Bologna

Above: The Fountain of Neptune                                                           Above: Two towers of Bologna
                                                                                  Right:Top of higher tower
                                                                                                                       
Last Saturday our CIEE group ventured about 30 minutes outside of Ferrara to Bologna.  It hosts about 375,000  inhabitants (with 1 million in the greater Bologna area) versus Ferrara's 135,000, but really has a similar feel to Ferrara.  Most of this feeling for me came from the fact that both cities are relatively old cities, having been founded between the 4th and 8th centuries, and both have two of the oldest universities in the world.  Bologna's university is THE oldest in the world (founded in 1088) and has a student population roughly one third the size of the entire city at 100,000.
Enough statistics.  I found the city really interesting and full of interesting history and culture.  The main cathedral, San Petronio Basilica is different than most cathedrals in that it is HUGE (top 5 in the world) and that it was commissioned originally as a communal project rather than by the bishops of the Catholic Church.  It really came across to me more as a museum or exhibit than a church, with a huge wall of insets that show a different time in art history (one in renaissance style, in baroque style, in gothic style, etc) as well as a unique sundial that uses a tiny hole in the ceiling that shines sunlight to a meridian line on the floor to indicate day and time.  It was also interesting for me to learn that there was a terrorist plan of attack on the cathedral eight years ago because of a specific painting that depicts a classic scene of heaven and hell.  The unique (and apparently dangerous) aspect of this painting is that it depicts Muhammad suffering in hell.
This trip was so interesting that it really gave me a desire to see more of Italy outside Ferrara.   This desire was so strong that I decided to go to Cinque Terre this weekend on the coast of Liguria.

Although I am having a wonderful time in Italy, there are still some things that I miss about home; a big cup of coffee, eggs for breakfast, and of course my family and friends :)  I love everyone so much and think of home often.
A presto!
Abbie