Verona--Ideal Italy

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Waking up and looking out our window to be greeted by the Italian countryside was wonderful. It’s the perfect way to be energized enough to truly seize the day.

We walked downstairs and were greeted by our Luxemburg friends along with the biggest breakfast spread imaginable. It looked like a breakfast fit for a queen! We sat down and were told that everything on the table was homemade. There was homemade bread and muffins, jam, butter, homemade YOGURT (each in little individual glass containers with a “B&B in the Sun” label on them), freshly picked berries, milk, and homemade granola and cereal. On top of that, he made each of us a smoothie with fresh fruits! The coffee here is to die for! It was the best breakfast I have ever had. I would be willing to come back to this b&b just for the breakfast.

We met a family from Brazil who we had not seen the night before. The parents were both very nice and the son was there with his girlfriend from France. The parents were telling us all about Brazil and how we really need to take a trip there. The dad was funny, he kept saying to his wife, “Can’t you just imagine these two blonde girls in Rio?! Oh they would just love it! You would have the best time” and the mom just giggled and agreed. We stayed down at the breakfast table for a while just talking and talking. Soon, the mom gave us her business card and they told us that if we are ever in Rio, we really need to contact them and are more than welcome to stay there. They kept saying “A city is so much better if you know people in it! And so much cheaper!” They were adorable.

We went upstairs to get ready for the day and once we came down, Cristian was dressed in a full chef outfit with the chef’s hat and all! The Brazilian mom was taking photos of him, and then he told us that he is going to start giving cooking lessons at the b&b! I would take his cooking lessons in a heartbeat; he is such a good cook!
After his photo shoot, he sat us down and told us how to get to the bus, where it will drop us off, and where we should visit in Verona.

We headed out into the heat and took the scenic 40 minute walk to the bus stop. It was HOT! The walk is beautiful, of course, with views in every direction. On our way to the bus stop we met a nice goat and a golden retriever that looked like Lauren’s dog, Leila! They were cute, and friends with one another.

Once we got on the bus we were looking for our stop in historical Verona. Well, we missed it. Nothing was labeled! So we ended up at the train station of Verona which is completely in the opposite direction of where we wanted to be…When we realized this, we planned on just staying on the bus and getting off later. Well, this old Italian man got on and started asking Lauren where we were going (I’m sure he could tell that we were lost tourists). He said “oh no no no, not this bus! Another bus!” He told us that we should get off the bus we were on and hop onto another bus. So we got off…then we waited…and waited…we didn’t even know what we were waiting for!

The bus never came. Maybe because it’s Sunday? Maybe because that’s just our luck. We started feeling a little creeped out because we were definitely not in the best part of town—we have learned that the neighborhoods around train stations are never good areas. So we started walking to the train station to get a cab. It just made life so much easier, and safer.

The cab dropped us off right where we needed to be. So with a late start to the day, we were off!
The square we got dropped off in had old paintings on the buildings, a clock tower, and a few fountains. The buildings are all old, with the shutters and flowers in the balconies. Just perfect.
We headed on a search for Juliet’s house! Since rumor has it that Romeo & Juliet took place in Verona, that was the first thing on our list. Seeing the movie Letters to Juliet made us want to check out the actual balcony of Juliet’s as well ☺
You walk through a tunnel thing that opens into a lovely courtyard with a statue of Juliette and her balcony right above. It is said to be good luck to touch the right breast of Juliette, so all of the tourists were flocking to the statue! After gazing for a while at the ivy growing on the side of the building, and Juilet’s balcony above us, we headed inside to check out the Capulet’s house.
History says that the “Capulet” family, whose name has slightly changed since the times of Shakespeare, has owned this building and much of the neighborhood since 1200.

The house was very tall (not handicap friendly with all the stairs) and very Italian. Photos from plays and movies of Romeo & Juliet were on the walls and throughout the building.

Like tourists, Lauren and I each needed a photo on Juliet’s balcony ☺ We managed to squeeze our way through and kick the other tourists off while we wished for Romeo on Juliet’s balcony!

After the Capulet’s house, we wandered the narrow streets, tried to not get hit by the speedy mopeds, and went toward Chiesa di Santa Maria Antica, one of the biggest churches of the city.

We walked into the church and were going to give the man our Verona Day passes (so that we could get in for free!). He pointed to Lauren’s shoulders, as she was wearing a strapless shirt, and said something in Italian. We thought we were not going to be able to enter the church since we weren’t properly dressed, but then the man pointed to a box full of these purple things. Initially we thought they were only shawls to cover our shoulders—no, no they were full outfits.
These were light weight, purple gowns. Full sleeves, and an unflattering length just above the ankles. We looked stylish.
The church was beautiful, much like the many other churches we have toured in the other countries.

After the church, we decided to follow Cristian’s directions and eat “where the locals eat, near where the river bends”. We wandered, and wandered, eventually finding the river which was so breathtaking! The hills just beyond the river’s band are covered in old, elegant buildings, castles, churches and homes. It was just beautiful!!! I think I took enough few photos…

We found a little restaurant with an energetic server, who undoubtedly was quite gay from his posture and way of speaking.

He helped us figure out what we wanted to order, and I decided on a veggie pizza, while Lauren got the special, which came with pasta (their “1st course”), a glass of wine, and some sort of chicken. The food was absolutely delicious!
They put some odd toppings on pizza, like zucchini and eggplant, but I love just about any vegetable so that was quite ok with me.

With full bellies, we crossed the river and planned on wandering through another church (hoping we wouldn’t need to put any more purple robes on this time)

The streets felt empty. August is the time that most Italians go on holiday, so many shops are closed, which has never made sense to us because August is such a tourist season! We were also walking around 4pm which is while people are napping and taking breaks from work. The lifestyles here are so different! They are less concerned with big houses, fancy cars, lots of money…and more concerned with taking it easy, working when you need to work, vacationing when you need a vacation, and plenty of time with family and friends. A good way of life if you ask me!

By the time we traveled across the river and around the bank to the big cathedral, it was around 6pm—time for businesses to start closing down already!

We jumped on the 6:45 bus and headed home to an empty bed & breakfast.

Lounging around, around 9pm we realized how starved we were after not eating a dinner. We didn’t have many options…pig farm? You “might” need reservations…or starve?

No busses run this late, so we were stuck with one apple each for dinner. Good thing Crisitan gives us world’s biggest breakfasts every morning!!

Verona was so stunningly beautiful I don’t want to leave…It is my vision of Italy and I will definitely be returning!

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