My weekend break to Bologna was the result of the expedition of a long-held wish of travelling to Italy and, in particular, the supercar and Ferrari territory that is Maranello. This long and eagerly awaited trip to this very beautiful part of the world was prioritised and organsised, rather precipitously, in the last few weeks and on the basis of hardly the most honourable of causes.
I'm really not very proud of having to admit that I allowed myself to be drawn into a silly game of one-upmanship in respect of a pilgrimage I had ranked very highly in my life. Moreover (who still uses words like that nowadays? we should campaign for their return!), its not just that I put such a mission on the line for so pathetic a reason and took the risk of tainting my first visit to Mecca with unnecessary negativity, but more the fact that I should have risen above and ignored the taunt (was it even actually a taunt?) by one so unworthy (to me) of my holy cause.
Now, on my way home, sitting on yet another delayed plane (of course its Iberia!), I can reflect on a game played, and won of course, but not without noting a vague and general dissatisfaction with the basis for the whole experience.
It has to be said, before you think me totally insane (and on the basis of events on Saturday, I may well be), that although getting to Bologna turned out to be a complete fiasco, the fact that I had to cancel the two lunch and dinner reservations I had made at symbolic restaurants and that we only made it to our country house at nine thirty, the weekend was far from ruined.
The Lodole country house, just beyond Monzuno in Bologna was a real find. A 17th (?) Century country house, recently and lovingly restored was set in the hills of the beautiful tuscan valley. Upon arrival, our host informed me that she had very kindly made a reservation for us in the best restaurant in the nearby town of Loiano, Benvenuti! Bags dropped, we made for the restaurant in our Fiat Panda, parked right outside the restaurant in charming Loiano and had possibly the best meal of my life so far (full description upon request but only whilst eating, it would otherwise be unbearable). A bottle of Lambrusco later we returned to our room, bolstered and ready for the following day.
Sunday we head to Maranello, arrive finally at the place where the magic happens and it feels great. We have a lovely lunch watching a terribly boring race where Ferrari get trounced and yet, I'm still concerned I might never want to go home. Mclaren's decimation of Ferrari isn't enough, surprisingly, to put a dampener on my spirits. Ferrari going to be ok without Schumacher? Schumacher IS Ferrari... And I hope I'm wrong about that.
Head to Modena, lovely place, tutto chiuso cos its Sunday and then back to Monzuno for a shower and dinner in town at Trattoria Mulini. Had it not been for the pasta we'd ordered, I would have eaten just the crescentine, a regional specialty. My good God, how little I knew about eating well and about truly good food!
Back to today, and we're shortly to arrive at Madrid and so we're stretching and warming up for the 400m dash that is the catching of our connecting flight! Its been a great weekend, but short. Its been really bad at times, amazing at others. It has, however, also been perfect in one single way. It has been perfect in confirming what I suspected and being so that I now know I will return for a complete tuscan adventure. Once more will not be enough, and, if necessary, I'll run the gauntlet and fly Iberia again to get there.
Ciao Bologna, ci rivediamo!
Source: http://www.ArticlePros.com/author.php?Selwyn Figueras
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