Trip Report - Italy

June 15-29, 2006

Itinerary:
MSP-AMS-BLQ, Bologna(1 night), Padua, Lake Garda(2), Vicenza, Venice(3), Ravenna(1), Florence, Bologna(6) BLQ-AMS-MSP

What'd we do?
The main purpose of the trip was the ITiCSE Conference (Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education) in Bologna at which I presented a paper on the foibles of trying to use physical devices to generate random numbers. The conference was similar to a regular SigCSE conference in that it considered current themes, such as, CS1, CS2, attracting students, OO, HCI, Labs, SE, etc . However, it also considered topics more of an international interest, pedagogy, technological innovation, and the ever-popular, well attended Tips and Techniques session. For the first time there was a session on Software/Courseware where you could push your own wares. Bologna, as many universities in Europe, makes good use of unix and FreeWare.

Other Highlights:

Bologna: Europe's oldest university, Morandi museum, a great archeological museum, culinary capital of Italy. Day trip to Monte Sole (recommended reading "Silence on Monte Sole" by Jack Olsen).

Padua: Italy's 2nd oldest university, Scrovegni Chapel (Giotto)

Lake Garda: A good place to relax; sidetrips to Verona (colliseum, Romeo an Juliet) and Sirmone.

Vicenza: Palladio, Palladio, Palladio

Venice: Impressed by the Scoula San Rocco (Tintoretto). And we made it to Murano Island this time.

Fienza: Tremendous ceramics museum.

Ravenna: Recreated our stay of four years ago, same hotel, same restaurants, same great mosaics which haven't changed much for up to 1,000 years.

Florence: A day trip from Bologna. Took a milk train. Turns out it doesn't stop at the main station in Florence. So we got off a half hour later at Arezzo and rode back. Wanted to climb the dome in the Duomo since we both had read a book about Brunelleschi, but it was closed until Monday; climbed the campanille instead. Steak florintine not as good as last time. Took express train back with the supplement costing more than the tickets.

Links and Pics:

• Neptune statue
• Bologna
• Scrovegni Chapel
• Verona Arena
• Sirmone castle
• San Rocco
• Ravenna
• Palladio
• Classe
• Duomo from the campanelle
• Monte Sole
• And so we bid a fair farewell ...
• Sharol's blog

Costs:
   airfare: NWA, 2 x 1253 = 2506
   registration: 460
   proceedings: 25
   car rental: , 2 weeks, 365 euros total, 4-door Smart Car, from Thrifty                 
   parking:  usually found decent lots for a couple euros, avoided driving in city centers                                       
   gas:                                            
   tolls:  the autostrada tolls mount up but worth it if you want to save time                                        
   local transportation: vaporetti and ferries in Venice, bus in Bologna, the train to Florence
   museums:  ranges, 12 euros each for the Scrovegni in Padua, in Bologna they're free
   food: well worth it                                
   lodging: 
    Hotel Fiera in Bologna is a tremendous bagain: b**** $43/night when there's not a fiera
    (trade show).  Otherwise we camped e.g.  Fusina. 
                                         
   total