The Road to Bologna (2) - The Tre Vecchi Hotel, Tony Rayns returns, Da Lucia and Donatello

From Milan's amazing Central station (above) to Bologna Centrale's vast underground cavern takes an hour and a quarter on the Frecciarossa. Then it's a short walk or a quick taxi ride (after you wait half an hour on the rank on average) to the Tre Vecchi Hotel on Via Independenza. 

As I walk up the path to the lobby, sitting in a chair on the forecourt outside is old friend Tony Rayns, just arrived and still enjoying a cigarette. It's been five years since we last met up, and he's making his first visit since the Covid interregnum. Much to catch up on including a swap of gift bags. His included a copy of his own recent book "Just Like Starting Over. A personal View of the Reinvention of Korean Cinema" published by the Korean Film Council (KOFIC). The book was commissioned by Council Chair Park Kiyong who also edited the copy and has written an effusive Publisher's Foreword. Mine included a copy of Cinema Reborn's 2024 catalogue which includes Tony's program notes on Souleymane Cissé's Yeelen.

The time catching up passed in a flash. After checking in we headed along via Falegnami intending to have some lunch at our favourite Da Lucia only to discover the place shuttered, the outside chairs chained to a column and no menu in the window box. "Temporarily closed" is stated in purple when I look up its website. A first small unexpected disappointment. So it was off to Enzo around the corner. Dinner was at the ever-popular Donatello and a note that our former favourite Bolognese Chinese across the road was long gone. Second minor disappointment - the discovery that the gelateria across from the Tre Vecchi is now a shop selling cured meats. "What happened to the gelateria?" "Clos-ed down!" said a gruff voice cleaning up inside.