Verona  (Web site) (locator) on the Adige River is 323 miles north of Rome at nearly the same latitude as Milan, 107 miles to its west, and Venice, 73 miles east.  Verona's Roman history is marked with violence and bloodshed from invading forces that included barbarian invasions, and later, Austrian and French armies, internecine battles among local princes and dukes that included slaughters of thousands from neighboring towns, and even fratricide.  Its WWII era  witnessed willing collaberation with fascists that included sending off Jews to Nazi concentration camps and a prison in which Allied soldiers, anti-fascists and Jews were tortured.  But rest assured that today you will be as safe there as in any other safe European city.  It is a beautiful city with many ancient structures that are the reason why Verona is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

 

Verona was our first city stop after crossing the Brenner Pass from Austria.  When we checked into our campground, the warden asked if we wished to attend the Opera that night.  It was to be Verdi's Aida and it was to be performed in the Roman ampitheater which dates from 30 AD.  It did not take us long to decide to attend.  A bus would be there to pick up everyone who wanted to go, and bring us back.  Perfect.

 

Well, not exactly perfect, as it turned out.  The bus was late arriving at the camp.  Then there was a huge thunderstorm and downpour as we waited to enter the ampitheater which soaked us thoroughly.  After we climbed huge, irregular, ancient stone steps to get to our rain- soaked seats the rain let up.  Soon we found ourselves seated in a huge ampitheater, called the Arena, with 25,000 other opera goers.  We were pretty high up and were amazed to realize that we could hear the orchestra and singing perfectly without strain.  The production had been designed by Franco Zeffirelli.  The set was beautiful, the costumes glorious, and when it got dark, the whole stage glowed with warm, bright colors.  Just as we were starting to enjoy the opera, it started to get very cold.  By the end of the second act we were shivering in our wet clothes.  Adelle was worried that the steps down might be dangerous, being very high and irregular, and that trying to negotiate them might prove a trifle dangerous with so many people behind and ahead of us who also must have been anxious to get home and warm again.  We decided to leave while the leaving was good.  Which we did, before the last act.  Never mind, it was great while it lasted.

 

We had over an hour before we were to meet the bus.  The plaza outside the Arena is the Piazza Bra, which is bordered by a curved street with many sidewalk cafes and bars.  We ducked inside one of these and ordered hot chocolate.  It was unbelievably good and warming.  Shivering stopped and we thawed.  Just before returning to the bus, we took a short walk down that curved street, joining many other people who also were walking.  Without realizing it at first, we had just joined into the passeggiata, the name given to the liesurely walk that people do arm in arm  in the evenings to socialize, or observe others doing the same thing,in many Italian cities. (Continued........)

 

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