Today we took time out of the busy schedule to do practically nothing.  I slept in until around 11:00 a.m. which was pro forma for Mexico.   Since we’ve rented the apartment here, we thought we might as well do something exotic, so we tossed a load of clothes into the tiny washing machine.  We then went out, wandered around a little, had lunch, then returned to the apartment to pick up our computers on the way to the internet store.  The washing machine was still going.  Odd though.  We’ve discovered that dryers are not common here.  Most people hang out their laundry.  We’ve been told that’s because the cost of electricity is so high.  But that can’t be the case since it takes three hours to wash clothes. 

We wandered around the University area of the town looking for internet stores but finally came back to the one closest to our hotel.  This place is a regular zoo.  Imagine a rectangular room that is about 25 feet long and 6 feet wide.   On one wall there are computers on tiny little shelves.  That’s where you sit with your back to a wall of glass booths where people come in to talk on their phones.  Only thing is, they scream so loudly, you can hear everything they say.  We had to stand up and turn sideways so that the owner could get the baby carriage out the door.  The business is mostly used by Africans, Indians, and some people who just chance by.  It’s kind of a social center in its own way.  Everyone chats with everyone else, maintaining a running dialogue while they’re on-line. 

Again, we’re having a marvelous day.  The temperature is probably in the mid-70s, maybe higher in the sun.  After we leave here, we’re journeying out to a supermarket to pick up some things for breakfast tomorrow.  Tonight, Diana made reservations at a restaurant called “Diana.”  The matire’d smiles when she gave her name for the reservation, saying something to the effect, “Not likely we’ll forget that.”

We intend to venture out to other cities such as Ferrara, ……  while we’re still in Bologna.  I want to take a tour of the Ferrari and Massarati museums and we’re going to see how parmagean cheese is made as well.  We continue seeing the efficiency of the trains and the hit-and-miss schedules for the busses.  You never really know if a bus is ever going to come  I salute the Italians who, after all, seem to be quite patient when it comes to these schedules. 

Our only disappointment here so far in Bologna is the food, which we were told was among the best in Italy.  We tried a great vegetarian place, but the food wasn't really what you'd call Italian, and stopped at a Chinese place when all the Italian places were filled to the brim and accepting no more diners at 10:30 pm, but to be honest the tagliatelle Bolognese at one ristorante was nothing to write home about (even though that's what I'm doing) and the mortadella, which was the inspiration for American bologna, wasn't up to the standard of Oscar Meyer.  Hopefully tonight we'll try a place that will reverse our impressions...