Bars and bands

There is much more you can do under the porticoes of Bologna than walk (see my previous post here), such as business.

Whether it is raining or shining, they provide great shelter for cafés and snack bars.

And street performers.

The music played under the portico of Piazza Re Enzo by the brass band Banda Rei on our Friday in Bologna, which was a local holiday (more about that one of these days), and the Polish Cellostrada cello quintet on Saturday (although as a quartet) were highly entertaining and spellbinding. We had to buy a 10-euro CD from both. We keep listening to those every once in a while, most recently last night when we had rather a delicious pike perch dinner with some Riesling. At such moments we do feel quite cheerful and laid-back, almost a bit Italian. But are still far from la bella figura of the below couple, I’m afraid.