Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with Bologna

Why does "primo piano" = "Association of Bologna"?

No-sword — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 06:34:15 -0800

Why does Babelfish translate "primo piano" in Italian as "Association of Bologna" in English? Check out these presumably auto-translated pages, for example. You can also confirm it for yourself at BabelFish.

I found some Italian pages noting the issue with apparent amusement, but my Italian isn't good enough to read all the comments there... maybe they explain it?

Obviously "it's just a bug" is one possibility, probably the most likely, but if anyone can offer a plausible alternative explanation I'd love to hear it. (Could it be like those fake words in dictionaries apparently used to identify bootleggers?)

If it's MyAir.com, why can't I book a flight?

Scram — Tue, 05 Sep 2006 19:06:06 -0800

Why can't I purchase a cheap air ticket on Italian MyAir.com from the US? MyAir.com seems to have the only cheap flights from Bologna to Paris--as little as .01 Euro with tax. I have my eye on a 19.99 Euro flight on October 29, but every time I try to complete the purchase through their web form, I get an error message that says "you seem to have entered the wrong credit card details" (which I haven't) and warning me that if I do this three times I'll get bounced out of the system.

So I stopped after two times and called the airline number (0044 2073651597) a couple of times in business hours, but it was always busy.

Then I asked a travel agent in LA if she could make the booking, and she said neither she nor any travel agent in the US could book with MyAir, and suggested an AirFrance flight for $350 instead. This would put quite a crimp in our honeymoon budget, so we said nix.

So, great hive mind, I ask you: Is there an international travel agent I can hire in Italy or elsewhere in Europe? Or can I ask someone in Italy to buy tickets in someone else's name? Are there other cheap airlines flying Tuscany - Paris (Florence would be okay too) that I am overlooking? Can American Express handle this? Or is there an alternate way of communicating with MyAir?

Any suggestions much appreciated. Thanks!

My first trip to Europe!

ersatzkat — Wed, 08 Mar 2006 16:21:50 -0800

Travelling to Italy in May - looking for advice on Venice, Bologna, and Florence. We're taking a honeymoon trip in mid-May - flying to Bologna, then planning a couple days in Venice (and seeing Murano), a couple in Florence, a couple-three in Bologna then flying home.

I've looked at older ItalyThreads, and found some useful links for hotel reservations, but I was hoping to solicit additional advice based on personal experiences. Restaurants, hotels, bars you loved? Some clever shopping district a guidebook might not mention? (I love paper, leather journals, glass beads (I make my own jewelry), scarves and shawls.)

Did you find the trains easy to use? I'd like to just rent a car to avoid the schlepping of luggage from here to there, but I understand it's wicked expensive. Anything that you can tell me that Lonely Planet might not, I'd greatly appreciate it.