Verona

The high speed train from St. Poelten whisked us west, towards Innsbruck, where we spent a few days just a month or so earlier. But the snow on the mountains was all melted when we arrived. It melted in 5 weeks in the fall! It was about 72 degrees when we arrived, which is well above average.

We grabbed a quick lunch and jumped on another high speed train heading straight south to Verona, through the Brenner Pass of the Alps into Italy. The mountain scenery was the best we'd seen since Switzerland.

It was smooth sailing with the apartment check-in. The hardest thing to do then was decide where to drink wine in the sun with a Roman Arena in the background. I noticed the cultural differences right away. Italians really do talk louder, often, and with their hands. Austrians, Germans and especially the Swiss are so reserved in comparison. It's not a bad thing, but very noticable when you were in a totally different environment just a day earlier.

We passed through Trento before arriving in Verona, home of the MYTHICAL Romeo and Juliet from Shakespeare. Someone decided that a particular balcony was the one where "Guilieta" received Romeo. It's a PLAY, people. We walked by the busy street it's on and peeked in to look at all the people clamoring to take pictures. For a few extra euros you could go up to the balcony for Instagram photos. The line was long.

Verona is actually a very touristy city, and for good reason. It's well-preserved and has a complete Roman Arena that is used for live operas still. There are lots of quaint piazzas, markets, and restaurants. We skipped all museums and churches and spent a wonderful day and a half just walking around and enjoying the cuisine, wine, and coffee. That's what you're supposed to do in Italy, right?

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