Dowd adventures in Bologna: The Bolognese Shuffle

mercoledì 15 febbraio 2012

The Bolognese Shuffle

Winter in Bologna, they warned us how cold it gets, and the chill gets into your bones, but like Antarctica it is not cold if you wear a jacket!
So everyone in Bologna wears either a Woolrich or Pueterey jackets, l personally prefer the more fitted Pueterey, there are of course those who wear puffy jackets but lets not talk about them, as they often wear their Ugg boots as well, and need to have sun glasses on. So its not that cold, colder in New York, the most important piece of clothing are boots, l wear Sorrells or my Redback work boots, but no boot is designed for the terracco polished walkways under the porticos. With just a bit of water or snow, they become a skate rink. And so the Bolognese shuffle comes to life, you see well dressed people shuffling along the walkways, rarely moving sideways, which is something they continue in summer as well, so wearing large jackets is essential as there is a lot of shoulder work. You look forward to a stretch of regular stone floor or concrete, but then you hit the open area wear the snow and ice are stained with the yellow tinge of dog pee, or ochre colour of shit. And beware of the falling icicles from the blocked guttering high above, if there are not casualties from this l will be most surprised, as Bologna is decorated like a christmas tree with these icicles dangling down.
The streets are silent, no scooters, few cars, and the people go quite, there seems to be less smoking as well, snow is such a leveller, it flattens space and softens light, it reaches into the people and subdues them, calms them. Winter is when the Italian bars come to life, they are a sanctuary from the cold or snow, a quick pit stop for a una caffe e brioche, and back out again, just enough time to warm the face and let the snow melt from the boots, leaving puddles in the bar. And cardboard, the material that l search for around the bins in the streets to paint on, takes on a new life in winter. Everyone is busy looking for large bits of cardboard in the streets, its a battle , as they use it to place on the portico floors to soak up the water, make it less slippery outside their shops, of course this brilliant idea has one small drawback, its cardboard! And so a couple of hours later it turns dark, and begin to break up, there upon wedging small pieces into the sole of your boots, making them now less likely to grip a surface, and the cardboard ends up spread over a hugh area, thank god there seems to be a never ending amount of cardboard in Bologna.
Now on another direction, we have had two lovely weekends lately with friends, going to Ca'Shin in the hills of Bologna, a co-op style restaurant, that has courses and holds events, it is a most beautiful villa in the hills, at the moment covered in snow, the kids can play outside, and the food and service is relaxed and most enjoyable. The other place was a Brazilian restaurant out in a nearby town called San Lazzalo, great to eat lots of meat again, and the best thing is their is a ten pin bowling place next door. Finally all those years l spent at the Golden Bowl came back to serve me well. Those who know me well, may know l have my own bowling shoes, that l somehow pinched years ago from the Golden Bowl, a red/white/blue banded pair, with number 8 on the heel, leather sole of course, the perfect dress shoe. I wont harp on about the bowling just to say the kids had a lane, the mothers another, and the fathers another. I came a solid second beaten by Christiano, the gentleman! who bowled wonderfully, having two strikes. But if l could say, l still have that lovely style where my back foot slides behind and across me as l let the ball go, it is as professional footwork as you could get, years of watching the professional drop outs bowl, while having a super thick shake with Simon Lee and Jason at the Golden Bowl.
The boys school, has been closed for a week over this snow period, why is another question, as you can still move about, and suddenly every parent had to change their lives and job times to suit having the kids at home. No homework was sent out by email, no thought of asking the parents what they wanted to do, no leadership, no bloody idea what to do. Well l am glad to drop that heavy load, just dont get me going again on the school, the cost and the moronic thinking that comes from this supposed International School begs belief.
Jaynes Italian is better and better, she has classes every day from 9.30 - 1.30, as well a her friend Berenese, who speaks solely in Italian to her, with the occasional English for correction, she is French, but speaks Italian perfectly, and is learning English, and this is the way to learn a language, speak it. Sadly l am in the studio listening to talk back radio, and mumbling to myself in a language that is yet to be recognized.
The boys have a young girl who picks them up from school on thursday, and spends two hours talking only in Italian, and so they are improving well, and have a better understanding than you think.
Off to London with the family on Friday, the school has a weeks holiday, called ski week, don't get me going !!!! So we are going to London, to see Holly and Steve, (the boys god parents), and Mike and Kate Frayne, as well as the natural history museum, David Hockney exhibition, Lucian Freud drawing show and have a go on the big wheel.