This essay by writer, critic, poet, and artist John Berger (1926–2017) is at once a hauntological journey through Bologna and a tribute to an unnamed friend—in whom one recognizes Giorgio Morandi, the *genius loci* of this unreal city. The colors, scents, and even flavors of Bologna, scattered throughout these meditative notes, envelop the reader, seeming almost tangible. The narrator moves through both geographical space and the space of memory, weaving together descriptions of sights along medieval streets with reflections on the spirit of the city, the country, painting, and Italian cuisine.