Verona

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Today I got back to my usual touring routine. I left the lakes and headed for Verona, home of the fictional Romeo and Juliet. I enjoyed Verona more than I expected to - I nearly didn't go there at all. There were some fun and interesting things to see. I walked around town following Rick's self-guided tour. The Roman arena (see photo) is made partially of pink marble (!) and is remarkably well preserved. There are other Roman ruins around town - city gates with typical round Roman arches and there's a theater built into the side of a hill. I liked the Verona's lively piazzas (see photos). The Courtyard of Juliet is a total fabrication, but even it has a certain charm (see photo). As I wandered around town I saw statues to the poet Dante, the first king of united Italy Victor Emmanuel II, and Saint Pope John Paul II. I stopped into the city art museum, but Verona is not really noted for its art I guess. I would have liked to spend more time in Verona, but had to get back on the road to drive to Padua. My hotel is right next to the train station and to the tram line. That is why I chose it, but it is also a rather seedy part of town and I'm glad I was not counting on spending much time in the area. This evening I took the tram into the old town and joined the students and the other tourists having a "spritz" on the Piazza dei Signori (see photo). A spritz is a combination of white wine, sparkling water, and Campari. When you order one, you get potato chips or some other snack. Later I had a pizza margarita for dinner and then walked around the old town with a gelato for dessert.

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