A Glimpse of our Winter Adventure in Berlin

We knew it would be cold in Berlin. In the minuses, we knew, and in preparation had brought additional layers of clothing for our winter holiday there. However we had not expected the locals to complain as well!  ‘It is minus 7 degrees with a wind chill of minus 21! our shivering cab driver informed us as she hauled our luggage into her boot.    We travelled under a grey sky along grey streets and were met at a grey door behind which was our accommodation. Through a passageway and there they were – the beautiful, red brick, Berlin Lofts!  Once warehouses, today they are tastefully transformed into warm roomy hotel apartments – equipped with practically everything that visitors  to Berlin would want. I could quite happily live in this apartment with its open plan kitchen, dining and lounge area in which a party of 100 people would rattle about.  

Bundled into our many layers we  quickly strolled around the neighbourhood, purchased a few necessities   - oh look! over there looks to be a friendly local pub!  Such warmth – we sighed blissfully as we peeled off our layers of clothing and sat down to enjoy some local beer, wine and food  - and at very reasonable prices, too!  Our 20-month-old grandson was an instant hit with both the staff and regulars – our first realisation that the Berliners love babies!!  This pub became our ‘regular’ during our stay in Berlin  - no doubt the regulars missed our noisy repartee and baby’s antics after our departure.

Our Bologna Walking Adventure

Move over, expensive bus tours and Ferrari factory tours that charge extortionist rates! Old town Bologna is a city one should walk around!!! There is only 1 main traffic road passing through the centre that I could see from the top of the Torre Asinelli - the tallest remaining tower in the city  - 598 steps up!! Apparently all families of note erected a tower each. Today most have collapsed or have been reduced to about 3 stories high and capped. Nearby is the Food Precinct in the Quatra Latino area - a must to visit!  Delicatessens with hundreds of hanging meats, cheeses and local foods, wine bars, cafes, fish and vegetable shops, restaurants, pizzerias and the crowded Mercate di Mezzo Food Hall – where we lunched – had so many choices of freshly-prepared-in front-of-you foods. Just around the we strolled through the very upmarket Cavore Galleria shopping mall - which included a Ferrari shop, and the ornate Venetian designed Santa Maria Bella Vita church – well worth a peek inside -  wow! very dramatic! 

The Palazzo d'Accursio museum across from the Basilica of San Petronio in the Piazza Maggiore we enjoyed, for as well as the significant art works and sculptures, the rooms have been restored and have amazing frescoes painted in the 1500’s by Prospero Fontana. Especially amusing was the room at the  far end – which was done up as a leafy conservatory – where one could imagine that a barbie or picnic, Italian style, would have been held. 

Our Bologna Adventure - day 1

It was a treat to be introduced to the local fare at one of Bologna’s better restaurants opposite ‘ the seven churches’ - Sette Chiese – or Basilica di Santo Stefano.

These buildings are a conglomeration of various architectural styles, spanning over several centuries. The most interesting item to me was a dome, constructed of small house building sized red bricks, spiraling round and round until one oblong brick closed the gap at the top. The large nativity scene figurines, mostly gold in colour, were made either from paper mache, porcelain or stone.  The display was attended by a lady who kept rearranging the many dried and live greenery accompaniments, including lavender, giving the exhibition a fresh peaceful aroma.

Bologna, a city of towers, porticos, and many beautiful shops  – which made the items in Zara look very average –  is a great place to walk around. Amongst the shops are very old buildings, mainly churches but worth visiting.  That evening we noticed many young people heading into the Cathedral of Bologna, a large church surrounded by shops.  Maybe a carol service?  There was a poster outside, advertising a ‘notable’ tenor and organist.  So we strolled inside, waiting while the thousand or so queues of people seated themselves, filling about half the cathedral, only to find out that it was a prayer service, honouring the youth of the city.