Note: Finally was able to get all the videos up from Day 2 - worth watching master Mauro make some glass for sure: see them here.
Also, video from yesterday is up here.
And pictures from today are here. I feel like some are missing but I am too tired to figure out what right now.
Now the blog:
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Woke up around 7:30 and had breakfast, which was a creme-filled croissant and some bread and butter, just enough to start the day. Cloudy day and it is supposed to rain but it hasn't yet. Hope it stays away because I plan to be outside all afternoon.
After breakfast, walked down to the old castle, which I then learned is an art museum. I literally got lost trying to find the exit. Made it back to Piazza Bra, where the arena is, and followed the Rick Steves walking tour through the old town. The arena is like a mini-Colosseum but is set up inside with real chairs because they have a huge opera seson in the summer in Verona.
Although Verona is super touristy with all the Juliet stuff, there are tons of locals out and about and it feels more authentic than, say, Venice. Everything is only a 10-15 min walk away, which is nice too. Lots of people going to and from church on Sunday.
After wandering around looking at lots of pretty buildings and churches, I made it back to the center for lunch.
4:30pm - back at the B&B for a rest. The risotto at lunch was outstanding. Just delicious and creamy and a little chewy. The picture doesn't do it justice; it was a lovely burgundy/purple color.
I was going to buy my token souvenir magnet at one of the touristy shops on the main road, but then I walked by a little setup of different crafty stands in the main square and one was selling handmade ceramic stuff so I bought a magnet there instead. Probably more than twice as expensive, but made by the Juliet Club, not in China.
After eating, walked back over to the duomo, which had opened up after morning masses. The church is huge and beautiful and has ancient foundations underneath. I was there just in time, because hordes of people were descending on the church for something, it almost looked like a kids' graduation?
Went over to find Gelateria Ponte Pietra, which had just moved down the street to a shiny new location and had a bacio (chocolate/hazelnut) and cinnamon combination, very good indeed. Walked across Ponte Pietra and up a long and I mean long (my fitbit counted it as about 16 flights) of stairs up to a vewpoint at the castle above town. The castle appears closed for maintenance. I definitely worked off the gelato I'd just eaten. But the views are lovely. I'm sure sunset on a nice night is ridiculous.
Trekked back down and tried to find the Roman amphitheatre, which I then learned is closed for maintenance until the end of the month. They still have concerts there. Kept walking down the street to the Giusti Gardens, which are pretty little manicured hedges and statues. There is a belvedere castle but it involved more hiking uphill and when I got to the base of the building and saw the circular staircase I was going to have to take, I passed.
Meandered back to the B&B for an afternoon break and deciding where to eat tonight.
10:00pm - left the B&B shortly before 6pm and wandered more into the main area, which is so lively and fun that you could go back over and over again and experience new things. In Piazza Erbe, some kind of parade was going on, which ended in guns suddenly being fired up to the sky. It looked as though it was making its way through the city. A Venetian flag (Red with a lion) was temporarily put up.
All day it had looked like it was going to rain, then a little while before I set out again for the evening the sun had come out, so naturally I left my umbrella in the B&B. After being out for a little while, it was clear a thunderstorm was coming. The sky was still blue further away, so I went down to Piazza Bra, where the arena is, as it still looked blue there. The parade had made its way there by then.
Right around 7:30pm, the skies unloaded, not before some really cool and strange sunlight rays were hitting the arena. When it started to rain I decided to just go to dinner a little early. Luckily the restaurant I had picked was just a couple of minutes' walk away. It's called Locanda 4 Cuochi (the 4 Cooks) and it was supposed to be more modern type of cuisine. When I got there they were all, cooks included, rushing to get the stuff inside from all the outdoor tables the poor people had probably just set up.
Essentially I decided after 5 days of pasta and rice and more pasta and polenta and bread, I really needed some meat. And they had chicken on the menu. Sold. The restaurant was mostly booked for the night, but they had a counter looking into the open kitchen. Dinner and a show? Well if you insist.
I had panissa fritta, which I knew was fried chickpea flour/puree, and "sqacquerone," which I learned to be a soft cheese. I had no idea what I was getting, and it turned out to be a salad! Fresh vegetables! with tomatoes! even better! and OLIVES! The best of all! Topped with the little cubes of fried panissa and dollops of cheese (like cream cheese I guess). Delicious! Then I had what was on the menu as "pollo e patate" (quote marks included), which just means chicken and potatoes. When I ordered, the waitress told me they weren't roasted potatoes but they were "creamed potatoes" - OK fine mashed potatoes it is. No, they were creamed as in put through one of those aerators with the gas cartridge. So they were very creamy that's for sure and 100% delicious. It was great fun to watch the four cooks (hence the name) cook in the open kitchen, carefully finish off each dish to perfection, all while chatting and having fun with each other. Although busy, it was a fairly quiet kitchen unlike what you think of in American restaurants with hysteria and yelling. Anyway, it was a highly memorable meal.
Came outside and not only was the rain gone, but the post-storm clouds at sunset looked pretty awesome above the arena.
I followed the gourmet trend with a small gelato at Pretto, started by michelin-starred chefs. I tested it out by trying a dark chocolate and coffee combination. The coffee was awesome, with ground coffee beans inside, but I've had better dark chocolates, like the one a few days ago at Suso in Venice. Still quite good.
I've realized a few things about Italian restaurants besides the no tipping thing. You never ever drink out of a bottle or can, even beer and soda get served with a glass. In very popular restaurants it must be hard to get a table because they only seem to have one reservation per table. when you get a table in italy, it is yours for the night because the waiters don't care about turnover because they do not get tips. Hygiene is not the same hysteria it is in the US. That is not to say it's not clean, but they are not obsessed with stupid stuff that doesn't make anyone cleaner (for example, I've almost never seen toilet seat covers here). Tonight at this pretty upscale trendy restaurant, a couple guys walked in with a dog. Not a service dog. Instead of kicking them out, the waitress brought the dog a bowl of freaking water. I've read sometimes people think the service in Italy is bad because they don't come check on you all the time, but the good places truly care that you enjoyed your meal (I was asked three times tonight, once at the end of each course and once when they brought the bill), but they do not bug you while you are EATING. That's when you should be focused on EATING, not befriending your server. I think they just assume (and rightfully so?) if something is wrong with the meal, you will just tell them. What a shocking concept.
So that is my rant for the night. Total walking information from the fitbit for today: 28,638 steps, 44 staircases (thank you Castle of San Pietro), and 11.39 miles.
Tomorrow it is off to Mantova!
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