Bologna, St. Lucia; Election and then to Mali!

 If Bologna had belonged to any other country than Italy it would have been given top billing- as it happens it nestles somewhere further down the list in the shadow of Venice, Florence, Rome and a few others too maybe... but it is a beautiful city, well worth a visit with gorgeous little streets panning out from the grand Piazza Maggiore (with the statue  of Neptune and his rather saucy handmaidens, above) redolent with culinary delights in the form of cosy trattorias,  green grocers;  fish mongers and cheese and truffle shops...

 

 Maybe it is because Bologna cannot boast a really great local art tradition on the level of Florence or Venice that the city has  become relegated to the 'second division'?
There is at least one great exception to this rule though, and that is one of the most important sculptures in Italy, the truly exquisite Lamentation by Niccolò dell'Arca from the late fifteenth century in the church of Santa Maria Della Vita:

The slightly lower status of Bologna  in the hierarchy of Italian cities brings the advantage  that it is not so inundated with tourists as some other destinations. It might also be a reason why the Bolognese  concentrated on developing what they are really good at: food...
I enjoyed the generous hospitality of new friends Patty Simmons (see blog post October 20) and her husband Les, who have a lovely flat directly overlooking the Piazza Maggiore and who introduced me to a cavalcade of their great friends this last weekend.

And now back in London for a few days only before leaving for Mali on Friday early morning- just enough time to throw myself into some more Lib Dem canvassing before Thursday's Great Crunch Time General Election- arguable the most important one for a generation...

Oh yes! And then there was St Lucia last night too (a little early)

   at the beautiful  Swedish embassy Residence with its perfect Adam-designed interior last night :