Two cities, one weekend: Modena & Bologna

Immediately following Napoli I boarded a train headed for Reggio Emilia, the main Italian office of VGL. Upon my arrival 30 of the employees from this office gathered for an aperitif or happy hour.  Everyone greeted me with open arms and were happy to start easy conversations with me.  This was a wonderful and quick way to be welcomed and then given the opportunity to explore my new surroundings on the weekend.  But you cannot start the weekend without a set of wheels!  I was given a company car to use I think the remainder of the time I am in Italy!  And it is manual!!!!  Bad news it’s French…….but still fun to drive! Knowing that I would be back in Reggio Emilia in the near future, I planned to go to two neighboring cities.

Modena

Saturday I got a late start to Modena, because I had to do something I was craving: Crossfit!!!! Two weeks without it is like withdraw. My insides were shaking….bursting with energy and unexpended adrenaline that was preventing this Ginger for her much needed beauty rest!  YES! An hour of thinking of nothing except but pushing my body to its limits, proceeded with lying on the floor then fist pumping fellow athletes! It was a great therapy session, I kinda wanted to stay, but the box was closing for the weekend. Off I went to shower, a quick bite to eat, and on my way to Modena.

Why Modena? Call it absurd, but because of a television show, Master of None.  I started watching the show in February not knowing the main character, like myself, would be traveling……living in Italy! Long story short I can relate to the character's relationship struggles. In the finale of the first season the main character questions the future with his long-time girlfriend and all the other possibilities in life he could choose from depending on which path he took. The first few episodes of the second season the character jetsetts off to Italy, specifically Modena!  Ridiculous I know bonding with a fictional character but, this show came at a point in my life I too was experiencing an existential crisis contemplating my relationships, future, and self. And I am okay if it silly, because this is me and it has brought me here to tell the tales of Modena!

Master of None Landmarks

Boutique del Tortellino

Palazzo Ducale di Modena

Was the Duke of Modena's palace, but now is a military academy

Via Canalino: The only curved street in the city

Piazzetta San Giacomo

Typical Hollywood, the city was nothing like the show, which portrays the city as a quiet small town with a minuscule population and an old time feel.  Modena certainly is a quaint city but more people and more modern than depicted. Learning my lesson from Napoli on misperceptions and having an open mind, I was not disappointed and embraced what this city had to offer! I visited several sites from the television show because that is why I came to Modena in the first place.  Fortunately or unfortunately, glass half full or half empty these Master of None landmarks were not the highlight of Modena. I prefer half full and Modena has so much more character in person than behind the screen!

Like……...sports cars! Master of None did NOT portray Modena as a melting pot of not just any vehicles but fancy fast rides!  Emilia Romagna Region is the birthplace of Ferrari, Maserati, and Lamborghini. And it just so happened on this day several of them were lined up in the piazza.  I inspected them all choosing my dream ride, because a girl can dream!

Although the brightly colored cars caught my eye, it was the church in Modena’s piazza that I could not stop staring at.  Ever have something catch your attention and there is no explanation why you are enthralled by it? I have seen many churches and beautiful structures, but this one I made quizzical circles around waiting for it to softly murmur the secret behind its luring nature.  Perhaps it was the sun’s rays luminating the brilliantly white sides? Or rounding the church’s corner for the first time was similar to opening a door into the piazza? I guess I will never know!

First glance of the church

Rounding the church opening into the piazza

filled with flashy automobiles!

After adoring the church and breaking its siren song, I wandered the cobblestone streets, some with grass growing between the stones.  I only needed to use my map app to find specific places I wanted to see from Master of None. Otherwise I meandered sometimes walking under the arches of the sidewalks or choosing the roads for a better view of the beauty before me.  Eventually I would always find myself at a monument that I had already eyed up and down. It was not until after a brief spring shower did I notice something different.  The sky was now blue, the streets were damp, but the covered walkways had changed……. Before I could navigate the elegantly arched pathways in a straight line, but now I had to weave around the crowds. Ahhh ha! So it is true! The day before a fellow Reggio Emilia employee provided insider information that if it rains……even threatens a drop locals stay inside. When I first arrived in Modena there was a manageable amount of people touring the streets. After the clouds had their dance shedding droplets down onto us and the sun parted the clouds, it was like Moses separating the sea welcoming the people to come outside! I guess the saying should go, “if it rains people won’t come!” Except Gingers we only burn in the sun!

  

Bologna

The next day I took the high speed train to Bologna.  Walking in the sun from the train station to the center of the city I became sleepy….relaxed.  Like I could sprawl out on a blanket outside and let the shaded sun melt me into a dreamland.  I took in the beauty of the same covered arched sidewalks similar to Modena and this region of Italy.  Snapped a few pictures of two historical leaning tower, churches and more!  But I really desired to take in the surroundings from a sedentary position, so I had lunch!

 

Pasta Bolognese or Ragu is a local dish in this region and best to have it in Bologna!!!!!! Plenty of ground beef, veal, and pork with a touch of tomato sauce on top of al dente homemade pasta. And of course a glass of red wine.  Finishing my dish, I wanted to take my time and sit longer, but a flock of tourists were eyeing my table. Plus I am in Bologna so I should actually do some sightseeing! A slow pace towards the center of every Italian village: the piazza!

I loved this piazza because it was filled with people, but we were not packed like sardines.  Either the piazza is enormous or its surrounding arched structures provide the essence of open and airiness to it. Perhaps both?  There were children chasing balloons, tourists hopping on “train” carts, and live music playing.  I substituted my daydreaming on a picnic blanket for a table for one under the arches relaxing my muscles with a glass………bottle of wine. Trading my thoughts of, “I only have one day in Bologna so you must see it all!” for “life is good right here right now watching, listening to the hum of life around me.”

After the bottle was dry I lazily strided through Bologna.  With not a care in the world or perhaps it was the wine dancing in my head I cherished navigating under the rounded covered streets passing striking buildings as I went. I traveled further and further from the flat city center until I had to look up to see the road ahead.  Of course whenever you look up in Italy you will find…………you guessed it! A church!  And typical me wanted to go to the one not too far ahead, so I started to climb the streets.  I never made it to the church.  You can never just peer up and go towards a building or place in Italy. There are always winding turns and hidden hills that throws a tourist off their tracks. Using my map app to find the route for the church I discovered a green patch on my screen.  A park with beautiful google images a tad higher than the church.  Not toooooo far away to still make the last train back to Reggio Emilia is what I told myself as I started in the opposite direction of the church.  What is the worse that could happen? Being stuck overnight in a beautiful Italian city!  There she goes! Off to test the limits of time!

Jogging up the hill was a bit more challenging after a bottle of wine. The hazy feeling in my head quickly vanished and the sweat started to collect in my brow.  But I didn’t care I headed for the hills, my favorite landscape in Italy! Plodding along in jeans, for once on this trip I was not prepared for fitness!  Still not a care in the world as the greenery started to expand around me.  I could see the park, then I could smell the freshly cut grass. At the entrance my gait switched to a walk because this was not the time to run, but appreciate…..relish in the quiet nature with Bologna tucked below.  Brushing my fingers along the long grass that edged the trail I watched locals nestled in the grass sipping wine or dogs trotting ahead of their masters. Back to my relaxed state pausing to sit on a bench or slowly stroll down the path with the sun on my back, soaking up nature. 

Making my way to top of the hill I noticed passerbys coming down from a different trail tucked neatly in the woods.  Where does it lead?  Curiosity for me is similar to someone telling me they have a surprise but will not reveal it until hours later.  What can I say I like instant gratification of being in the know!  I had to know what surprise was at the end of that path. A local couple revealed a church! Of course a church was at the end of this maze! But the gate would be locked in a half hour so I best hurry if I want to see it and make it back before it shuts me inside its walls. Hah! Little did the couple know know I was already on a time crunch so this was perfecto!  Trotting up the wooded path passing through fields, squeezing through the steel gate, and up railway tile steps up to the tippy top! To be honest the church was not dainty or cute.  The red sided church with plain white walls inside had little personality and was settled on top of a wooded hill obscuring the views around it.  But the journey leading to the unknowingly ordinary destined church was stunning.  It was a mad dash to reach the top, but I still paused to take a breath. Breathing in the combination of honeysuckle and grassy air and imprinting to memory the beautiful landscape that I love so much in this country.  Well worth the trek!

Some people downhill ski, but tooting my own horn these days I downhill sprint! My descent down from the church was a gallop.  I had three miles just to reach the piazza of Bologna then a little over a half mile through the city streets to the train station.  Classical me I had hair ties and clip to pin my hair up and the good sense to wear practical shoes to walk in all day. Ready set go! Passing the romantic couples on blankets or teenagers sneakily drinking wine in the fields, and fellow hikers making their way up, I whizzed by as they stared at this crazy redheaded Americano!  I stopped once when I was interrupted by the same couple that gave me directions to the church.  We exchanged broken English and a laugh explaining my need to hurry!  RAPIDO!

Boarding the train 15 minutes to spare I sat in my drenched shirt with hair sticking to my face. Hah but I made it! Either the adrenaline pumping through my veins or sprinting downhill the last half hour, or perhaps it was the need for speed after dreaming the night before of the speed demons in Modena. I wanted to continue to fly as fast as my feet would let me.  Upon returning to Reggio Emilia, I went for a six mile timed run. Half full today……….I slept like a baby, so it was well worth it!