OK--some times it is too hard to avoid the obvious. And last night was one of those times... While I was not certain what I was ordering for dinner, the antipasto I decided on was cheese and bologna...And Nancy and I are in Bologna...What else can I say?

Christ in the Manger--with Pasta for Hay
Except to explain why yesterday we took an Albania Airlines flight from Tirana to Bologna, and we will take it back to Tirana on Sunday. The reason is that visas to Albania are only good for 21 days, after which you have to leave the country or pay a fine. In our case the embassy took us to the police station where we applied for, and received, an extended visa. The extension cost a little, but not that much--but the longer the extension the more the cost. While there the police officer we were dealing with strongly urged us to take a 3 month extension and save the money it would have cost for a 6 month one. Not knowing any better, we took that suggestion and saved $30, not realizing that it would necessitate leaving the country by December 15, the 3 month anniversary of our arrival. So, when we received our extended visas and saw the dates, we saw the problem. We will be leaving Tirana for Christmas in Rome on the 24th, but we had now to leave by the 15th as well.
The solution was 2 tickets to Bologna, one of the closest and one of the least expensive places outside of Albania that we could figure out. Plus 3 nites hotels plus a rental car plus plus plus. In other words, to save $30 we are spending a lot more than that!


But Bologna is wonderful... The weather is cold but clear, and we walked around most of the day--in the old center and out to the San Lucca Chapel. And in the process we experienced something unique in the world--covered walkways extending mile after mile. The Bolognese are smart people, and have been for centuries. Knowing that rain is common in the area, they built more covered sidewalks than any other place in the world--then and now. To get to San Lucca Chapel we followed a walkway built centuries ago and extending 4.4 km (just under 3 miles). It goes up over 1,000 feet to a chapel on a hill overlooking the city, and in the process includes 666 arches, countless steps, and many small chapels built into the niches in the wall. Nothing like it exists anywhere else. Then there are miles more of such walkways throughout the city--someone said over 20 miles worth. Add to this one of the largest (and to me most impressive, built 14th-17th centuries) cathedrals in the world, a wonderful central plaza, countless other churches and museums, small coffee and pastry shops, two towers built in 1119, and a famous statue of Neptune (a nude statue created in 1566. When its plan was submitted to the Pope who usually would not allow such statues, his reply was to approve it with these words 'only in Bologna') and the trip has been wonderful.


Isn't it interesting how necessary detours turn into wonderful adventures--by the grace of God!