Joe and I outside the Arena, 2016
In 2016, Joe and I joined our colleagues at the Western Front for the 100th anniversary, but before this we made a couple of pitstops including Verona and Venice.
Verona
So on the 6th July we left our family in Calabria, taking off from Lamezia to Rome and then onto a connecting flight to Verona. We got there okay but our luggage decided to have a sleep over in Roma!!!
Luggage tags – don’t ever throw out your luggage tags. This was the only way I finally got my bags back!
We loved Verona, we stayed at this beautiful B&B (Art & Breakfast), literally around the corner from the Arena. We bought tickets for AIDA the next morning because another couple also staying at the B&B had been the night before and recommended it. Best show they’d ever seen! They were so right. “Spectacular sets, amazing lighting, great atmosphere! [Aida] is Amneris’s slave, the king’s daughter and is secretly in love ❤️ with an Egyptian General named Radames. ❤️He loves her too ❤️”
Aida at the Arena di Verona, My journal 2016
During our stay in Verona we invited friends Mauro and Franca, who drove from Casole d’Elsa for the day. We stayed as their guests in the town on a previous trip. It was great to catch up with them! We had lunch at Romeo’s place – yes really, that Romeo, Juliet was just around the corner 🤣❤️ We saw her just before lunch. I really loved Verona and all it had to offer.
Lunch, My journal 2016
Venice
The first time we visited Venice was on our family trip in 2007. Venice was just a last minute addition.
“I cannot believe that I had not put Venice on our list. If there is one thing everyone must do, it is to go there and have a gondola ride. It was magnificent, very beautiful and peaceful. Everyone loved it and at €100, was worth it!”
24 April, 2014
“A very comfortable taxi ride to Milan Central €12:50 and then a couple of hours in a Frecciabianca and we found ourselves in the ❤️City of Love ❤️.”
25 April 2014 – ANZAC DAY
We’ve been to Venice a few times and it never ceases to amaze. That morning, we paid our respects to our own diggers in Piazza San Marco at the raising of the flags ceremony. We then boated out to Murano, Burano and Torcello Islands. We watched glass blowers creating amazing work on Murano, lacemakers weaving their magic on Burano and visited a tiny little church from the Middle Ages at Torcello!
“Brightly painted houses, legend says that the town of Burano – a fishing village, once had its houses painted in different colours so the fishermen would be able to easily find [them] … when returning … in the dark. Well known also for its beautiful lace and yummy biscuits called bassolá.”
My journal 2014
“I liked Burano the best.”
I do hope you’re enjoying the holiday journal. Just one day left. Hmmm, I wonder where we’ll go for our final stop? Stay tuned.
Thanks for reading 🙂