Monza Brianza

Another slow start, having breaky at 8am. Eggs and Bacon.

Our train departs for Verona from Como at 12:10

It is very easy to waste time here. Sometimes all we do is stare at the mountains and lake in a trance.

Lake Como has relaxed us, with nothing on our agenda.

We wonder if the magnificent gelati shop in the main square of Como is open yet. It is not.

Here is Athena to have a chat...
Como is a picturesque town with lush mountains and a crystal clear lake. The view from our room is stunning. For me como made me stop & relax as I was able to be free & shop. We were constantly on the go in Paris & Monterosso. I can honestly say como makes me feel like I am here for a holiday and not the amazing race.

Me back again.... Ha, ha, ha, 'the amazing race'
that is exactly what it is like travelling in Europe with me 😋 Poor Athena xx

We catch our train, first class rail is nice and relaxing.
I read my novel while Athena chills out with her tunes for the next 2hrs and 20mins.

We got off the train and I spied a sign to our hotel. It was great that the hotel is so close to the station 🚉
Approx 300 metre walk.

As we dragged our bags along in 32 degree heat it looked like this area was for commission housing.

Athena and I decided, we will take a cab or ride a bike to the city centre, we are definately not walking it.

At 3:30pm we leave the hotel and catch a cab to the centre for a walk around and dinner.

Note to self - Taxi is 10 euro 4mins hotel to Colosseum.

The Verona colloseum is central and used for operas.

We walk through the skinny cobbled lanes full of stunning, expensive shops. At the end we turn right and we are at Guilietta's house. We walk straight into the courtyard and get photos with Juliet.

This was way too easy. I expected a massive line and to have to pay, but nope. It was lovely.

The balcony is here and another pinch myself moment happens.
'Letters to Juliet' the movie will explain why I chose to come here. Oh and an old baird and his tragic lovers.

I walk up to Juliet's statue and to ensure good luck in love, you hold her breast.
I did it, felt really weird. Like I was invading someone's privacy.

To get to the balcony you pay 7 euro. Off I went, climbing all through the house, about 5 floors. Costumes, her bed, staircases and massive chimneys.

You are able to write letters to Juliet to help with your love life and she writes back.
Well they have computers up there now. You type a letter, and provide your email address for a response. This freaked me out. Bit too modern amongst the medieval.

We then strolled up to the river, found a bar and began drinking, and drinking, and drinking.

We were shameless. People were smiling at us. We were trying to take sexy photos of ourselves. It was bad, funny bad, but we couldn't care less. Laughing too much. I got up to go to the Loo and wobbled around. Jeez, feels like when I was 20.

I said to Athena, I need food, proper food, not crisps.

We eventually left the bar and walked to the colloseum. A massive dressed up crowd lined up for the Opera. And restaurants surrounding the colloseum.
We grabbed a table and both ordered seafood spaghetti. Yum.

A taxi back and dropped into bed. (Athena put her shoes out on the windows ledge so we could breathe)Read more