Spoiled by free wi-fi in our Bologna hotel, I am finding myself with withdrawal symptoms here in Parma. At breakfast we asked about internet points, and were directed to a location on the outskirts of Parma where parking was nearby. So after a leisurely breakfast and a chat with our hostess, we set out to return to Parma for the day.
Of course nothing is as easy as planned –the directions we were given to the small under-used parking lot near the internet spot seemed to take us directly into a ZTL zone,(restricted access) which we knew could lead to unbudgeted expense, so we detoured and eventually were lucky enough to find a spot not TOO far from our destination. It was an interesting neighborhood across the river from the centro, with halal kebab shops next to the pizzerias, the Sierra Leone social organization’s headquarters, and a diverse population.
The primary reason for checking internet was to find out the status of the debit card – and I was pleased to find an email confirming the freeze had been removed from my record. So while I read through my emails, Bill took my ATM card to a nearby bancomat where, finally, it worked!
We stopped at a lovely little bar/café for a quick dose of caffeine, and while we were drinking our cappuccinos, watched the proprietor making a large quantity of lovely looking piadine (using the typical ER flat bread), and Panini. We decided as it was almost lunch time we would buy a couple and stop at the Ducal Park for an al fresco lunch. We added some wonderful fruit at a local shop – cherries and apricots – and enjoyed a pleasant lunch in the shade of the park.
Then it was off to the Camera di San Paolo, where we experienced “Italian time”. We got there at 1:20, knowing it closed at 2 pm. We went to the ticket office, where we were told we only had 20 minutes to view the frescoes; we had to leave the building by 1:45, so they had time to close up BY 2 pm. In reality, we had plenty of time to enjoy the frescoes, as the space is fairly small. The Correggio ceiling was delightful, with some of the most mature looking putti I have ever seen – and wonderful decorative effects in the borders and decorations.
Also on our list of things to see was the Teatro Farnese – but oops! Turns out it, too, closes at 2 pm. So that stays on our list for next time.
We then spent some time doing what we do best – wandering the back streets, with no specific goal in mind except to see if the weekly market was still happening; as we thought, it had closed down.
We returned to our favorite café next, enjoying the theater of the street as we rested our feet and had a cold drink – the weather has been very warm ever since our arrival, and the mid afternoon heat is enervating!
We then continued on to the Chiesa di San Giovanni Evangalista to see more Correggio frescoes. I felt like I had walked into an Italian movie! In one of the side chapels there was a group of vecchie donne, apparently the local prayer group reciting innumerable Hail Marys; a young priest who alternated sitting in a rear pew in contemplation with bustling about moving empty floral vases from one place to another, then making a tour of the church checking everything out, then returning to his contemplative post, all while an earnest young man was lecturing a group of several wheelchair bound visitors and their attendants in Italian about the frescoes (unfortunately, softly enough that we couldn’t hear what he was saying over the voices of the praying women). Then as we were getting ready to leave, we heard an unhappy child being carried in – her behavior indicated she was autistic, and the women from the prayer group were more than anxious to fuss over her…while the young priest watched the door, making sure all of the wheel chair group left without harm. Strange – and somewhat surreal.
Once out the door, it was back to reality—there was a very busy and popular gelateria right across the street, where packs of teens and pre-teens came and went, and where several mothers with pre-schoolers sat on doorsteps enjoying cones and cups. We refueled before returning to our car and retreating to our country farmhouse.
Dinner was at the local trattoria – about half a mile from the Agriturismo down a narrow country road in the middle of nowhere. Had we not been told about it we would have driven right by, as it had no sign on the road, and looked like an anonymous building – except for the shaded terrace tucked to one side, where tables were elegantly set with gold and white linen tablecloths, and where, by the time we left, cars were parked on both sides of the road for a quarter of a mile!
There were two parties of 8 – 10 and another of 6, and it was clearly a local favorite, as most of the customers stopped to chat as they arrived.
At the recommendation of our hostess we ordered one of the trattoria’s specialties – a primo called a savarine di riso, which had to be ordered by a minimum of two people. We had no idea what to expect , but it was one of the most amazing treats of our trip. It was a perfectly flavored mushroom risotto, creamy and redolent of the special perfume of porcini. But the risotto was encased in a bowl shaped packet of rosy prosciutto, so as we cut into the meat, we found the risotto inside. Needless to say there was not a bite left on either of our plates! We wished we had had the sense NOT to order a second course - especially when our two first choices proved to be off the menu that evening. One of these days we will do as the Italians do, and order one course at a time! Our roast duck (Bill) and roast chicken (me) were tasty, but could not live up to the first course, and neither of us was really hungry enough to do them justice.
We sat enjoying the evening breeze as we finished our wine and acqua con gaz, and staggered home wondering again at those who were arriving at 9:45 just as we were finishing our meal.
