I took the train for Palermo. As the train moved, I watched the scenery from the window. All the hills and fields were leveled. The train had a stop in Piacenza By looking around the station I had the feeling that Piacenza had to be a good city. Therefore I got out of the train, deposited my belongings at the station left-luggage office, and went by the public carriage to the Rome Hotel, which was near the station.
Piacenza was situated by the Po River. Streams of water flowed in the city, and many good bridges were built over them. At the two sides of the bridges iron fences were placed for the safety of the people, and lamp-posts were fixed. The reflection of the light in the water was very pretty. There were also numerous bridges built for the pedestrians.
The population of Piacenza was 33,000. The language of the people was italian. The women in Piacenza had spinning wheels like the villagers. Most of the time they sat at home with their spinning. There were many musicians, singers, and dancers among the inhabitants, and they were good-looking.
The city had gas light. The telegraph and railroad trains were available to people. I visited the public library. Most of the books were in Italian. Piacenza had been the control of the popes. At the time I was there books were printed in Italian. Newspapers were printed in the same printing house.
In Piacenza there were numerous courts of justice for different crimes. The magistracy, which was really the city hall, was very good and well organized. The school called Alberti (Alberoni) taught reading and writing. Another school called Kazla (Gazzola) was for teaching painting and arts. The clergy had separate schools for educating children.
The city fortress was very strong, and its tower and ramparts were built of stone and bricks. In the middle of the town there was a good and wide avenue. The roads to villages were all graded.
Anyway, I stayed three days there. In the daytime I spent my time in the city streets, barracks, courthouses, and schools and in the evening in the numerous coffee shops that were in the city. In the afternoons and at midnight I listened to the tolling of the church bells, with their pleasant tunes.
I went to the train station to take the train to Parma. I was told that my ticket was no longer valid and I had to buy a new one.
I said, "I will do so, but in other cities the director signed the ticket and I continued my trip."
The response was, "This is a different place, and we are not eager to pretend that we are helpful people."
I immediately bought a new ticket and thought that my aim was to travel and to acquire knowledge. the experience of meeting that kind of people made me hold those I had seen previously in high esteem.
Finally I set off for Parma. On the way I noticed that many mountains were leveld. At all the train stops fruit, sausages, bread, cheese, and eggs were for sale. At each station the train stopped for one or two minutes.
