So we did it - we made it to Bologna yesterday. Something that could have been accomplished with a long flight, instead took us six weeks. But it was great to show up yesterday with no jet lag! The first vacation rental we are in is just up the street from where we stayed last year so everything feels pretty familiar. The train from Innsbruck was overbooked and packed. Babac ended up having to stand for close to three hours until some people got off the train (I offered to switch places multiple times!).Â
Last night we walked to Piazza Maggiore and had an aperitivo then back to our little studio apartment.
We have a private patio which is really nice. We had some wine sitting outside, listening to the conversations of neighboring apartments and smelling their dinner cooking. The weather has been very warm and the evening was just perfect.Â
Today we had an appointment at the police station for Babac to get his permission to stay (it has to be done within 8 days of arrival) - I will have a separate appointment for us to get a family permit. It was a very interesting experience. We've heard so much about Italian bureaucracy that I think we were prepared for it to be far more difficult. Babac said it was nothing compared to the San Francisco Planning Department! It was a big hurdle to clear. Next up - apartment hunting.