea, colourful towns and small harbours have long since attracted a literary crowd. Byron famously swam from Porto Venere to Lerici. Percy Shelley drowned here while on holiday with Mary Shelley, indeed, this area is now called “The Bay of Poets”. D.H. Lawrence recuperated from tuberculosis in Spotorno and was allegedly inspired to write “Lady Chatterley’s lover” while staying there. Even Ernest Hemingway was a regular feature and had a noted spot in a Genoese bar, and that’s just some of the writers! If I am feeling mean spirited I would add that this is in part due to its long associations with the well to do and the fact that many literary and artistic figures were either themselves wealthy or given patronage by those that were. However, the landscape here is unbelievably beautiful so it’s no surprise so many people should have been, and continue to be, inspired by it. The quality of the light reminded us of St Ives, the artistic enclave in the UK, which seems to conspire to make everything incredibly picturesque.

Weather

The sea and the mountains combine to provide slightly cooler temperatures than we were used to and less humidity but it felt much hotter in the sun. The fresher conditions were just what we were looking for as Bologna is always humid but becomes increasingly so as the summer progresses. Another benefit of the weather conditions seemed to be a reduction in the number of mosquitos.

How to get there and get around

By Air

There is an airport at Genoa, which is probably the most convenient if you are travelling from overseas.

By Train

Trains run frequently throughout the region, including intercity trains to/from Milan etc. Regional trains are cheap and cheerful, intercity and Freccia trains are air conditioned and luxurious but cost more.

Tickets and seats

You need to buy a ticket before you travel and, where indicated, you must validate your ticket at the machine (usually at the entrance to the platform) before you board. You can book a seat on the intercity and Freccia trains, but not on the cheaper regional ones. During the corona virus restrictions you were required to provide some additional information when you booked your ticket and there were clear instructions on the platform and on the trains themselves about what you needed to do, where you could sit, where to get on and off the train carriage etc.

By Ferry

You can usually travel around the Cinque Terre and between coastal villages by ferry, particularly during the high season. Tickets can be bought in a ticket booth at the ferry departure point. Sadly during our visit Rapallo harbour was under maintenance and the Cinque Terre ferries were not running, however we were able to get the ferry from Santa Margherita Ligure to Portofino and San Fruttuoso.

By Car

The main roads are toll roads and run through many tunnels and across viaducts. You are issued a ticket when you join and are required to insert the ticket and pay at the pay point when you leave. It can all be done by credit or bank card. It cost us €18 for the whole stretch from Bologna to Rapallo. The more minor roads are twisting and winding up and down mountains and valleys, which can be more physically demanding than you may be used to, they’re also sometimes single track and you can’t help notice that there are bus stop signs either side of the road here so you need to be vigilant for passing points. These roads take longer to navigate than their length might suggest as it’s not often possible to drive them at, or close to, the speed limit, however they also offer some of the best views.

Parking

Each town or city in Italy is likely to have a ZTL (Traffic limited zone), you need to keep to the main through roads and look for parking outside the ZTL if you want to avoid a fine. Fines are done by traffic camera not wardens so you are not likely to find out if you have received a fine immediately. However, we have always found ZTL maps and parking locations easy to find on the internet so as long as you check ahead you should be fine free.

What to eat

Ligurian cuisine truly reflects its location with dishes from both the sea and the mountains. On many menus you will find:

Antipasti (appetiser)

Focaccia col formaggio/pizza (focaccia with cheese/cheese and tomato) – very thin focaccia with cheese/cheese and tomato inside, toasted and served in squares. This is gooey and delicious, but portions can be large so be careful!

Acciughe marinato (marinated anchovies) – butterflied fresh anchovies in a light marinade. Served with a lemon wedge. A breaded and fried version is also common.

Primi (pasta)

Spaghetti allo scoglio (spaghetti with seafood) – pretty much what it says it is. Served in a tomato sauce. The seafood is served whole with a bowl for shells. Fingers are licked clean with a moist lemon towelette to finish up.

Spaghetti agli scampetti (spaghetti with local scampi) – served in a tomato sauce shell on. Again, comes with a bowl for shells and a towelette.

Trofie al pesto (local pasta shape coated in pesto) – a local kind of pasta that resembles a square of pasta rolled up on the diagonal, the pasta is coated in pesto (N.B. some place may make the pesto authentically with the necessary ingredients in a pestle and mortar but this would be expensive so on a menu you are likely to be getting a pesto with less premium ingredients and made in a blender. However as discussed, fresh pesto is a beautiful thing). This dish is also often served with potatoes and beans (patate e fagiolini).

Ravioli in salsa di noci (stuffed pasta with nut sauce) – meat or fish stuffed pasta with a sauce of crushed walnuts.

Secondi (main)

Coniglio (Rabbit) – Often quartered and braised with vegetables.

Fresh local fish – depending on the season and what is available that day. Restaurants may also indicate on the menu where they are using frozen fish.

General eating

Genoese Pesto

I cannot over emphasise what a difference in taste you get from pesto made using artisanal processes. Some of you may have made pesto before and if so, you will have found that freshly made pesto tastes infinitely, well fresher, than anything you can buy in a jar, that’s true here as well. However, the version available in Liguria is infinitely better still. It is all made in a pestle and mortar. When you eat it you can taste each component part as well as the whole and it is incredibly fresh and light. As you can imagine this is a labour intensive process and so a tub of the genuine stuff is expensive but well worth it. As always with Italian food, it’s the quality of the products that make the dish, simple but irresistible. Here is a link to the “official” pesto recipe.

Olives

Famous for both the olives themselves and their oil. Oil here is often bottled and consumed young so you can find bottling dates and best before dates on the labels. They are considered among the best olives and olive oil in Italy.

Basil

Specifically, the DOP basil (grown in a specific area in a certified way). They use this in their famous pesto and many other regional dishes and drinks. Basil granita is not an unusual sight in Gelateria (Ice cream shops).

What to drink?

Cocktails

Many bars offer cocktails as part of their Aperitivo. The lists vary in length and complexity. They may also feature local twists such as basil or local spirits such as Nocino (a nut liqueur)

White wine

Pigato – An old local variety[3] that seems to be closely related to Vermentino, but the grapes have duskier skins and the finished wine has a drier taste. It’s thought its freshness comes from the grapes growing close to the sea.

Cinque Terre – a wine from the local Bosco and Albarola grape varieties[4]. Its fresh and light tasting.

Vermentino- Although a dry white wine, this is the sweetest and most aromatic of the local wines.

Red Wine

Dolceacqua – A red wine produced from the indigenous Rossese grape. A fresh red with scent of the sea, wild berries and Mediterranean flowers[5]

Summary

As you can see, there is plenty to do and eat in this region and it’s well worth the visit. We will certainly be returning to experience some the things we weren’t able to squeeze in on this occasion as well as revisit the places that we really enjoyed. More information on where to stay and what to do can be found here.

[1] ‘Liguria’ (Italian Tourism Official Website, 2020) <http://www.italia.it/en/discover-italy/liguria.html> accessed 3 July 2020

[2] ‘Liguria’ (En.wikipedia.org, 2020) <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liguria> accessed 3 July 2020

[3] ‘Pigato, Vendita E Prezzi Pigato | Callmewine’ (Callmewine.com, 2020) <https://www.callmewine.com/pigato-V216.htm> accessed 19 July 2020.

[4] ‘Cinque Terre Bianco | Callmewine’ (Callmewine.com, 2020) <https://www.callmewine.com/cinque-terre-bianco-V79.htm> accessed 19 July 2020.

[5] ‘Rossese Di Dolceacqua | Callmewine’ (Callmewine.com, 2020) <https://www.callmewine.com/rossese-V247.htm> accessed 19 July 2020.

June 17, 2020

A Day out in Modena

This week we decided to use the recent lifting of regional movement restrictions and to take advantage of Al’s days off by going to Modena.

A very short description of Modena

Modena is a city in the region Emilia Romagna. There has been a settlement here since 187BC and the Duomo, which was built 1000 years ago, is included in the UNESCO world heritage site that can be explored in Grande Piazza. There is a long standing rivalry between Bologna and Modena as they used to be competing city states, typical of neighbouring cities and towns the world over. There was a series of battles known as the war of the Bucket (1325) when the opposing factions fought each other. The Modenese fighters took a bucket from Bologna as a trophy and it (or one meant to replicate it) is on display in the Torre della Ghirlandia to this day.

Modena is the home of Balsamic vinegar, but not the stuff you can buy from the supermarket in the UK, the product here is produced from grape must, thick and sweet and takes at least 12 years to ferment, using a centuries old process. You only need to use a tiny amount, let down with olive oil which is good news as even a small bottle will set you back, but it should last for years. Modena and the area immediately surrounding it has a large number of products of either DOP (products of a protected origin) or IGP (products with a protected region) meaning that you cannot buy the same product anywhere else. The city’s proximity to Bologna means that many of the regional dishes are the same, but there are some interesting variations to look out for.

Modena is also home to Lambrusco (sparkling red wine), Ferrari and Maserati cars as well as the world famous tenor Luciano Pavarotti.

How to get to Modena

Modena is about 38 km from Bologna and easily accessible by rail or car. On the train from Bologna it can take between 17 and 29 minutes depending on whether you get the slower regional train or the faster Freccia Rossa and the tickets are priced to reflect this. On this occasion we drove and chose to go via the slower, toll free roads, which are more picturesque. Like many Italian cities, the centre of Modena is covered by a ZTL (traffic limitation zone) where cars are either not permitted to enter at all or are extremely restricted. The fines for infringement of the ZTL are high and its possible to get more than one in a day so be careful if you are driving about. A brief amount of research meant that I was able to get a map of the Modena ZTL and find a free car park outside it. Modena is a compact city so parking outside the centre is not a problem. Our free car park was next to the stadium, from where it is a 10 minute pleasant walk to the Grande Piazza.

What to eat?

The Italian version of the tourist information site of Modena lists an ideal Modenese menu; starting with salumi (sliced cured meats), followed by tortelloni stuffed with pork, prosciutto and Parmigiano Reggiano (parmesan cheese). They also recommend Zampone or Cotechino, which are local types of cured sausage, but they are not for the faint hearted. They are true to the concept of nose to tail eating in that they contain some of the parts of the animal that we don’t usually, knowingly, consume. For my tastes they are too greasy and too gristly. Al, on the other hand, really likes them. After the sausages they recommend slices of Parmigiano Reggiano with a small quantity of local balsamic vinegar and all washed down with a bottle of the local Lambrusco. You may have heard of Lambrusco before and even have an opinion about it but I urge you to put that aside and try it in Modena. It’s a delicious sparkling ruby red wine and my friend Jess is particularly partial to a glass or two when she visits. The meal is finished with some local cherries or other fruits or something called Zuppa Inglese, a kind of firm custard, served with Amaretti biscuits.

As we were only having lunch we were not looking for a full set of courses and had a recommendation from a friend. Ristretto is found in a narrow alley a short distance from the Duomo. Although the weather forecast was bleak and the skies were grey, we opted to sit outside on one of the tables along the alley. The menu was short but it was still hard to choose. In the end we had passatelli with prosciutto crudo in a parmesan cream sauce. Passatelli is a pasta made from breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese. We accompanied it with a glass of dry white wine. The meal was delicious and they are noted for their wine selection so I highly recommend eating there.

The unassuming entrance to Osteria Francescana

I couldn’t possibly talk about food without referencing Modena’s 3 Michelin starred restaurant, the Osteria Francescana, owned by Massimo Bottura. It has been listed in the top 5 at the World’s Best Restaurants since 2010. Al is a huge fan of Massimo Bottura, his approach to cooking and his focus on minimising waste and increasing sustainability and although I would like to say that we have eaten there, as yet, we have not been so fortunate. However, we did slope past to have a look at the outside. Eating here is a once in a lifetime event and you need to book a long time in advance i.e. they are currently booking for tables in January 2021. The 12 course tasting menu costs €290 with the wine pairing €190 on top. We were fortunate enough to eat in Thomas Keller’s French Laundry pop up in Harrods a couple of years ago so I’m sure that it would be worth it, but it’s just a little out of reach at the moment.

Fast Cars and Opera Stars

Ferrari’s are not made in Modena any more, the works having transferred operations to nearby Maranello, however there is the Museum of Enzo Ferrari, in the original factory, where they have a nice selection of cars for you to drool over and, for those who know about these things, a hall of engines. The trident of Maserati was modelled on the trident on the statue of Neptune in Bologna as Maseratis were made in Bologna for a while. It is interesting to think that the origins of motor racing and the Grand Prix were on the roads around here.

You can also visit the House of Luciano Pavarotti at the gates of the city. He lived in this house for the last 9 years of his life. He had a passion for horses and bred them here as well as holding an annual horse contest. Unfortunately, we did not have time to visit on this occasion.

I would highly recommend Modena for a weekend break or a day trip or even as a base to explore the wider region. It is very beautiful and an easy city to navigate on foot. There are plenty of cafes and bars for you to stop at when you need a break and interesting museums and churches to investigate.

Lion at the entrance to the Duomo on Grande Piazza

June 1, 2020

Ravenna

To celebrate being able to travel within the region and to get a change of scenery we decided to go to Ravenna, a small city in Emilia Romagna close to the Adriatic Sea, about an hour’s drive from Bologna. We wanted to get out and see other towns and the car needed to have a decent run before it was pressed back into commuter service this week.

Why Ravenna?

We chose Ravenna because we have a friend, Esther, who lives there that we have been threatening to visit for some time, before the lockdown made it impossible. It is believed to be more than 2000 years old and is the spot where Julius Caesar gathered his forces to cross the Rubicon. Eight of the churches form part of a UNESCO world heritage site regarding Early Christianity. It’s famous for the ornate mosaics that adorn several its building interiors and for being the location of Dante’s tomb. Although Museums and Galleries are now allowed to open, many in Ravenna had chosen not to, so we were not able to see inside many of these sites on this visit.

Out in the Countryside

On the way to Ravenna we chose to go off toll road so we could see more of the country. Once you get beyond the hills of Bologna (part of the Apennines) the land opens into a huge flat belt called the Po valley. You could see for miles. When you see open land like this it reminds you why hedgerows are such a distinctive feature of the British landscape. Here are scant hedges, walls or fences. There are some border ditches, but this may be as much for irrigation as land ownership demarcation. The land here is agricultural as you might expect from a flat plain. There were farms all along the route with groves of fruit trees or vineyards. The roads here are slower particularly when you go through towns, so our journey took an hour and a half.

Quiet streets

Ravenna is an incredibly beautiful city and despite the museums and galleries being closed we were perfectly happy walking around the streets, which were noticeably quiet and uncrowded. It meant we could take our time looking at whatever we wanted and taking photos. I didn’t think to record everything I was taking photos of so some of my images are not captioned. We assiduously practiced social distancing and wore our masks while we were walking around. We were very conscious that we did not want to risk getting the virus at this stage nor spreading it here. Esther is keen to travel to see her father who is back home in Holland as soon as possible so like us she did not want to take any chances.

Lunch

Obviously, we couldn’t possibly have visited without stopping to have lunch. Esther recommended a restaurant and we went to see if we would be able to get in. Ca’ de Ven is a lovely traditional enoteca, cantina and restaurant. We were able to get a table immediately because it was quiet. Our masked waiter led us in, past other masked staff some with full face shields. Inside diners sit at long wooden tables in a large hall with a vaulted ceiling. The tables, which would usually seat six comfortably were marked with where you were able to sit to maintain social distancing. We had a whole table to ourselves, two on one side with a chair between and one on the other. Al and Esther chose from the specials menu while I chose something traditional. I could have kicked myself afterwards because I have been craving fish for ages, but it’s quite expensive to buy in Bologna and this was the perfect place to have had some. Never mind, the meals were delicious as was the wine. Esther told us that this restaurant was usually busy with office staff on their lunch breaks and she was surprised to find it so empty on a weekday.

This has been in line with our experience of Bologna, things are opening back up, but many people are choosing to stay away. I think most people have dropped the eating and drinking out culture that is their usual mode and like us they are selecting maybe one or two venues a week to meet up with a small group of friends for a drink or a meal. The rest of the time remaining at home and keeping up with other protective measures.

The Beach

We decided to go home via the beach as we had not seen the sea in 5 months. It was trickier to get to than we had anticipated and necessitated driving through a foul smelling Industrial zone. Beaches here are still closed but were merely going to ease our minds with the sight of the swell, not planning on a dip. In our experience many Italian beaches have resorts where you need to pay for beach access or a sun lounger, there doesn’t seem to be very much in terms of the public access beaches we are used to in the UK. We parked up when we could see signs and walked along an access road though a lovely wood. At the end of the road there were two resorts, but with cordons across their entrances. There were, unsurprisingly, not many people around and most of those we saw were employees of the resort restaurants gearing up for evening service. The beach itself was sandy and seemed pleasant enough, but out to sea there were industrial buildings and rigs. Nonetheless, the waves pounded gently on the shore and together with the salt air gave us the familiar reassurance we were looking for, so we headed back to the car and home.

May 15, 2020

The Walk to San Luca

This week I wanted to write about a walk we did before lockdown. I have been holding on to it because it was not possible to do the walk and I didn’t want to be irresponsible by appearing as if I was breaking the lock down. We completed this walk on 28^th February and when we reached the top they were just closing the church because of the virus and it remains closed. However, now you are able to walk up to the church again and for many people the walk up to San Luca is part of a regular exercise routine.

What is San Luca?

For those who have not been to Bologna, San Luca is the church on the hill (Colle della Guardia) overlooking the city. It has been the symbol of Bologna for centuries and is still a place of worship and pilgrimage. There has been a church on the site for almost a thousand years and the current church was built by Carlo Francesco Dotti between 1723 and 1757. The two external stands were completed by his son Giovanni Giacomo in 1774. Since 1433 there been an annual Ascension week procession carrying the Byzantine Madonna and child down from San Luca to the cathedral. According to tradition The Mother and Child was brought to Bologna by a Byzantine pilgrim in the 12^th Century, with the first church being built on the site that same century. The portico San Luca was built to protect the pilgrims and the procession from the weather and was started in 1674 and completed in 1793.

There are some incredible views from the grounds, but when the church is open you can give a donation and climb the stairs inside to the panoramic viewing platform. NB take smaller notes or loose coins as they do not give change. The church itself is beautiful and has some fantastic art so it’s well worth a visit.

How do I get there?

I recommend walking, you can google a map to Porta Saragozza from wherever you are in the city. However if the walk seems like too much or you don’t have time you can get tickets for either the San Luca Express which is a little road train or the jump on/jump off open topped tourist bus both from Piazza Maggiore. Jess and I took the little train to the top on her first visit with us last year and it’s a good way to see the city, but be warned, it does not have a lot of suspension and some Bolognese streets are cobbled. If you want more info you can find it here at Bologna Welcome

The longest portico in the world

Bologna’s porticos cover a large proportion of the city centre. If you are going to San Luca from Piazza Maggiore it is possible to walk under porticoes for most of the route. The porticos of Bologna were nominated as a World Heritage site in 2019. However, the 666 arches of the official portico San Luca start at Porta Saragozza. This is a very impressive porta on a busy intersection. It is reportedly the longest continuous portico in the world. It is almost 3.5km long and nearly all of it is uphill, however because of the portico structure it does offer some of the most beautiful views of the surroundings while you ascend, winding around the hill. The porticos also provide shelter from both the sun and the rain which is great because Bologna is known for both.

The views from the walk

You start with a view over the stadium, but with the view opening out as you climb higher. There are chapels along the route as well as paintings. Some of the arches still retain painted ceilings, so it is worth keeping your eyes on the porticos themselves as well as on the view outside. Here are the photos we took in February, as is typical in Bologna there was a haze on the city so we didn’t get as many photos as we would have liked. If you were to go at the moment you might find much of the haze has gone thanks to lockdown.

The restaurant at the top

When Al and I did this walk we did it so that we would reach the top at lunchtime, obviously. If you go to the road behind the church and walk a little way along there is a lovely restaurant Vita a San Luca. We ordered from their seasonal pasta menu and we were not disappointed, although we have since been told that their pizzas are also fantastic and it is considered one of the best pizza places in the city. As you might expect from the location they are well equipped for tourists, however they are also accommodating for those attempting the language. I felt like I wanted to eat everything and there was a good wine list. We felt that we had earned our lunch with the walk so we also had desert. The only downside is that there are not really views as the restaurant is tucked into the hill, however the interior is fairly unique and an experience itself. We will certainly be returning here and it’s a good excuse to make the walk.

Things to note

There is nowhere to get anything to eat or drink from Porta Saragozza to the Church. At the church there is only a water fountain and a coffee vending machine. Vita a San Luca is the only restaurant at the top and although it has a lot of seats it is usually busy, so you could be disappointed or have to wait for a table. If you are planning on picnicking, you need to either bring something with you or stop and get something at one of the many bars, cafes and shops on the way to the Porte. In places the walk is quite steep and you can get warm so you need to dress appropriately. Expect it to be busy on fine days and don’t be surprised if you are huffing and puffing at the end of a section only to be overtaken by a running nonna (grandma).

May 1, 2020

“Winning” at Lockdown?

Once again this week I was struggling for a blog topic until Jess suggested that I write about how demotivating lockdown is and how easy it is to feel that you are “wasting” this time and for some reason you should be “doing more”. It’s complete and utter nonsense. We are in a time that is psychologically very unsettling. You can’t know what you should be doing, because you have never been in this situation before.

I am used to working. I am used to working hard. I am used to stressful work and deadlines. If you read the post “The Truth about stress” then you know that I thought I had become dependent on stress. When we came here the idea was that I would work in a less stressful job part time and write on days when I was not at work. This was panning out ok, I wasn’t making as much progress as I would like, but I’m a tough self-critic. I find it hard to privilege writing over almost anything else, because I feel like it’s indulgent and selfish. Then lockdown happened. To begin with I had some hours of work to structure my time. I had lessons to prepare for and in the case of the kids exam course, lessons to write. I still had set times to do things. I had to be ready before the lessons and I had to check the system to see if lessons had been changed or moved or cancelled. I wasn’t doing the hours I wanted to but I was still doing something.

In the beginning the writing continued but became a little bit more difficult because now Al was at home all the time. It was more fun to do things together than lock myself in the guest bedroom for hours. In addition my novel is set in the future and just as I am avoiding post-apocalyptic films because they chime a little too strongly with where I find myself in reality, I don’t really want to be spending a lot of time imagining the circumstances that necessarily lead to the future I am writing about. It’s all too close to home. It’s like when something happens and you know in the future that it’s going to be a funny story, but when you are going through it, it doesn’t make the actual events suck less.

Two weeks ago I was told I was going to be furloughed with my main job and I knew I only had two weeks left with the second job. While I have been able to keep this blog to a vaguely weekly schedule, I have not really been achieving anything else. This week I marked the mock exams for the kids course and then delivered their final lesson with me. This was the last piece of work I had. I dread what will happen now that, blog aside, I don’t have anything to separate the days, to mandate the activity, to motivate me to get it done. I know that this has been the reality for many from the beginning.

The ticking clock

I am not necessarily a fan of the construct of time, but we have been brought up with it. It has defined the shape of our days and lives since we were born. When everyday becomes the same it is very difficult to be motivated. Someone once told me that activities extend into the time available to do them. Something I would have done quickly before now becomes a mindful activity. I have time, so everything I do feels like it needs to evidence the time spent. I think I am doing it because it is something I can control. There is so much going on that when I think about it, it makes me feel like the bottom has fallen out, but by focusing on the activity in front of me I can avoid the existential dread and worry about what will happen. This is not especially conducive for creativity, at least I don’t find it so.

I find myself asking what I am doing with this time? Every day I get up and I do things. I rarely sit down except at the computer to write or, until yesterday prepare for lessons, but I don’t feel like I am achieving anything. Going to the shops once a week seems to be an operation that takes a lot of preparation. From speaking with others I think this is something we are all experiencing in differing ways. It’s important to remember that there isn’t something you should be accomplishing. This is not a once in a lifetime opportunity to do those things you have been planning to do. This is a strategy to minimise the number of sick people in hospitals and to minimise the number of dead. It is not a holiday. It is not a sabbatical. You are not required to be productive. You do not have to be all things to all people. You are not failing. You are human. You are surviving.

“Every cloud has a silver lining”

I have seen a lot of posts about getting back to normal but also about how normal was not working. I am certainly in the camp that says we should use this terrible event as an opportunity to change things, refocus on what is important and valuable to us. However, I also understand this desire to re-establish some kind of normalcy and we will. Whatever comes next will become normal.

Things cannot go back to exactly the way they were, even if it were desirable, it’s not possible. The world is undergoing a major medical and economic shock. Our old way of life does not exist anymore. If you look at the Spanish Flu outbreak as a historically comparable event, it changed the world of the time. The Coronavirus has changed our world. We know air, river and sea quality has been improved by our enforced lock down among other things, so the situation is not entirely negative. We can decide what things we want to try to recover and what things we want to move on without. We can make sure that our priorities are aligned with what the best outcomes can be now, to dare to dream about a different future and what we can do to bring it about.

April 17, 2020

People called romani they go the house

If you don’t recognise the above as a quote from Monty Python’s Life of Brian, then that’s a film that you need to add to your watch list.

Learning the Lingo

When I was trying to learn other languages at school the teachers would say “what’s the past participle” or “conjugate the verb to go” or talk about the position of the “subject” and the “object” of a sentence. I didn’t know what those things were in English never mind in whatever language I was struggling to learn. Education might not have been the same everywhere but I maintain that British students of the 70’s and 80’s are more likely to recognise “Kumbaya” from the opening strums on an acoustic guitar than they are to have been taught what a participle was in English.

Grammar is useful to help you understand how the new language structure is different, but this does necessitate knowing what it is in your language first. In many ways this remains the biggest struggle I have learning Italian. I sit there and have to try to summon the Italian grammar rules. Is this a passive sentence? Am I giving my opinion? These require the use of different tenses or rules. If I am in a real life situation this is compounded because I need to answer quickly.

On top of the grammar and structural issues there is also problems of vocabulary. There are some words which look and sound similar to English words but which have completely different uses and/ or meanings. These are called “false friends”. Then there are verbs that can be translated as roughly the same meaning but are used in different ways. For example, Italians use their verb to make (fare) for things where we use to do or to go. When you want to translate some things from “do” or “go”, you need to use “make” e.g. I make food shopping, not I do the food shopping etc. You need to bear in mind these differences when answering simple questions like “What are you doing this weekend?”

I know that I just need to remember that learning a language is hard and the results are not instantaneous, but patience is not one of my virtues. I have so much more respect now for anyone who has managed to become proficient in a language that is not their mother tongue.

“He who knows no foreign languages knows nothing of his own.”
Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

Teaching the lingo

On the flip side of learning a language I am teaching my language to others. This is a newly acquired skill and still involves quite a lot of learning itself. It means looking at English, a subject I had thought I knew well, from the perspective of the learner. I think my teaching is enhanced by the fact that I have current experience of the trials and tribulations of language learning. One benefit I have is that my students are nearly all Italian and they often make similar errors which I can backwards navigate to understand what the Italian structure or vocabulary is, which helps my Italian too!

I live in fear of my students asking me questions like “in what circumstances do I use the past perfect after the past continuous?”. First, I need to remember which they are (past tense of have, verb+ed) after (past tense of be, verb +ing) and then deduce the rule around when you might use that form. There is also the pretty tricky fact that we have so many exceptions. I don’t want to give an answer that covers the example I just thought of (I went jogging after I had studied) but not the situation the student was asking about.

However, this is nothing when compared to the student who said “Oh, I’ve forgotten, what’s the English order of adjectives again, it’s age, colour and material isn’t it?” I looked at her blankly. “You know the order you need to put the adjectives in, I can’t remember if it’s colour before material?” I was about to say that there wasn’t an order, but it immediately became apparent to me that there was and my mind was blown.

I have asked a number of people about this and not one mother tongue English speaker ever remembers being taught the order of adjectives, but we all use it without thinking. If I said to you leather, brown, old sofa you would understand what I was referring to. However, you would usually say old brown leather sofa. Don’t believe me? I dare you to consider anything in front of you now and let me know if you don’t use a specific order to describe all items e.g. blue suede shoes.

As a writer I have found both the learning and teaching experiences enlightening. They focus your mind on the way we use language, how and why we select certain words for particular sentences or specific uses. There are so many things about our language and the way we use it that I had never given a second thought to. Nothing makes you think twice about an expression you’re about to use like imagining how you will explain it to someone for whom English is not their first language.

So, what else is new?

Not much really. I couldn’t let you go without some gratuitous food shots, obviously. We are fine. We are both still healthy. We are getting better at cryptic crosswords, but not fast enough given that we are two pretty impatient people. We have been formally extended in lock down until 3^rd May, but our numbers are looking more positive. There were free masks being distributed in our area on Monday so Al went out on Tuesday to get some and they had all gone. It’s not that we have a specific view in the masks vs no masks debate, it’s more that these days everyone out in the shops has a mask and we are worried that when lock down restrictions are lifted they might mandate mask wearing while out and about. Amazon.it mask delivery dates were for June. Amazon UK claims 22^nd April, I’ll keep you posted.

Chargrilled and fresh vegetables on sourdough toast with mozerella

One final thought in the shape of this quote, which I found when looking for one about learning a language. This is so true and useful at this time, all language is thought shaping, especially the language you use most often.

“Change your language and you change your thoughts.”
Karl Albrecht

*feature image courtesy of: Terry Jones, Life Of Brian (1979).

April 3, 2020

And the beat goes on…

What’s new pussycat

It had been hard to think what to write this week. Up until yesterday afternoon essentially everything was the same, I was working 2 jobs part time and learning how to teach online. A small amount of structure for my time and Al was keeping himself busy with cooking. However, the 1^st school called me to confirm it was going into temporary shut down, something that is inexplicably being referred to as “furlough” in the UK. I will get 80% of my contracted hours under the Italian insurance scheme, which is 7 hours a week. The 2^nd job is only for 3 hours on a Tuesday and is due to finish at the end of April. There is no news yet on what is happening with exams so I don’t know if there will be any invigilation work. To be honest I was expecting it, I thought the 1^st school might have been in trouble before the virus and now we aren’t going to be attracting new students. It’s disappointing, but we know we are not alone in facing work uncertainty at the moment.

Al cooked a Lemon drizzle cake to replace the chocolate cake we finished yesterday (see main picture with strawberries and tea). I don’t have any human weighing scales so I can’t confirm how much weight I might be putting on, but I know that I put half an inch back on my waist. We are still watching movies and TV series and although we have not started Tiger King yet, I feel it’s only a matter of time. We are reading books and listening to music. I subscribed to London Review of Books on a half price deal, just before this started and so I am building a mammoth book list for when this is over as well as loading my Kindle. We both have “at home” workout routines. We take it in turns to go to the shop and do bin runs as we’re not supposed to go out together. The weather has been sunny and cold this week. The sun cream turned up yesterday, hopefully the warm weather will follow.

The Future

I think it is probably natural to be looking to the future at the moment. It is difficult when we don’t know when this situation will end or how it will be brought to a conclusion. It’s hard to imagine that there will be a day when we are all let loose to return to our previous patterns of behaviour and scoot gleefully across the world again. Presumably restrictions of some sort or another will still be in place for some time to come and will depend on the downward trajectory of infection rates in various locations. The rate of new cases here has slowed but not yet started to come down. Our initial lockdown end date was today but this was extended to 14^th April, although I can’t see this ending before May.

However, I am entertaining myself by planning for something that I have decided to reclaim from the Brexit mess and that is “Liberation day” – when we are all able to move freely again and the Covid-19 virus is no longer posing an immediate threat to lives. I would contribute to hear some Big Ben bongs on that day, I can tell you. I’m saving up my last hair dye and deciding which of Bologna’s many fabulous restaurants and bars will be graced with my post quarantine presence first. I cordially invite you to join me in this and repurposing Liberation Day into a day of inclusive global celebration!

A little help from my friends

Something that I hope we will take forward once this is all over is this spirit of community and helping each other out. I have witnessed this firsthand here in Italy and I am gratified to see examples from the UK such as the overwhelming response to the UK Government volunteer request. We watched the Frank Turner benefit for The Joiners last night and hope to watch the one for The Railway Inn in Winchester next week. There are so many people performing or working on -line, which is great to see and be part of (even if it’s just in the audience). It had become all to easy to think that we lived in a selfish time when people were only looking out for themselves, but I think the response to this situation demonstrates more what is best about people. There are plenty of us that, when the chips are down, get together (not literally in these circumstances) and work out new solutions and ways of supporting each other and staying positive. My social media might be a bubble but its one filled with beautiful people doing awe inspiring things and helping each other. Many people and businesses are suffering right now, but if we all continue to do what we can and work together as a community we can help ensure as many as possible keep going. We are amazing when we work together.