the program party was lots of fun, and i made some new friends with some people who have really really excellent taste in music. they invited me to go to a discoteca tonight that's having an "american night", and it sounds like a lot of fun and i REALLY want to go (i also said i'd go) but my joints are not cooperating. :( i also don't think i'll be going salsa dancing tomorrow night because the people who would go with me are both going out of town. alas! perhaps i'll "relax", whatever that is.

in other news, i went to the duomo the other day, which is not to be confused with saint petronius' basilica, and it was so beautiful and peaceful i ended up staying for almost an hour. even though it's tucked in between clothing stores and restaurants on bologna's main drag, there was such a sense of serenity once i stepped past the doorway.

interesting tidbit: in a lot of the churches i've seen in bologna and milan, there have been electronic votive candles instead of real ones, to prevent fire hazards. you put your coin offering into the box and then one of them lights up. some of them flicker.

i can't decide what i'm going to do this weekend. i want to go to the basilica of saint luca, which has 4km of porticoes leading up to the church and a magnificent view of the city, but if it's raining then perhaps not. we'll see! i will be seeing the watchmen movie FOR SURE, but i'll have lots of time outside of that.