Torino with Katie

(street performer - interesting instrument) 

(the other side of the Piazza Castello) 

(Inside Palazzo di Citta; the market was held during the time, found some tasty food!) 

We were wandering around and found a bench near the river. Lovely view.

Day view of the River Po. Here will be near towards Piazza Vittorio Veneto, interesting enough here reminds me of Bath Spa, UK. 

Easter

Before Easter

I've met my flatmates mother, Marie. She is a sweet lady, who's like mary poppin! When she arrived the amount of food she brought with her **jaw dropping** Pane, Olive, Dolce and MORE!! Marie doesn't speak any english so I've managed to have a little italian session with her, but only using single words and alot of hand gesture to convey what we're trying to say. One of the nights I've made the whole family stir fry. I already know the brothers like my cooking and Marie approves as well, this makes me happy. Marie is an excellent cook, usually I'm not very keen on lamb but the ones she made was good. I am so glad I've decided to live with the San Vitale Brothers, the whole family is so nice and we get on so well.

Easter Sunday

I missed out on a very big meal! Easter Sundays are considered family day, only small bars and some restaurants are open, but most shops will be closed as Easter is one of the biggest holiday in Italy. On the day I was travelling to  meet up with my best friend, Katie, we're spending a week travelling to Torino, Roma, Bologna and then flornece. Before I set off I saw Marie making pane, veggies and funghi mixed together. Even though Marie hasn't finished cooking everything looks so tasty.

Off I go, but before I left a Philippine guy was trying to talk to me on the bus platform. He said I look like I'm from Thailand??? Anyway moving that aside, train up to Torino! Bologna was raining when I left after 20minutes on the train the sky has brightened up very nicely. Torino welcomed me with it beautiful scene and  warm weather, BRILLIANT! Katie wasn't going to arrive until 3 hours later so I've decided to explore the area first, so much to see. It was a good thing the shops weren't open because I definitely wouldn't have walked around Torino as much as I would have. 

(Interesting... I like!)

(Ahhhhhhh...!!)

(Haughting figure, thay shall creep upon when least expected) 

Update

It been almost 2 weeks since my last update **sigh**

Allora, my life in bologna is improving. It was my right decision to live with the San Vitale Brothers, we get on so well. Ivan, Adam and I went to play basketball! I may not know how to play basket ball properly but at least I can shoot some hoops! I have settled in a bit more; chosen my final courses- My art is different in bologna because so far I focus more on drawing! The representation of space requires drawing architectural space which I am interested in. Would be so much better if the tutor isn't so... (grrrr can't find the word). Professor Donato is nice because I think he knows I am trying my best to understand the course and he is willing to speak English with me (please note his English = my Italian haha). With his course I am going to make a chair out of cardboard! I'm really excited to do that.

Map of Bologna

Before I can concentrate on my accademia work I must complete my university work: essay and proposal... Oh how you drain me... hence why I don't have much to say about the past two weeks. Literally just finished them all this week 31/03/2012 and for the first time I don't have any Uni work to do in the weekend I ended up staying in at night. During day time though (31st) I've decided to take on an ambitious trip, which is finding all of the gates that surround the whole of Bologna. Oh yes I've walked one BIG circle, if you check on the map of bologna there should be 11 gates (I know the one I've posted isn't great =P). The first gate I went to was Porta San Vitale, then enroute to Porta San Donato and all the way round finishing at Porta maggiore.

 

Porta S.Vitale

 

Porta S.Donato

 

Again Porta S.Donato

 

This is not your regular asian 'V' pose. Its just my indication of: Two down, Nine more to go!



No Porta so I took a photo of its sign haha.

Porta Saragozza

During the walk I've found out that some of the Porto does not exist anymore. My map was just trying to point out where they were... (I thought I was lost!). Another interesting thing I have noticed, when I ask for direction people would ask me whether I speak English or not. At first I found it odd that they've asked such a thing but I guess this just shows in my heart I consider myself British and Chinese.

And finally just showing you what beautiful weather Bologna had on Saturday, 27 degrees man!!

Great Monday, but crap Tuesday

I had a lovely Monday, there wasn't any classes I want to go to so I had a lovely lie-in. Managed to do some work and then I've asked Adam, my lovely flatmate to take me to the Chinese supermarket. It was an average market but I was sooooo happy because now I have Jasmine tea, rice, NOODLES and UDON NOODLES!!! Bliss. Also one of the most important, GINGER! The weather was hot, 23 degrees so Adam and I finished the rest of the gelato. It was Ivan's turn to cook, we had the soya burgers they brought for me. They liked it! I'm slowly converting their diet, oh yes **wink wink** A totally Happy Day!

Crap Tuesday, the only class I went to today... The professor was just the same as last week speaking all the way through 2 hours straight, ok you like talk fine but do show some concern to the students that doesn't understand what you're talking about. Or don't just speak, do some demo!!!! AHHHHHH!!! Walked back to my flat feeling very angry and frustrated!!! grrrrrrrrr..... Travel Money Card sort yourself out!!!!!!

ST. Patrick's day

 For the first time I've celebrated St. Patrick's day, funny enough my first paddy is in Bologna. I've met two new irish friends, Jenny and Sinead who are also on erasmus exchange. Its was a fun experience, we jumped onto a autobus, number 25, traveled pretty far away from the city centre because we were heading to what seems like the middle of no where. Parco Nord was where we've traveled to, we were so lost at first and final found a dome called Pala Nord, apparently lots of music gigs goes on around here. The place was quite interesting, food stores were set outside ready for customers, however we did arrive there pretty early because we didn't know what time started.

(Inside Pala Nord)

 Headed back to the city centre, the irish pub was packed! I'm so short it was almost impossible for me to walk through the crowd *sigh*. My friends were right, italian men are so forward... no means no geeez! Anyway all in all I had a good time, the pub was nice they had a big blown up guinness up at the shelves corner. I have lovely flatmates who worry about me, they made sure I was alright, bless them. I'm going to convert them to eat more veggies; not that they don't eat vegetables but more can never hurt eh? Haha.

Addition

Just realised some of the things I was going to talk about. 

The system at the accademia is sooooo different to UWE, Professors turns up an hour later to the time stated on the timetable! Not used to that... My emotion has been a roller coaster and I get tired really easily too because I feel stressed out about not having done anything, yet I am exhausted by the end of the day! I dislike that feeling a lot. Not many professors or people speak english so communication is a struggle. 

One of my guilty pleasure will have to be gelato, having a gelato just makes me so happy! Happy about the little things, even Sue laughed at me when I spoke out loud; Gelato makes me happy ^^. Its all good so far I've only had two gelato, so I won't be fat, yet haha. 

I don't think italian people uses a kettle, so far I haven't used one. Oh the coffee, oh I love the coffee. I'll have to be careful not to drink too much or else I'll be bouncing and twitching everywhere!! 

(Ignore the face, I'm still ill at this point...)

First post since I've arrived in Bologna!

Counting today its been 14 days since I've arrived in Bologna, so much to tell! However do be warned that its been and still is an emotion ride for me, as I still have yet to settle down completely. Here goes....

My first impression of Bologna: Sunny, even before I got off the plane the shining sun was already welcoming me! Excitement overwhelms me because my eyes were gazing at everything that passes by, you can probably imagine my head turning in every direction. One of the things I've noticed was the sky in Bologna isn't was clear as the UK, however its ever so beautiful- I love looking up into the sky.

The common thing about cities are no matter where, taxi drivers just loves to sound their horns; time = money, slow drivers = must beeeeep! The buildings in bologna are much more compacted, but ever so colourful, which is another thing I like to look at (the multiple coloured building which pieces together nicely).

( Justing turning to the corner; towards the right is where we stayed, we were on the bottom floor, a very cute apartment.)

 Where I stayed for my first 10 days was at Via Pisano 48 our landlady, Linda is a lovely person. She's ever so sweet and beautiful, one day she made us a sweet sponge-like cake, topped with delicious apple on the top. MmmmmMMMmmmmmm... Italian people call desserts dolce. By the end of my first day in Bologna my cold has fully developed! I ended up losing my voice for 5 days *sad face*

On my first night I had pizza! In my temporary apartment I shared one room with the other two ladies, Sue and Maggs, whom I traveled with. I'm glad we've decided to travel together, they're very nice and took care of me when I was unwell, unfortunately I gave Maggs my cold... Sunday the 4th we both stayed in to rest. The accademia di belle arti di Bologna is located on Via belle arti - 30-35mins walk. The building is so different to our university! 

 (The entrance view of the accademia)

 Almost everyday I had to travel to the centre, Piazza Maggiore to use the public computer at the commune di Bologna. The public computer allows us to surf the internet for only one hour max, so it was pretty much racing against time to do what we have to do. Oh another incident was when we were looking for the Dante Alighieri, an old lady was trying to help us look for the place and then told us that someone had died! We couldn't understand who she was talking about... When we found the Dante Alighieri- the place where I'm hoping to take more italian lessons 'cause my italian is bad >.< not good at communicating - the lady there cleared up our mystery, Lucio Dalla a famous singer in Bologna had died; everyone in Bologna has been talking about it. The next day when we've visited the centre lots of people were lining up in Piazza Maggiore to pay tributes to Lucio. Spent a couple of days for room viewing, I tried my best to convince myself to op for a cheap room double room, however personal space was just too important to me. Now I am living with three boys, who are three brothers and are very nice. I have my own room, very spacious :) around 25minutes walk to the centre (I walk a lot in Bristol anyway). 

Other places I've been in Bologna, well each time I head into the centre I've been walking past the Fontana di Nettuno without realising its one of the hot spot for tourist!! The fountain is one of the most promiscuous fountain I have ever seen! (google it yourself). We walked past a couple of portals and Via dell'inferno also named as 'hell street' because this was where Jews were segregated and confined in the past, only doctors were allowed in and out. I do have more to tell but lets leave that for another time.