Today in Rome, and our trip to Verona

Today I am back in Rome after two successive tours of Italy - the wonderful Insight tour, which I have not yet finished telling you about due to the lack of time, followed by a much less satisfactory tour.

I have been spending the day in Rome catching up with so many tasks. Goodness it’s a bustling city! (The last post was written last night, when it was still 17 May here but already 18 May in Australia.)

First up, I asked the hotel receptionist to recommend a good hairdresser. He not only did that but also rang and made an appointment for me. The hairdresser could not speak much English, but he was very charming and I would say just about at retirement age; he arrived at the salon when I did. There was only one other customer in the salon, which was very hard to find up on the first floor of an obscure building along a narrow winding lane. 

I could tell he was somewhat shocked by what looked like an eagle's nest perched on my head.  (Or a birch broom in a fit!) I am sure in his mind he said “Mamma Mia!!!” but to me he said  “You have a lot of hair - it is very curly! “, as the pile of curly frizz kept mounting up on the floor. (His method was to cut hair when it is dry, then wash and style it.) We both agreed I looked much younger and far less grey by the time he finished. (No, I never dye my hair.) So I came away very pleased, although with a much lighter purse. The hotel receptionist got me to parade before him when I returned, and he was clearly impressed with the transformation. He had a big grin all over his face, which is fair enough given he recommended the hairdresser.

I also hiked all over the place in the heat hunting for a supermarket, post office and Vodaphone store, eventually finding all three, though I obtained little satisfaction at the PO (they could learn a lot from our postal services and really need someone who speaks fluent English). I then had to hike back to the PO - it was several blocks from the hotel, but I simply had to  lighten my load and post back bits and pieces family and friends. I obtained no satisfaction at all at the Vodaphone store. They said they could only help me if I had an Italian Sim card. It was just two young girls who could barely speak a word of English anyway.

Anyhow, onto talking about Verona, the city made famous by William Shakespeare, with his tragic story of Romeo and Juliet, which I visited with my Insight tour group. Of course the city fathers at the time realised the benefits that would be brought to the city through tourism by choosing a suitable looking balcony and declaring that as 'Juliet’s balcony'. This is in the old part of the town. The little courtyard below was packed with tourists, and the archway leading into the courtyard was totally covered with messages of love. One enterprising shopkeeper whose shop is right opposite the archway has decorated it with everything on the theme of love. Even a well-known baker makes beautiful cookies in the shape of hearts; the gourmet heart-shaped chocolate biscuits our tour director treated us all to were simply delicious. 

But the old town also has a famous very old stadium from Roman times. When we walked down to it we found that a big protest was going on out the front of it against the Italian government’s plan to privatise it. Our tour director though it may be better off in private hands, but one cannot help feel some sympathy for the government employees who would lose their jobs as a result. Having said that, if the place has become economically unviable due to the fact they were not working hard enough, you can see the other side too.   

Then there is a huge fortress-like complex on top of a hill in the new town overlooking the river that belongs to Opus Dei - it is their headquarters in fact. They featured in the Dan Brown movies, but I can assure you they are alive and well in Australia too. Some I have met have taken part in very underhand behaviour, undermining people who have more liberal religious views. The pencil pines surrounding this complex are used in Italy as a demarcation device - to make your boundaries very clear. In this case they only added to the somewhat sinister, aloof aspect of the place. 

Apart from being somewhat shocked to see this ‘fortress’, I thought Verona was a picturesque township with many lovely shops, streetscapes and market stalls. It had a good feel about it. We left it in a state of excitement - we were on the way to Venice, and so looking forward to that.

And tomorrow I am leaving here in a state of excitement - I will be off on my Mediterranean cruise to see the Greek Islands!  . . . 

Our first view of the old town of Verona, over the river from the new part.

The view along the river from the bridge into the old town.

Part of the old town.

Along one of the streets in the old town.

The old stadium in Verona where many events are still held.

Some men in old Roman costume waiting to greet the large number of school children who were about to attend a concert at the stadium.

The crowded courtyard where 'Juliet's balcony is located. A girl was up there at the time. 

A closer view of the balcony. By that time two tourists were up there.

The wall with all the love messages.

The now empty balcony.

The shop selling all things to celebrate love.

The Opus Dei headquarters behind the pencil pines.

A lovely little garden next to the river in the new town, where our coach parked. Such beautiful tall trees!