5/21/2024 Ravenna's Mosaics
This morning, we took the train to Ravenna, the seat of the Western Roman Empire in the fifth century and later the westernmost outpost of the Byzantine Empire. UNESCO recognized Ravenna as a World Heritage site for its complex of early Christian mosaics and monuments.
Our 2.5-hour optional guided tour began with Sant' Apollinare Nuovo, a Gothic baptistery built in the fifth century, and ended with the 1,400-year-old Basilica di San Vitale.
There seemed to be an endless supply of schoolchildren and exhausted teachers everywhere we turned, especially one sarcastic female who tangled with our local tour guide, Ricardo, after our group unknowingly interrupted her attempt to take a group photo of her students. (I was the last of our group to do so, thinking that all was clear, but apparently, it was not as the teacher continued to harangue Ricardo, so I quickly vanished undetected.)
(My altercation would happen later in the train station.)
I discovered this exotic banana plant in the garden.
(not recommended for eating).
It reminded me of a vacuum cleaner.
Basilica di San Giovanni Evangelista We moved on to Dante's tomb and
assorted garden sculptures above and below...
...and passed Garibaldi's statue on our way to lunch.
Now I'm starting to salivate...
Beautifully renovated massive dining area with a huge movie screen,
too many wine bottles to count, huge ceiling lights, and wonderful food.
The AntipastiCheeses, thinly sliced meats, figs, balsamic vinegar,
and fresh-baked bread in the bag on the left.
After lunch, we were on our way to the train station to return to Bologna when we were besieged by more kids pouring out of the woodwork, pushing and shoving each other, screaming at the top of their lungs, and acting like middle school banshees.
Just as my hiking pole was ready to skewer Betty (accidentally), she let me know it was cock-eyed and sticking out of my backpack. Just as I was reaching behind me to retrieve it, two stupid teenagers, totally oblivious to massive crowds trying to board the correct car, stopped unexpectedly without concern for the people around them, before their histrionics and immature behavior nearly took out several people.
Unfortunately for them, I was in that group and almost took both of them down with a surprise and satisfying shove that sent them a message they wouldn't forget.
Gramigna, typically found in Emilia Romagna, is curly-shaped pasta with a hole. While this dish doesn't look very appetizing, it quickly became my favorite pasta choice, salsiccia e gramigna (fresh handmade Gramigna with sausages, white ragu sauce, milk, and Parmigiano Reggiano.)
I also enjoyed it with red pepper sauce at another restaurant, but that restaurant had a much better, convivial outcome. In this one, where I expected to pay $11, the price jumped to $15 when I was ready to pay.
The following conversation, which I started, escalated quickly...
Me: "Excuse me, the menu said $11; how did it end up to $4 more?
Nasty Waitress: "You had wine."
Me (starting to get pissed): "No, I did not."
Her again (also getting pissed): "You had bread."
Me matching her pissiness: "No, I did not."
Pissiness approaching takeoff from her: "You had water."
Me, pissiness off the chart: "OK, I did have that."
Her, being off the chart pissy: "And you had a fork."
Me, in shock and unable to reply.
Me, now ready to throttle her: "Well duh, no one told me it was BYOF."
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