Sometimes you need to get away. It’s great to live in a place where planes and trains are readily available for just these moments.
Just before the semester started, after my London experience, I got to be on the receiving end of the aforementioned need to get away. Mike, a Yank who lives in Germany, came to Bologna for a short visit and because he’s not the only one who fancies escapism, we took a train to Ferrara to take in the sights of this lovely little town only 45 minutes from here on the cheap train.
Most ruling families want their castle up high on a hill… away from commoners and protected
geographically from invaders. Not Marquis Niccolò II d'Este… he decided to build Castello Estense right in the middle of his city… “Haha, I have a big castle and you can’t come because I’m going to surround it with a giant moat!” An added bonus, he put in some great dungeons which you can still go into and have messages written by prisoners over 500 years ago. They have dank down to a science.
Of course, Ferrara boasts its own lovely duomo and a number of other neat churches. They have a row of great confectionaries along a main street which make incredible tiny delights. Mike was so taken with one that he ordered a second round and declared it the best dessert he’d ever had. Their specialty is a kind of Lebkuchen surrounded by chocolate… it’s good, but it’s not the best sweet to be had.
Just before the semester started, after my London experience, I got to be on the receiving end of the aforementioned need to get away. Mike, a Yank who lives in Germany, came to Bologna for a short visit and because he’s not the only one who fancies escapism, we took a train to Ferrara to take in the sights of this lovely little town only 45 minutes from here on the cheap train.
Most ruling families want their castle up high on a hill… away from commoners and protected
geographically from invaders. Not Marquis Niccolò II d'Este… he decided to build Castello Estense right in the middle of his city… “Haha, I have a big castle and you can’t come because I’m going to surround it with a giant moat!” An added bonus, he put in some great dungeons which you can still go into and have messages written by prisoners over 500 years ago. They have dank down to a science.Of course, Ferrara boasts its own lovely duomo and a number of other neat churches. They have a row of great confectionaries along a main street which make incredible tiny delights. Mike was so taken with one that he ordered a second round and declared it the best dessert he’d ever had. Their specialty is a kind of Lebkuchen surrounded by chocolate… it’s good, but it’s not the best sweet to be had.
A freak rainstorm during this sunny day led us to duck into the natural history museum. It was run by two bored middle aged women who were delighted to have visitors. We spent the remainder of the storm looking at animals from around the world, randomly placed in exhibits together. A manatee was sharing a display with birds. The ancient bug exhibit was creepy… and they even had a shrunken head!
Our dinner that night was amazing. Ferrara is known for its pastas stuffed with zucca, or pumpkin- a specialty of this region and without a doubt one of the best pasta dishes I’ve experienced in Italia. We both got it for our first course and at the homemade ravioli was almost an inch tall because it was so full of orange goodness. A walnut cream sauce completed its flavors and our Chianti washed it down while we waited for our second course- I had a swordfish steak in a lemon sauce accompanied by roasted veg. After all that, we should have stopped but “boozy cake” and a dessert liquor was too tempting to pass up for me. He had a custard dessert and a liquor recommended by the waiter, who took amazing care of us. We enjoyed the meal for almost 3.5 hours… this is how Italians do dinner.
The following weekend, Lenea and I spent Saturday afternoon in Padua. It was another short train ride from here and we soaked up the spring sunshine as we wandered through and intricately landscaped park. The town is beautiful and peaceful… not overrun by tourists but still boasting its share of treasures.
The Scrovegni Chapel, built for the owner’s usurer father in order to make restitution and get him into heaven, is the main attraction for any art lover or history buff. In the early 1300’s, He hired Giotto to paint frescos on the walls and the works, which cover the life of Jesus and Mary and also depict the final judgment, cover every surface in the small church. It is one of the most influential frescos and is said to be the first to use three dimensions in its technique. It also features faux painted marble that I never would have known wasn’t real if the 15 minute informational video you watch while sitting in an airlocked, temperature controlled room before the church keepers allow you to enter the main attraction in order to maintain the integrity of the somewhat damaged works. You get only fifteen minutes to take in the beautiful artwork and it truly isn’t enough… although you so tire of getting watched like a hawk the whole time.
On one of the piazzas, we wandered into the Palazzo della Ragione, which is a large building that is supposed to be one of the largest roofs in Europe to be unsupported by columns. There are paintings all along this huge cavernous hall and a giant wooden (and… er…
anatomically correct) horse on randomly placed inside as well. The best part of this however, was the sunny walkway with beautifully painted porticos and a great view of the city.
anatomically correct) horse on randomly placed inside as well. The best part of this however, was the sunny walkway with beautifully painted porticos and a great view of the city.
We wasted the next hour people- watching on the piazza and drinking coffee… followed by wine. The sunshine infused us with hope of winter’s imminent departure and we traded stories of spring romances before traipsing across town to get back to Bologna in time for our friend’s birthday dinner in a beautiful restaurant on the Piazza near my house. It was a glorious end to a perfect day... we even managed to study on the train ride- is there anything SAIS students can't do?
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