"... phewy up my nose...": Italy

It wasn’t long before we realised that the Dutch are a little like aeroplanes. You see, after 11 September, many axii of evil ago, when all the planes were grounded they actually found parking space to be a problem. Well, after Italy, I am sure that if all the Dutch actually went home there wouldn’t be enough room for them. Maybe it was our camping approach that led us to encounter the more adventurous.

Needless to say we didn’t meet any Nederlanders in Milan as this was our only brush with the three star hotel. Cool city, but the hotel leaves no memories. After the lakes, it was also the first of many a Duomo. A spectacular cathedral; well worth getting a pigeon’s eye view from the ramparts. We were already starting to get into the ice cream thing, Milan marks the priciest sorbet I have ever had, together with a killer lemon soda. You just have to have respect for the carabinieri, they know about the good things in life; Alfas. Perhaps more thieves get away when something goes haywire, but the cops look happy to be cruising the streets.

The stain glass inside Milan's cathedral.

True petrol heads giving directions

Pedestrian boulevard looking down to the castle.

Pigeon eye view

I can’t say Milan strikes me as a city I have to go back to, but it was kind to us.

So off south-eastish, Parma, and onto Bologna. Parma is small and quaint, obviously lunch had to be ham and melon, also some marvellous mozzarella. Italy was showing our stomachs a great time. From Parma we visited Torrechiara, a picturesque castle just outside the city, and then onto Modena. From Torrechiara we got our first taste of the rolling hills and beautiful countryside that would make up much of the rest of the trip.

Batistere in Parma, clad in the beautiful pink marble of the region.

Pedestrian street in Parma.

Torrechiara from afar.

View from Torrechiara.

Modena, hmm Modena. The best thing to have come out of Modena are fast cars and vinegar. Otherwise it is a hole! This was low point of the trip, thankfully a fleeting one as we camped in a mozzi infested dump on the outskirts of town (better than the other option slap bang in the highway), and then hit the road to Bologna. Unless you are visiting a Lamborghini or Ferrari spot, take the ring road.

Bologna surprised, perhaps like food flavoured by hunger, Bologna was just beautiful after Modena. To be fair though I think it would even be enjoyed if approach from Florence in the south. Great architecture, cultural treasures and a classy atmosphere make this city with its arched gallery pavements very special. Back in the old days every family seemed to have built themselves a tower. Not many still exist, but in Bologna two stand side by side. Bravely we took on the tall one, 500 steps later, neither vertigo nor my great physical shape helping, we were rewarded by a 360 degree view of the red stone and distant hills that make up this gem of a city. Going to Italy? Go to Bologna!