We ate our way through Bologna, made our way to Modena and train hopped our way to Switzerland. The end of our time in Italy was very good for our palates and not so good for our waist lines. My favorite food in Bologna was the Mortadella. It was so good, I had it three times a day. Thoughts I had as a child about never being able to give up meat came rushing as I savored every bite. We went on a balsamic vinegar production tour in Modena. Before balsamic vinegar was commercialized, it was produced at home and only consumed during special events (holidays, weddings, etc) because of its long aging period. We sampled vinegar that was aged 12 and 25 years and even saw barrels that have been aged for over 100 years! I learned a lot about balsamic vinegar that afternoon. After our tour, we had dinner at Osteria Francescana. It was creative, playful and very thought provoking. The evening exceeded my expectations and was worth the 6 month wait. My friend Ambika made a special trip to Modena to join us for dinner. Good friends, good food, good times.
Our train to Switzerland was cancelled minutes before departure due a transportation strike. Determined to get to Zurich that evening and with the help of someone on the same boat, we took a less the direct route that got us over the border. Once in Switzerland, getting to Zurich was a breeze. That evening, we met up with Nathan (Chris’s childhood friend from Australia who will be with us the next 3 weeks) and attended my colleague Antje’s birthday celebration. We had so much fun with Antje and her friends. Definitely an evening to remember. The following day, Claudio (friend from Melbourne) played tour guide and showed us around his city. Our friends in Zurich made our time here an extra memorable experience.
Today, we went up to Titlas. The beautiful scenery made the freezing cold temperature and high winds bearable.
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