The mountains that cover most of southern Italy suddenly aim northwest, cutting across the country, leaving a vast, flat valley in the heart of northern Italy. Whereas, for weeks, Lauki and I had been enjoying a milder summer along the breezy coast or in hilltop villages, we were now stuck on this flat, very hot plain. Of course, we weren't truly "stuck" -- we could drive to the northern mountains at any time. This region, Emilia-Romagna, however, is dotted with grand, historic cities so it was hard to get "unstuck" from this region. I began with some coastal posh in Riccione followed by hilltop posh in San Marino. Back on the coast, I spent but a moment in Rimini, then Cesanatico with its fleet of sailboats modeled after Michelangelo's sketches. Then it was Cesena, Dante's Ravenna with it's famous frescoes, and Comacchio, one of several towns titled "Little Venice". Then, it was on to the big ticket items of the region: Ferrara, Bologna, and Modena where I, somehow, missed the Ferrari and Lamborghini Museums. Finally, pointing towards Milan, the lakes and the mountains, I made stops in Reggio Emilia, Parma, and Piacenza. And, let's finish with the heat. Lauki nearly quit in this hot, hot plain and our car actually did quit. Despite the beautiful places, unfortunately, the heat remains the predominant memory of our time in this region.
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