We are, as it turns out, in Brisighella, in the Emilia Romagna region of Italy. The bells here ring all night, four times an hour. Why is this? Is it a plot to cause tourists sleepless nights? Is it an environmental disaster, forcing people to get air conditioning instead of merely opening the windows at night? Methinks there is a conspiracy by air conditioning companies.
I can tell you the local forno down the street is loaded with all manner of good, buttery pastries at 2:30 in the morning. Yeah, I was up.
The clock struck 2:30. Shortly after, wonderful smells wafted in. Still, I would rather have been sleeping. I would rather have been entirely ignorant of the small hours. Why do we need to have them thrust upon us?
Brisighella is in the dark ages when it comes to time. Yes, the big, famous clock slapped on the medieval tower everyone sweats to climb up to has but 6 hours painted on its face.
There is utility in such a system. The bells never need to ring more than six times. So when you’re ready to arise at 7, the bells need ring but once.
Cripes, they could ring all day at 7, if only they’d not ring at 3am. Why do they torture us so? Can anyone explain such insanity to me?