Post-Europe Trip Reflection #5: In Fair Verona Where We Lay Our Scene

11 July

Slept in. Sigh, what a beautiful thing to do on holiday! As much as there was lots to be seen, the pace of our journey so far caught up to me at this point. We enjoyed our first Italian breakfast, complete with our host's homemade berry jam, fig jam, muffins and glorious, oh so glorious, Italian coffee. I decided from then on, to partake of espresso as often as I could whilst in Italy.

I then took some time to take photos of this lovely little farm we were living at. Here is an olive tree and then a fig tree.

Before we started back on our treacherous journey back down the mountain, we had a little pow wow. As life goes sometimes, there were things left unsaid, that really needed to be brought out. We took some time that morning to each share where we were at and how we were feeling about the trip thus far. Traveling with friends is obviously different than the countless trips I have taken with students and with me as their leader. At the same time, this morning ended up being a much needed "team meeting" of sorts. And it was good.

We made our way back down the "mountain", without any incident!

Verona, as our first Italian city, was lovely. We just wandered around, took pictures, sat at a terrace cafe and ate amazing little pizza thingies, took in the style of those just walking around, admired the many Vespas and bicycles and checked out Casa di Giulietta: the home of the Capulet family inn and the supposed balcony which inspired Shakespeare. Here visitors add countless graffiti and glue love notes to the wall, but this is not why we were there! We were there to see the famed bronze breast. And see it we did. Juliet's right breast is bright bronzed in comparison to her left, thanks to the many who come specifically to rub it! Apparently, rubbing the breast is meant to grant one luck in love. And of course, being the token single in our group, partook of this great tradition I did. Twice! (For the best photo opportunities, of course.)

What else did we do in Verona? Checked out some other monstrous melons whilst shopping for dinner groceries!

If I haven't mentioned this already, I was reminded that one of my favourite things to do in another country is shop at their supermarket. We had the chance to do this often in an attempt to save some money. We stood in line with a rather inebriated fellow, who for some reason decided to approach us later in a city plaza and spit on one of my friends!! Not a pleasant experience at all. Right around this time, I stepped into some of the nicest public bathrooms I have ever had the privilege of experiencing. Cost 50 cents.

Those groceries and the nicely selected bottle of Italian wine made for an amazing home-cooked meal, a lovely end to a long day of walking (and shopping).

Post-Europe Trip Reflection #4: Bless-ed Driving

10 July

The drive got off to a bit of a shaky start, leaving St. Gallen. It was time for our first fill-up of diesel. At this point, we were realizing what an amazing vehicle we were given! It was quite difficult to find a station that would take our Canadian credit cards however. We ended up using some final Swiss francs to get ourselves set until we found another station. And again, went in the wrong direction from the Autobahn and started driving up a mountain. Oops. Once we got back on track (which included driving around a roundabout a few times as we deliberated which was the correct exit to take), it didn’t take long to arrive at the Austrian border!

We didn’t even have to stop, but chose to in order to get our passports stamped by both the Swiss and the Austrians. Again, the signage wasn’t great, but we were able to locate the place to buy our Vignette which would allow us to use Austrian roads. This one was 8 Euros versus Switzerland’s being 40 Francs! Not much for what was soon to become one of our most picturesque drives.

I would say on this particular day, the realities of travel, driving confusion, little sleep, four women together, etc. we found ourselves in an interesting place. The drive through Austria was a quiet one at times as we each took in the grandeur outside of our windows and mulled in our own thoughts. Up until this time, the majority of music played was my various mixes of Nineties tunes, yet on this day, it seemed fitting to play a little something more contemplative. This meant popping in "Nobody's Got It All Together" by Jill Phillips, then "Behold the Lamb of God" by Andrew Peterson and others and then the one mix cd I had along of more worshippy stuff (of course including some tunes by Rich Mullins, U2...). For me, music is huge. Nature is huge. Combining the two is huge-er. Despite what was going on for me inside, I could not help but sing out songs as I looked at the brilliant creation around me.

I didn't really get any shots that do this drive justice. It was a drive surrounded by mountains, some of them snow-capped and some of them church or monastery (I think?)-capped.

It just got more and more thrilling as we entered Italy. More mountains and then gradual rolling hills filled with vineyards and olive groves. So many old, old clay tiled-roofed homesteads. Such amazingly placed orchards and vines, making the best use of the steep mountain landscape.

The roads were a little thrilling as well! Very high up lots of times and filled with Italian drivers! Today I can proudly say that I drove in Italy, successfully! As tricky and frustrating as it could be sometimes (particularly their seeming impatience with you to move back over after you've passed someone, even before you could see the car you were passing in your mirror!), I just let myself join in on the aggressive style. One thing I happily give the Europeans overall with their driving is their actual understanding of the concept of passing (or as the British say, "Overtaking"). A pet peeve of mine in Canada is drivers who remain in the middle lane, never moving right. Always move right! Isn't that what we were taught?! The Europeans do it! (Even if they insist you do it before you feel that it is safe to do so!)

By the time we got to Verona, I started to tire, but driving in the city is a little intense and the others were hesitant to just start out their own Europe driving experience in that setting, so I carried on. Again, we had a lesson in the difference in direction-giving. We were reading the directions from the website of Ca del Rocolo, the rural Bed & Breakfast we were staying in (advertised as Agriturismo) and well, it becomes somewhat of a game. Going on instinct. "Turn...here! Yes, here!" "What's 'here'?" "Right. I mean, left!"

Honestly, if you want a taste, check this
out! Pay close attention to Direction #9!!

Yes folks, we were driving up a mountain again. This time a mountain road that narrowed the higher we got. Narrowed to the point where it could only fit one vehicle. And sure enough, we met another on its way down! (Picture this. Four exhausted women. Driving up a mountain with a large (and beautiful) drop-off to the right. Trying to follow a paper of directions. Hungry. Tired. Anxious. Nervous. Tense.) Fortunately, maybe because there was another car behind us, the car we met did the reversing to the closest spot where the road widened enough for them to fit into. And we carried on up. Did I mention that I stalled at the beginning of our ascent?! Sigh.

Eventually, we all came tumbling out of our car and beheld the wonder that was to be our home for two nights! It really was great. Maybe for some, not worth the harry drive to reach, but I was in favour. Our host graciously picked us some tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, onions and garlic from her garden, gave us some mozzarella, Parmesan, pasta, olive oil (home grown) and wine and we had one of the most fulfilling meals ever. I was so thankful for my friends at this point who stepped up to make this meal while I plopped on the big nice bed in our room of cute wooden doors and shutters.