April 9
Well – we are now in Italy. I’m so glad we’re here, always wanted to come to Italy, even though our stay may be brief, I’m happy for every minute of it.
We took the train through the Alps from Innsbruck and it was beautiful. Hamlets of towns with a church steeple always prominent on the hillside, some very steep. Several castles and possibly monasteries carved into the rock of the mountainsides. As soon as we crossed into Italy more and more vineyards appeared. Great expanses of vineyards – we’re told Valpolicella is the regional grape here. We traveled south and then very abruptly the mountains disappeared. It got very flat!!!
What a spot – we are in a renovated flat, in a building that is approximately 500 years old. The owner, Nicolo, is an architect, and the renovation is spectacular. There are partial frescos on the walls!!! He wants to go to Chicago and Still waters (Frank Lloyd Wright) and I told him I was a civil engineer and he smiled. We told him he MUST go to Chicago!!!
We are very happy to be here in this place with so much history!!! Tomorrow we go exploring!!
April 10
Today is our first full day exploring Verona. We bought the city pass that provided access to many more museums and churches we could see in 1 day! We started at the Arena, c. 1st Century, with an interesting history. At one point it served as a quarry and stone was removed to build things elsewhere in the city. Clear areas show as being now restored, and some areas awaiting restoration due to substantial decay. Then to lunch and the fresco museum. The frescoes are amazing. A serious preservation effort occurred in the 60s as many were just disappearing when buildings were destroyed or renovated. The color on some is original and date back several hundred years. Also at the same place is something reported to be Juliet’s tomb. Not sure how that came about but there is also a small chapel with a good amount of art works/paintings. Though I have to admit I got tired of the constant and never ending renderings of religious scenes.
Then to Castelvecchio, a medieval castle, now museum, with lots more art work and some armor/armaments. I enjoyed the very narrow stair where every other stair was a small triangle to achieve the steepness needed. We were tiring after all the walking, but on the way back to the flat we stopped into the largest church in Verona, St Anastasia’s. It was beautiful and somewhat ornate, but the frescoes on the walls and ceiling were terrific.
We then headed across the bridge and to the wine store we had been to yesterday. Yesterday we bought a bottle for 18e and it was very good. Today we went to the store’s “taps”, tasted a few, and picked the Lucustra for 2.5e/ltr!!! The glass bottle with stopper was another 2e and we will leave it for the next guests!! We then pretended to act as locals as we sipped wine and had bread and cheese. We found the cheese in a small shop. We have enjoyed aged asiago in the US for over 20 years and always thought the best came from the North End in Boston. To find both the young and the aged here was a real treat. We bought the aged and it was a real treat to have it here with some of the local wine.
April 12·
Leaving Verona on a train with an upper deck. Onto Venice, Santa Lucia station!