Bologna & the Static in My Ears
okay, so bologna. it wasn't on the list, honestly. i was supposed to be chasing light in florence, but my van, bless its rusty soul, decided it needed a ‘moment’ just outside of here. a very long moment. and honestly? i’m kinda glad.
i’m a freelance photographer, which basically means i spend a lot of time staring at things and hoping they look good. and sometimes, they do. but mostly, it’s just…waiting. waiting for the golden hour, waiting for the rain to stop, waiting for a decent *espresso. this waiting has given me a lot of time to observe. like, really observe.
i just checked and it’s…a bit hazy, actually. the air feels thick, like someone’s been simmering tomato sauce for days. the weather report said 36.87 degrees, but it feels like 35.42, which, let’s be real, is just a fancy way of saying ‘warm-ish’. the pressure’s at 1006, humidity’s low at 21%, and the sea level is…well, it’s 1006. don’t ask me why they need to tell you that. i’m a photographer, not a meteorologist.
this city is…layered. like a really good lasagna. you’ve got the ancient stuff, the porticoes that stretch on forever, then you’ve got the student vibe, all scooters and loud conversations. and then there’s this undercurrent of…something else. i can’t quite put my finger on it. maybe it’s the static in my ears from all the van repairs.
someone told me that the Osteria dell’Orsa is a tourist trap, but you have to go just to see the chaos. apparently, they just pile plates of pasta at you until you beg for mercy.
i spent yesterday wandering around the Quadrilatero, getting lost in the maze of streets. it’s a photographer’s dream, honestly. crumbling buildings, vibrant markets, old men playing cards in doorways. i overheard a local complaining about the tourists blocking the streets, but honestly, who can blame them? this place is gorgeous. i found a little shop selling vintage cameras - seriously, a treasure trove! - and spent way too much money. Check out some vintage camera shops here.
the neighbors? well, if you get bored, modena and parma are just a quick train ride away. i’ve heard good things about both, especially the food. i’m trying to avoid trains, though. the van situation has made me wary of public transport.
i also heard that the gelato at La Sorbetteria Castiglione is legendary. like, people queue for hours legendary. i haven’t braved it yet, but it’s on the list. TripAdvisor has a lot of opinions on gelato.
i’m staying in a tiny Airbnb near the university. the landlady, signora elena, doesn’t speak a word of english, but she keeps trying to feed me biscuits. it’s a sweet gesture, even if i’m pretty sure they’re three years old.
apparently, there’s a secret underground city beneath bologna, full of tunnels and hidden passages. a drunk guy at the bar told me it’s haunted. naturally.
i’m starting to think this van breakdown was a blessing in disguise. florence will still be there. but bologna…bologna feels different. it feels…real. it feels like a place where stories are still being written. and i’m here to try and capture a few of them. Here's a local blog about Bologna.
oh, and someone warned me about pickpockets near the piazza maggiore. so, you know, keep your wallet* close. and maybe your camera too. just saying. Check out this safety guide.
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