Bologna

So we get into Bologna, and learning our lesson, we have written down the instruction to get from the train station to our hotel ahead of time. We walk the 4 or 5 minutes and check in. Really nice, like with a balcony and everything! We then head down to the square to see what is open and grab some gelatto and espresso, wander around this huge university which has dominated most of the town since about 1088 according to the guidebook, and find a pub to have a beer in.
Every place carries Scotch ale and the Italian crisp Czech style beers, but less hoppy. Its a weird mix, but I like me a Scotch ale, so I'm quite happy with it. And we run across the requisite anarchist/communist students protesting the closing of a theater. Near as Miriam can tell, the government here will not fund the theater, and will instead buy armored cars (I'm guessing this is a protest against funding for the Italian involvement in Iraq or Afghanistan over arts funding?).
The restaurants are all closed as we are heading back at about 6:10 pm or so. We think this is kind of early and stop into one of the restaurants to find out what is going on.
The close from 3 to 7 and then reopen for dinner.
So we head back to the hotel and rest up and drink some of out 4€ a bottle wine rather than paying 4 euro a pint for bar beer and head back out for dinner at about 8:20 or so.
I like any place where a bottle of water can cost 2€ but a glass of wine is 1€, that makes me happy and lets me know that this place's priorities are in the right order. The Bolognese sauce and lasagna are fricking ridiculous, and the walk back to the hotel is short. With Iron Man playing on the TV I pass out and wake up in the morning in time to get my money's worth of the breakfast buffet before heading off to Padua to see the university dissection theater and observatory.