Bologna: La citta granda rossa

The red city, the university city, the resistance city, the food city.  Bologna wears all of these masks, all at once, a force to be reckoned with, rather than a welcoming and readable personage.  

Like New York City, Bologna pushes one from all angles.  The grande and dominating archways, the stoic, industrial red brick buildings climbing towards the sky, the vivacity and energy that can only come from the largest university town in Italy, and the oldest university town in Europe.  The list keeps going.

In reality, it hardly a list, it is participating in the life of the city.  Walking down streets jammed with cars, people and festivals, then walking down the next street, completely quiet, cluttered with colorful political graffiti, and just as colorful but more threatening street characters.

Like Chicago, the history of Bologna lends itself to an image rough around the edges.  As the intellectual hub of Italy, questioning and rethinking have always been in the mindset of residents.  In this way it is like Berkeley and other college towns, constantly resisting and questioning authority.  During World War II, Bologna held the center of the resistance against fascism.  In the main square, _____, one walks by a wall of photos, those who died for the resistance.  Yet it is like Chicago as well.  It is an industrial city, proud of its working habits, much like the rest of Northern Italy, and much like the rest of Northern Italy, not afraid to complain about the lack of work and lack of economic contribution found in their southern neighbors.

Yet, like the south, long lunch break holds its ground, a staple of Italian daily life.  Food remains as important in the North as in the South.  Bologna's most famous dishes are ironically those most common on the American Italian dinner menu;  papparadelle alla bolognese, lasagna alla bolognese, tagliatelle al ragu, proscuitto, cortadella, parmigianna, totellinin alla brodo are a few.  We, however, did not experience much of these.  (Instead opting to take pictures all day of ridiculous family dog portaits, duh!?)

Never one for planning, our food escapades were a bit on the unlucky side.  I did not do my research thoroughly, but why not? I thought.  Why not just ask locals and see what we find.  The problem: Bologna is not as small as travel books have it appear.  It is truly Italian, but it is not cute grandmas on street corners and sundress biking in sunflower fields.  It is a big city, with the ease to get lost, and the realization that good food requires a reservation.  Nevertheless, pizza, gelato and appetizers.  It is always what you least expect that turns out the most rewarding.