Day 8- Thur 5th Oct, 2017 - Bologna tourist

Day 8- Thur 5th Oct, 2017 - Bologna tourist

It was time for a slow day. After a long breakfast and lazing around writing my blog and researching being a tourist, I headed out late morning into a clear, warm autumn day.

I walked via the university district and found more good restaurants. There was a lot of students, bicycles, and scooters. Classes appeared to be in today.

Posters remained for Pope Francis’s Bologna parade on last Sunday.

Being after midday, most retail was shut for the lunch break, so I found a comfortable spot in a pretty square (       Piazza Santo Stefano ) and started the John Grisham book titled ‘The Broker’, set in Bologna.

I visited a simple little church on this square and realized this was the only church I had entered on my entire Italy visit. In later research it was one of seven churches on this site named : Basilica di Santo Stefano . It dates from 5th century.

Then I walked back to the tourist office on the main square and bought a 15:30 ticket for an ascent of the 12th century brick tower.

The climbed up the 488 wooden stairs to the top at 97m was not too scary. Built between 1109 & 1119, these towers were part of originally 200. Today only 20 remain, including these two (“Duo Torri”). It leans 1.3°, compared to Pisa’s lean of 3.97°.  Having passed mandatory cardiologist medical check for L’Eroica Ride, I felt ok on the climb.

Tonight I consciously stayed away from the tourist area and found a line of cafes in my residential area, only 400m away. This was one of my best meals so far - Bruschetta (€6) followed by Tortellini (€6) and salad, with bread and Pinot Gris wine.

It had been a good day as a foot tourist and I fell asleep easily,