Trips

Tues., 7/21/15 – Santa Margherita and Cinque terra
            Today was a day on our own but the suggestion was to take the train and visit Cinque terra.  There are five small seaside towns in five kilometers and many hikers hike or walk from one town to the next over very steep terrain.  It was another stinking hot, breathless day and we just looked at the harbor at Vernazza and the string of private chairs and umbrellas all along Monterosso.

Cinque Terra region
Vernazza - market	Vernazza - market
Vernazza - Church of Santa Margherits d’Antiochia	Vernazza - Church of Santa Margherits d’Antiochia
Vernazza - Church of Santa Margherits d’Antiochia	Vernazza - small engine repair
Vernazza - poster of 2011 flood	On October 25, 2011 flooding from a freak rainstorm devastated the town of Vernazza, one of the five villages that make up the celebrated Cinque Terre in Liguria . Rivers of water and mud cascaded down the steep and narrow streets, burying the town’s lowest levels in as much as 13 feet of debris, while also overwhelming the railroad tracks that provided the primary way in or out of Vernazza. (Part of the Cinque Terre’s allure is that four of its cliff-hugging villages are accessible only by train, boat, or hiking trail.)             The town has made a remarkable recovery from this devastating flood.
Vernazza	Vernazza - train entering one of the many tunnels
Vernazza	Monterosso is a larger town but still had not much to do except swim, sunbath or shop.  Twenty-one of us joined Valentina at a restaurant for lunch.  It took all of our time.  We walked back to the train station and waited for our train that was an hour late.
Monterosso	Monterosso
Monterosso	Monterosso
Wed., 7/22/15 – Santa Margherita to Verona to Bolzano             We left Santa Margherita and drove up the coast toward Genoa through many tunnels.  Every time we came out of a tunnel we looked down on our left at another small village with a tiny harbor and beach.              It was 100° when we got to Verona for our walking tour. Verona is another old Roman city.  The old part is laid out on a Roman grid of streets with city walls and gates and the Adige River running around and through it.                             We entered the old town with our local guide through the Porta Borsari where the tax collectors once operated.  We walked to a plaza that once was the Roman Forum.  Some of the houses have frescoes on their exterior walls.             Verona was severely damaged during WWII.  The Nazis killed many of the Jewish merchants of the city.  We walked past a synagogue.  There is still a Jewish community in Verona.             We walked to Juliet’s house to see the courtyard and famous balcony.  The entry portico is full of lovers’ graffiti and notes stuck on the wall with gum.  The statue of Juliet in the courtyard has shiny breasts from lovers touching them “for the sake of love.”  Shakespeare never visited Verona but wrote Romeo and Juliet, Taming of the Shrew, and Two Gentlemen of Verona, which are all set here.  The Montague family was real and a powerful noble family in Verona but Juliet’s family name was Capello and not Capulet.
Verona	Verona - the River Adige
Verona - Porta Borsari	Verona
Verona - Piazza dei Signori	Verona
Verona - Piazza dei Signori	Verona - Whale rib means the markets sell anything you want
Verona - Synagogue	Verona - entrance to Juliet’s House
Verona - The Balcony	Verona - Ghibelline crenelations or merlons - non-papal supporters
We walked to the Verona Roman Arena.  It was built in 1 AD and is one of the most complete ones in the world.  It is now used for opera performances.  The arena used to seat 30,000 people and was used for bloody gladiator battles and killing of animals.  It never was used for little naval battles.  Now it seats 15,000 because the opera stage takes over half of the arena.  Outside the arena was scenery from several operas.             We had 45 minutes of free time at 104° F so Marge and I sat at an outdoor table in the shade and enjoyed a large beer and a glass of ice water.  It was very refreshing.	Verona - opera festival in honor of Maria Callas?
Verona - Roman Arena	Verona - Roman Arena
Verona - opera sets	Verona - opera sets
Verona - Roman Arena	Verona - view with a cold beer in hand!
Verona	We were back on our bus by 3:30 and headed to Bolzano.  The landscape changed to apple orchards and vineyards and steep, but low, rocky mountains.  Very different landscape and very pretty.

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