Over the weekend, my brother and I packed our bags and went to Bologna to visit our cousin, Nico. Nico is a culinary arts student, and is interning in a small town about an hour outside of the city called Porreta Terme. We left for Bologna at 6:30 am from Rome Termini train station, which was an experience in of itself! From Termini, we took the Frecciarossa high-speed train straight to Bologna. It only took about two and a half hours for us to get there.
Once we arrived, we had about four hours to fill before catching our next train to Porreta Terme. What to do with four hours in a big city with tons shopping and cafes...? We had a cornetto and caffe and waited for all of the shops to open. Bologna has a long street of shop after shop that eventually empties into a big Piazza. We walked up and down this street, wandering into any shops that caught our eyes. My brother ended up buying a tie made in Italy from a little old lady who owned her own store.
At 2:00pm, we made our way to Porreta Terme to see our cousin. The train ride took about an hour. When the doors opened, Nico was waiting for us. All three of us had the biggest smiles on our faces. For students studying abroad, it is comforting to see a familiar face.
We walked out of the train station into this little town that was nestled in the mountains. Nico took us to our Pensione, which happened to be owned by a friend of his boss. Then, he showed us around the town. It took us all of twenty minutes to walk around the entire town. Porreta Terme is one of those places where everyone knows each other, and everyone knows that the two Americans walking around in awe are definitely visiting.
For dinner, we were able to eat in the nicest restaurant in town, which just so happens to be the same place Nico is working in. My brother and I were so excited to eat a meal made by our cousin. He recommended that we start with a shrimp appetizer, Tommy order the Veal Osso Buco, and I order the homemade Ravioli stuffed with ricotta cheese and radicchio. I can honestly say that this was the best meal I have ever eaten in my life. After Nico got off of work, we met him at the only pub in town for a drink before heading to bed.
The next day, Tommy and I woke up and walked around the outdoor market. I found a shirt that had Nicole C. on the tag, so I figured I had to buy it. Then, we went to Nico's restaurant again for lunch. It was a fixed menu. I had pasta arrabiata and a types of cheese with vegetables. Once again, everything was fantastic. At lunch, we learned that Nico is learning from the same chef that taught Mario Batali. No wonder all of our food was so good.
After lunch, my brother and I took the train back into Bologna to shop around. When we returned, we went for dinner to the restaurant owned by the man who also owned our Pensione, who was the nicest man. We had pasta bolognese because we thought it would be a sin to go to Bologna and not order bolognese. After dinner, we met Nico at the other drinking establishment in this small town, La Sete Enoteca. We sat in this wine bar for two hours, laughing and telling stories.
Sunday morning, we left. We ended up taking the intercity train home. It took twice as long, but was worth it. The towns we passed on our way to Rome looked as if they were straight out of a movie. Little walled cities on top of mountains, yellow brick buildings, and old ruins everywhere. My brother and I had our own private car, just like in Harry Potter! We joked and laughed the whole way home, taking in the scenery, and trying to get used to this life we have been living for the past two months.
This trip was a restful and enjoyable weekend. I was so happy to be able to see our cousin and experience all the culture that Porreta Terme had to offer.
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