Dowd adventures in Bologna: Bologna alive and well

lunedì 26 settembre 2011

Bologna alive and well

Well the last weekend was busy busy busy in Bologna, it was like a boxing day sale, apparently there was a fair on and everyone came into town. The piazzas were alive as well, in Santo Stefano there was a promotion on sports, table tennis tables, soccer games, basketball (Bolognas big sport) rugby, orienteering, and of course the old favorite middle age fencing, sorry too confuse you, not middle age fencing, but Medieval sword fighting, as the swords are rather large and clumsy as compared to today, hence the fact you don't see it that much anymore, well not at the Olympics. The boys had a great time shooting baskets, and collected two rugby balls, which add to the aussie rule ball's, soccer ball's and tennis ball's.
Then over at Piazza Maggiore was an astonishing presentation and spectacular Roman army village, set up with tents, kitchen, shield and spear making, a physician tent and musical instrument demonstration. There was about 40 people involved, all in authentic uniforms, and they put on demonstrations of battle practice and a shield scrum, that the Wallabies need to look at!
And like Arezzo, Italians look perfectly at ease in this gear, they have not changed at all in hundreds of years, there was only one weedy looking bloke, and he was on the catapult display. The armour was so well put together, it must have come from Gladiator the movie, but these bloke spoke italian.
I was so inspired l went out and bought Spartacus and Gladiator, and also came home with Young Frankenstein, the movie, just to bring a bit of balance to my tv viewing.
Without spoiling the surprise too much, a great deal of my painting has to do with this gladiator/ roman business, but l'll wait till they are well along before showing these pictures. Sadly for me l have the physique of a flag thrower in Arezzo, rather than a Roman centurion.
The boys have started with their tennis lessons, as well as learning some more Italian words, in particular, base line, serve, collect the balls, volley, the scores, racket and of course capisci!
Our friend Elisabeth had her bike stolen, they did not break the lock (titanium) but they actually lifted it up and over the 8 foot pole it was attached to, l wonder what people may have thought when they saw that happening, and having to carry it off to an angle grinder. It had a baby seat on the back, which l thought may have been in the thieving code of conduct a not to steal rule, obviously not!