The Italian Voice

This morning I thought again about my capital of province, Bologna.

photo-postcard by Alessandro Canova

I can not stop to realize that I will miss it a lot.
Well, this morning, almost involuntarily, I started to note down a list of points about “How to know that you live in Bologna or province” which I absolutely want to share with you now; some of these points are even hilarious, but you can also learn more about the city.
Enjoy!!

• when someone tells you about Neptune, you do not think only about the god of the sea, but also about the big statue in the middle of the Piazza Maggiore (Major Square), which is one of the symbols of the city;
• when someone tells you about the Piccola Venezia (Little Venice), you immediately understand that he/she tells about part of the Aposa torrent which flows at the open air between the buildings of the city;
• when someone tells you about the Due Torri (Two Towers), you do not remember only the ones which collapsed in NY, but also the Twin ones downtown (called Garisenda and Asinelli, from the ancient two families’ names who owned them), which are other symbols of the city;
• when you think about the most ancient university of the Western world, you picture in your mind all the ones of the city;
• when you can not decide if the appellation of La Rossa (The Red One) is attributed more to the colour of the red houses and their roofs or more to the historical preference for the Left wing of the citizens (both true);
• when you do not worry too much about reaching every place you want in Italy, because the major part of the trains passes through the Central Railway Station of Bologna;
• when it rains, you do not soak even if you do not have an umbrella, because you can walk along the long porches almost everywhere;
• when you do not find into the menu the dish called “spaghetti bologna” which does not exist, because here spaghetti are eaten with tomatoes, vegetables and other sauces, everything but not ragù (!!!);
• when you can not breathe because of the dampness all day and night long for at least 4-5 months a year, when the fan becomes your best friend in that period and when you see never-saw sort of African insects walking onto your mosquito nets;
• when you have to leave, driving along the A14 highway, at improbable hours of day and night to avoid the traffic jams everywhere, especially from Easter to the beginning of school;
• when you can not find open shops and shopping centres on Sundays (except during Christmas holidays) in the whole province, except the Outlet Factory Store and the Ikea Store;
• when, driving to the Ikea Store coming from the Eastern part of the province, you turn your eyes trying to catch sight of football players at the head office of the Bologna Football Club;
• when you speak the bolognese dialect, you are totally able to talk with French people.

I could go on until tomorrow, hahaha!!
I hope you liked these points, they are very important to remember if you decide to move here =)
Have a nice weekend and see you soon with great news!!