Days 11 through 13: Bologna

For the rest of our vacation, we stayed in Bologna. On Saturday, we enjoyed the street vendors that were set up for Italy's Gay and Lesbian parade (Sunday) and bought most of our gifts for friends and family. (Kevan and Terri were kind enough to have bought Griffin a replacement camouflage hat from there the day before.) That night we had a great dinner on the other side of the city. A group of us went out shopping and John and Griffin went home a different way, only to find that they were going in circles, but they got some good pictures on their journey!

On Sunday, we attended Sacrament Meeting again and then our family (except Maggie) went back to Pat's for more video game playing and lego-building.

The town was kind of nuts with the parade and festival going on, and probably was in the TMI category for the kids. We weren't able to get back until late because the city had closed down the streets for the parade and the bus dropped us off on the outskirts. Fortunately, we found ourselves on a corner by the previous night's restaurant and were able to make our way home. But boy, there were lots of police cars and even police helicopters out! Maggie had been taken care of by Mom and Dad and the Griesemers, so the rest of us went to our usual restaurant for dinner. On Monday, the little ones and John and I decided to go find the leaning tower of Bologna before John went to the Ducati tour with the Griesemer fellows. There are two towers next to each other. After one was completed, the foundation collapsed, so they built another next to it. This tower is the tallest of the middle ages.

Upon our arrival there, we paid the 3 euro a piece to climb to the top. I think until the day Griffin dies he'll be able to tell you how many steps up and how many steps down we walked: 500 up and 500 down for a total of 1,000. Unfortunately, Ellie didn't make it as she fainted about 1/3 of the way up. It was hard work getting to the top!

A view of the leaning tower from inside the taller tower

We ate at a great restaurant that night, a favorite of Jessie's from her last visit. And then we packed for the start of our two-day trip home. I was sad to be leaving as there were so many places I wish we could go back to and stay longer. I guess I just need to set a goal to get back.