Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
After last night's storm it is much fresher and there is no haze meaning the colours of the rocks, towns and lake are much more vivid. We could easily stay longer but it's time to move on from this restful place. Ali goes to settle the bill and is surprised to be given a bottle of wine by Luca as, in his words, a thankyou for using his site. There are further goodbyes from our Dutch 'neighbours' and another lady stops for a short chat as we are using the service point before leaving at 10:45.
The road towards Verona it largely uninteresting and a good deal of it is dual carriageway. After skirting Brescia there are numerous vineyards towards Verona, we are entering the centre for Soave and Valpolicella wines.
We refuel just before entering Verona then join the melee of traffic lights, roundabouts, short tunnels and roadworks until we reach the camper parking at area comunale Porta Palio a bit before 13:00. After a quick sandwich we head into town with a map we printed off the internet. It has all the places of interest clearly marked, the only problem being that we can't find our parking place on it so don't know where we're starting from. We head away from the river and into a modern street full of banks, but in one corner is Europcar and Ali suggests that they are likely to have someone who speaks English. They do, and they also have complimentary maps on one of which the lady marks a route for us.
We follow our new map to the old town, arriving at the Piazza Bra around the theatre via the huge arches of the old town wall. The piazza spreads out to the theatre, actually amphitheatre, which looks like a one-third sized facsimile of the one in Rome.
Beyond the piazza we go into a main shopping street, expensive fashion and shoes, souvenirs and specialist pastas. The shop fronts are all modern plate glass, but above is old Verona with balconies, shutters, frescoes and overhanging rooves. The pavement is polished stone. A tall tour guide marches past with his little flag pole. Seconds later we are nearly run over by the tour party; 30 odd Japanese in 2x2 file, their short legs rushing to keep up with the guide.
There are a few spots of rain as we head into the market square where there are umbrellas on sale, large fruit sundaes, various special pastas fresh and dried, souvenirs and silk scarves. We are looking for the famous 'Juliet' balcony - there are thousands to choose from - when the heavens open with torrential rain, thunder and lightning and hails the size of frozen peas. Everyone runs for shelter. The waiters and waitresses set about tying down tablecloths and parasols in the fierce wind whipping arond the square. By the time they've finished they look like drowned rats who have rounded the Cape on a square rigger.
We seek refuge in a shop doorway when we meet our own Two Gentlemen of Verona, actually two waiters who want to get Nick and wheelchair up their steps into the cafe, but our little corner is sheltered enough and we decline. A man wanders around touting umbrellas and pac-a-macs, someone buys 1 brolly and 3 macs, he gets no change from a €50 note. The wind, rain and hail is relentless as the sky flashes and booms for forty minutes before the rain reduces at all.
When it stops we start making our way back, not knowing if we saw the celebrated balcony, but anyway it's a 1934 replica that has conned tourists like us for decades. Back in Piazza Bra people are filing out of cafes, a few slipping on the marble pavements, but there is no sign of the photo-for-money gladiators who have gone somewhere to rust in peace.
We stop for coffee then return through the business section, where most of the balconies have a tricolore hanging, and return to the van.
Traffic is manic, it is still raining and nearly dark so instead of going 20 miles to an Frattore Amico we decide to stay put in the aire.
- comments