I did spot a couple of Brothers Brothers branches and a Florsheim shop but never got to into them. Sadly the female half of the couple we went with kept us on a perpetual foraging expedition for food and drink, preferably as indulgent and expensive as possible, puntuated by designer retail therapy hits to assuage her feelings of self loathing stemming from excess weight and an early decline. Fortunately the male half and I managed to escape and do boys stuff a couple of times. It won't be happening again, you see a different side to people when you spend a few days in their company.

Nice old railway station in Bologna,made famous by the clock which stopped at 10.25 when the station was bombed by a terrorist group.
Italian trains are mad,no standing on ceremony there,no excuse me just get out my way and let me on the train. A mad crush on the platform...crazy.

Rick Stein did an hour long programme on Bologna in Friday. I do not normally watch food programmes but interesting to compare notes.

He was in Osteria del sole. I walked up and down the street trying to find that place with no success. Now I know it has no sign outside. Looked OK on TV though. Buy a beer or wine and bring your own food from the market around you.

Yes.

Kate did not like Osteria del Orsa though. 'Too studenty'.

I would like to try del Sole. Get in early, grab a table and send out for provisions. Slight problem is we would not be able to bring the brown handled knife back in hand luggage. When we had a picnic on the beach in Dieppe we had a car, so cutlery and plates were not wasted. Unless the bar provides cutlery of course? I hate picnics and barbecues anyway but eating your own grub in a bar is completely different.

I would go back to Bologna - but Pisa is an easy trip from Gatwick so probably do that with Lucca and maybe Siena first.