Bo...lo...gna, Bo...lo...gna, Bo...lo...gna

Today is a big day, the day of the food walking tour of Bologna and also the big match between Bologna FC and AC Milan.  Easy.

After our hotel breakfast which we may have actually paid for today, with nothing special gluten-bloody-free, we prepared for the big day.

Our meeting spot for the Walking Food Tour of Bologna was between the two towers which we had not been close to so I took multiple photos. Old and beautiful. (My criteria basically)

Unfortunately we got there about 40 minutes early. Why? (You know why).  There was no one there. After 30 minutes other people started to arrive and we all began searching for our guide who we had all been told would be wearing an orange umbrella and a big smile. There were about 12 of us on the tour, all couples ranging from middle age to old. We were at the older end.  We did eventually find our guide, Gabriele who started by talking and explaining his name and a few hundred things as we stood on the pavement. No fun for me. 

We had a giggle about our names and he assured me he had tried his best with the gluten free stuff.  Bologna is all about the tortellini which of course I cannot eat as it is not made gluten-bloody-free.  So he handed everyone a pastry which again I could not have but he handed me a box of gluten-bloody-free chocolate tortellinis.  Now that is one of the best substitutes ever!!!  I loved him after that. He said there wasn't much he could do about the pasta and pastries but I would be good with meat dish and chocolates and ice-cream. I said 'yes'.

Paul's half eaten pastry, you have to be quick with photo!

My box of quite expensive chocolate tortellini. (I know as he had left the price on them.)

And so off we went into the hot sun and shade of the portico lined streets to places we had not yet explored.

First stop a pasta making factory where we watched women roll out sheets of pasta, and then make tortellini and then tagliatelli with the off cuts sort of. These are the two traditional Bologna pastas.

Rollin,

Rollin, rollin.

Putting the filling in the tiny squares

Rolling them into tortellini shapes. Painstaking.

Making the tagliatelli

We had our antipasto here with white wine, I think 4 types of ham/prosciutto/mortadella, all of which I could eat.

Next stop, a restaurant to actually eat the home made pastas, for those who can.

Look what I got, real as in fresh gluten-bloody-free bread. The best ever. I would have been happy to just have that with some of the bolognaise sauce

Paul with his tagliatelli in bolognaise sauce and tortellini in a cream sauce which looked lovely.

I got a hunk of pig/pork. Others on the tour were jealous. It was a huge leg and not bad for a non-pork lover. Never have I had so much pork on my fork!!!

And we had wine of course, this time a sangiovase. i had some of that.

The trattoria I am hoping to find later. Hmm ,unlikely

A cute canal nearby, reminding me of somewhere??

More streets and graffiti

And to our next stop, a balsamic vinegar tasting. This shop, Gilberto, also sold all sorts of food and stuff. Gabriele explained that Bologna is trying to retain its traditions to ensure an authentic product. Authentically, traditionally made food needs to be stamped etc. Serious stuff.

Pouring out the balsamic vinegar on little spoons for us to sample. It basically has to be at least 12 years old to even start being considered. 

Wine, champagne etc

Martelli pasta. Bottom shelf??

Look a pastry shop

Pretty street

Ice-cream shop where we were going to get an ice-cream

Mine after I had had some. Difficult to manage spoon and cup and camera.

And that was the end of the tour. 3.5 hours of walking in the hot sun. We managed to find a taxi to get back to the hotel for a few hours of recovery time before the big game.

Football

It was quite a logistical feat to get to the football match, completely sold out apparently. We were to catch a bus, number 21, from across the road at the train station. A taxi would not be able to get close enough due to street closures but buses were allowed in.

The game was to start at 8.45pm but you had to be there by 8 I was told. We waited for the 6.57pm bus which I thought was far too early until I saw the people arrive at the stop with their footy colours, more and more as we waited. Finally we got on the bus, pushed on, crammed on. Not only was it standing room only, we were crammed in like sardines and then at every stop, more people would come in. Luckily we were near a seat where someone was going to get off. Not easy but I managed to sit for most of the 30 minute trip.

When we arrived at the right stop, we got off with everyone else but it was quite a walk to the stadium and then more of a walk to find our bay which was right around the other side.  Getting in was not too bad after presenting our passports. And then to find the bay. We/I saw a sign indicating where our bay, G, was. It appeared to be after H1 (this will be important later).

After locating the amenities, we started the climb up to our seats. Hundreds of stairs up but relatively easy to manage. Then into the ground where it was not clear where G was. We asked a couple of attendants who gave us differing opinions. Eventually one said she would take us to our seats. Yes!!!

We went up more stairs and then to row 38 which was up more normal stairs and then about 6 stone steps with no rail. Scary for me at least. After sitting in our seats, we were accosted by people telling us we were in the wrong seats. We argued but there was a lot of confusion as this was happening all around us. The confusion was between H1 and G and did G really come before H. Maybe alphabetically but not at this stadium. We moved at least 3 times in the 1.5 hours we waited for the start of the game. We had decided to only stay for the first half as i was not going to make the stairs twice.

The atmosphere was amazing. We were right next to the real AC Milan fans and they were non-stop with chanting and singing and making noise. 

Inside the ground

looking down the first ser of stairs after i had climbed them. These were the easy ones.

Our view of the ground

The AC Milan fans. Must be a club thing

Paul and our view

Bologna flares going off

Security was everywhere

I have some videos that I cant add to the blog unfortunately.

After seeing 2 goals by Milan, we decided to make our move out of there to avoid the bedlam at the end.   We got out of the ground but then....

Not a great part of town and no one around and we had no idea where to go. After much distress, we got a taxi and went home. It had been so hot, smoky and uncomfortable in the ground.

Back in our hotel, never have we needed spritzers more.

Bo..lo..gna. Bo..lo..gna. Bo..lo..gna. Bo..lo..gna. Bo..lo..gna. Bo..lo..gna. Bo..lo..gna. 

Bad luck.