Verona day two

Today is Columbus Day (observed) . So we are off to discover Verona.
We began with a really good breakfast, including eggs and bacon.

We met our guide. Valaria and took off for a four hour walking tour. Wwe bagman with the church right outside our hotel. St. Anastasia. It was built for the church by a veer wealthy man whose sarchoghi is elevated outside the front of the church. We learned that our hotel was at one time the quarters for the Signores guards.

The church is Romanesque in style. It is unfinished on the outside and you can see around the doors and windows how there is obviously more work to be done but since the man died before it was completed apparently that is how it will remain.

Next it was on to the river across the river is the old Roman theater. The ruins can still be seen and it is still used for out door concerts. On the top is an old monastery. It is built on the ruins of the old wall of the theater.

On to the Duomo. Each city we learned has it's own duomo which is the seat ofvthe bishop. This church is lovely. It is quite large and heavily painted. It to is built on the ruins of an early Roman church. It was built by Helen (Saint Helena) the wife of Constantine. This is now the home of older priests who serve in many capacities in the parish. We walked through the cloister and the baptistry. The baptistry is a chapel all to itself. According to Valaria the parents will stand outside the door of the church with their child to ask that they be admitted and then enter for the ritual. The font had eight bas relief images from the story of the birth and youth of Christ ending with his baptism by John. It looked like a full immersion would gave been done in the font but they also had a smaller basin within the font. At the entrance to the church was the basin for holy water. The basin sits on the shoulders of a hunchback. We all rubbed his hump for luck.

Of course no tour would be complete without a stop a Juliet's balcony. It is a place purchased by the city for just that purpose, for tourists to walk to. It is in a very small courtyard and people were having their picture taken rubbing the breast on the statue of Juliet. We did not spend much time there.

We next walked to Erbe Piazza which iscthe main square. It is ringed with snoops and cafes and of course apartments above. At one end is a very impressive building tat looks like a government building but itbwas actually the home of some rich folk who in the earlier times wanted to impress the citizens. The fountain is a combination of a mideavel basin, a Roman statue and an eighteentj century head. In the very middle os a raised platform that was used for crying out the news and for public punishments.
We ended our tour at the Roman arena. Arena wee learned means sand because that is what covered the bottom of the area. The arena is used for large summer operas and rock concerts. We went in and I went with the groupvto the very top. I even took a picture to prove I did it.

As it was now one and we had had only one snack since breakfast we stopped for lunch. Two of us split a wonderful pizza. And five of us shared a bottle of wine.

After lunch some of us crossed the river and wandered around the theater and monastery. The views of the city from the top were lovely even though it had turned a bit gray. About five, five of us wandered back to the plaza for a glass of wine. Actually tow or us decided that we had to have the local drink called a spritz. It is made with vermouth, fruit juice and a sparkling water. It is. Ow my second favorite drink discovered on this trip. Orangeina being first.

Dinner was at a locals restaurant. I had a gnocchi that was excellent. Apparently both horse and donkey are favored meats. So we have all learnica the Italian for both so we can avoid them on the menus. The place filled with locals drinking and eating risotto. I enjoyed our meal and we were very well treated but the nine women really stood out in this small local cafe.

Back to the rooms and to bed.