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Saturday, July 2, 2011
Onward to Verona After checking out of the hostel, I zipped over to the train station to catch the 8:30 train to Verona. It is a connecting station from Bolzano to Venice, and so a side trip to see the town would be more economical of my time then coming back to Verona once I was in Venice. At the Verona train station, I dropped off my suitcase at the bag storage facility and caught a very crowded bus into the old city. The Rick Steves self-guided walking tour said all the significant sites could be covered in 1.5 hours. I was giving myself three hours, knowing there would be crowds and the likelihood of me getting lost.
Roman Arena Seeing Roman ruins is very different than seeing a Roman structure still in use. We’ve all connected romantic notions with crumbling stone, so a whole arena in working condition seemed a little anticlimactic on the surface. For me, it was absolutely fantastic. This arena has been used by the local people since it’s construction 2,000 years ago. There are so few buildings that can boast the same thing. Permanent stadium seats had been installed half
way up the stepped stone with the upper half still exposed in its original condition. The Verona opera festival is taking place right now, and a special tower crane and several movable pieces of equipment were being used to set up the stage of tonight’s performance. Outside the arena, props from several of the other operas were placed in the piazza for storage and so pedestrians could take a closer look.
Meander Through Town The walking tour took me past a devotional column, somewhat uninspiring. And then to the original city gates, which acted as a toll booth of sorts. The gate was nothing like the one in Aosta, which was a mini-fortress on its own. This one was much more ornate, like the city was showing off to incomers. Piazza Ebre was my next stop, and it was crowded with people, cafes, and food and souvenir stands. I found a cheap sandwich to snack on as I continued my walk. Behind Piazza Ebre was Piazza dei Signori, a much quieter square with a statue of Dante at the center. I found a shady spot and consulted my map as I finished my lunch.
Tower Climb The only
way to get the best views of the city is to climb the tower located between Piazzas Ebre and dei Signori. I’ll start by saying it’s been years since I’ve successfully climbed several stories in succession. This tower was nowhere near as tall as some of the church domes I plan to climb later, and I found this fact troubling as I dragged myself up the 128 steep steps to the observation deck. Trying my best not to appear out of breath while I was indeed out of breath, I stepped onto the platform. The views were fantastic and worth the climb, though my legs, shaking from exhaustion, would beg to differ. The whole city was a blur of red rooftops and the occasional church spire.
Juliette and the Churches After making it down from the tower safely, I set out for Juliette’s house. The courtyard was as packed as I expected, tourists leaning over the fabled balcony for someone below to snap a photo. The bronze statue was molested again and again by eager tourists. If was staying overnight in Verona, I would love to see this place after the tourists had turned in. As it was, the
place held little magic for me.
The first church I visited was Sant’Anastasia. The interior was simply amazing. The ceiling was completely painted in intricate patterns in rich golds, reds and greens. The floor echoed the same colors in geometric designs. It was like looking into a kaleidoscope. The church hosted several eras of art, and it was cool to see the progression of skill throughout the building.
After a drive-by of Ponte Pietra for some river views of the crumbled Roman theater, I went to the Duomo. It was less ornate in design, but still had some interesting features. Instead of big marble and stone carvings surrounding the art in the nave, elaborate 3-D paintings boarded the centerpiece.
End Tour Getting back to the train station was not as easy as I thought. I ended up walking back the entire distance of my tour, which only took 20 minutes with my pace of determination. Finally, I made it back on a bus and back to the train station. I picked up my luggage and checked the schedule. I had two options: I could wait an hour and just jump on the slow train, getting into Venice
Opera props
2011 Opera seasonat 6:30pm, or hope the ticket line is moving fast enough to get a seat on the fast train and get there just after 5pm. I decided the €10 fee was worth it and just made it through the line in time to catch my train. Verona had in fact sucked up almost six hours from me, and I was ready to take my shoes off in my hotel room.
Arrival in Venice I knew we were crossing the thin line of railway between the mainland and Venice when I saw the aqua waters of the lagoon on either side of the train. Navigating to the hotel was surprisingly easy, thanks to good directions from the hotel website. Take water bus #52 to the “Hospital” stop, turn left and walk until the path forces you to turn right, continue until you see the hotel sign. And there I was. The gentleman who checked me in was a polite but humorless grandpa man, and he led me to a giant three-person suite. It was four times the size of my Bolzano dorm. I kept telling him that I was in the wrong room and that I had reserved a single.
Finally, it sunk in. THIS was my room. I had been upgraded from a €50 single room to a €180 a night suite, without having to pay the difference. Could it have been because I dropped “Uncle Rick’s” name when I emailed the hotel to make reservations? Whatever the reason, I was elated.
Venice is Disneyland I rested my feet for a short bit and then hit the streets. Even though I’m tired, it really helps to explore the city with no agenda upon arrival. For an hour and a half I roamed, following the tourists, walking in deserted alleys, and then finding San Marco’s Square. Even at 8pm at night it was a mad house, and I equated it with Disneyland’s main hub in front of the castle. The square was crowded with clumps of people, either with a walking tour or cruise ship people who were moving in groups. I navigated between the clumps and found the waterfront facing San Maria Maggiore. Still crowded. The evening light was poor and I only snapped off a couple pictures. I would either need to get up very early or come out in the late evening to enjoy the square
more privately.
Fast Food Dinner On my way back to the hotel (which I found with only a couple wrong turns), I picked up Italy’s version of the Greek gyro, but here they are called kabobs. The fast food around here is great, and cheap. For €3.50 I was well fed for the evening. I don’t think I will be doing many sit-down meals for the rest of the trip. Back in my room I ate my dinner and listened to music on my computer. When the “Tiki Room” song from Disneyland came on, the pigeons outside my window cooed loudly. I think they liked it.
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