Ciao tutti,
Over the last week, there have been several small events on
which to report, so I decided to dedicate a post to this hodgepodge of events.
In Italian, the phrase is “un sacco di cose” (literally, a sack
of things. In English, we use “bunch” instead of “sack”). Anyway, here goes:
CALCIO
Last Wednesday, I checked off one of my biggest bucket list
items – something everyone needs to do when in Europe for an extended period of
time. I’m talking about witnessing a match of the great sporting tradition known as football. No, not American
football. Soccer! (Calcio, in Italian, pronounced “CALL-cho”).
A group of friends and I got tickets to see Bologna FC take
on the Turinese powerhouse Juventus at home. It was a great match, full of much
excitement and rowdy fans. I will admit I was a little terrified at first, what
with this being my first European soccer game and all. Plus we were sitting on
the curva, where all the hardcore
Bologna fans were. But I survived, (really I had nothing to worry about. As long as I wore the same colors and cheered when I was supposed to, I was fine). It was an awesome experience, to say the least.
Moreover, it was an exciting game! (Well, not score-wise). Bologna took the lead early, but Juventus came back and tied
late in the game, with a final score of 1-1.
 |
| GOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL!! |
 |
| la curva |
Auguri! FESTA
della DONNA
The next day after the soccer game, March 8, was
International Women’s Day! (Congrats to all the women out there, btw. You did
it!) Although IWD might not get a lot of attention in the U.S., it certainly is
a big deal over here in Italy. Everywhere I went, people were greeting women
with a congratulatory “auguri!” (which means “best wishes”
or “all the best.” It’s a term of congratulations). There were several events in
various piazzas celebrating the Festa della Donna (literally
“holiday of women”); and even at the grocery store, each female customer was
given a free cactus at checkout!
FUNERALE
A week ago Sunday, Italy lost a legend: Lucio Dalla past
away at the age of 68. He was a very famous singer-songwriter known throughout
Italy, but especially in Bologna, his hometown. As such, his funeral took place
at the Basilica di San Petronio, the
main and largest church of the city. Piazza Maggiore was packed with people who
had come to pay their respects, and afterwards, the crowds flooded Via
dell’Indipendenza, one of the main streets in Bologna. It was quite a sight.
SAN LUCA
Last weekend, before we went to Lake Garda, I took Troy (my
friend who was visiting for the weekend) up to see San Luca. Il Santuario della Beata Vergine di San Luca
is a large church and shrine on top of a hill southwest of the Bologna city
center. To get up there, once must climb uphill under a walkway of 666
porticos. The walk is a more than a little bit tiring, but the view of the city
and the Emilia-Romagna landscape from
atop the hill is phenomenal. Plus, the church itself is spectacular. Inside,
there is a religious icon of the Madonna
and Child said to have been done at the hands of St. Luke (San Luca) himself.
Another beautiful sunset to end a great day!
Ciao for now,
Augusto
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