Normal Service Resumed

Thank you for your patience. This latest absence is explained by a combination of

1. me getting ill
2. Owen 'needing' part of my computer to make his work and me being too soft to object
3. Easter visitors occupying the computer room, which is after all, Martha's bedroom, so no complaint there!

So now all of those things have been resolved and we are ready to continue our trip round Europe. If you remember, we left off in Spain with the Alhambra and some fantastic Gaudi architecture.
John and I took the sleeper to Milan and from there we went the same day to Verona and that's what today's post will be about.

Big Train Adventure Part Two - Italy

Imagine sleeping through a whole country! We travelled through Spain, France and a bit of Italy largely horizontal and unconscious!

to Verona, to the House of the Capulets and Juliet's balcony, though how Romeo managed to climb the wall remains a mystery unless he was a bit of a Spidermen. I hung around on the balcony for a bit, but no-one showed up.

Far more tangible were the coffee shops.

the fresh pasta

the markets and the ancient streets and architecture. It was cold in Verona. I managed to catch some sun in the Arena, enough to sit and read for an hour or so. Below me a couple of people tried the acoustics with some bursts of opera. It sounded wonderful!

The city sits in a loop or river, we stayed in the Youth Hostel perched at the top of the loop. We spent three days pottering around this ancient city, eating well and enjoying the relative peace of the place as the tourists were not yet in evidence in large numbers, although a bus load of Japanese people seemed to be following us all through Europe! I'm sure it wasn't the same bus?

But in February it was a bit too cold for the throngs I suspect crowd the narrow streets in the summer.

Here is my impression of those days.

Everywhere we went, I was aware of patterns - in the floors, railings, walls .... and took dozens of photos of them for inspiration for ... not sure what - but I was inspired!

The city walls were very grand and I found myself remembering the 1968 Zeffirelli version of the film with Leonard Whiting who made such an impression on me as a teenager! I studied the play for 'O' level and learned whole screeds of the dialogue by taping it onto an old reel to reel tape recorder - I messed around with the speed so that Juliet was very high and fast and Romeo s-l-o-w and deep!

So I wandered round the walls and narrow streets muttering to myself in this way. Also - let me tell you what I was wearing. I was carrying everything in a back pack so had very few options. I took a huge jumper made from Noro Iro and no coat. I was working on the principle of 'layers' and had a lightweight waterproof (purple) if it rained.

So there I am, wandering round the streets of Verona wearing my multi coloured Noro, my red skirt and green tights, muttering bits of Romeo and Juliet to myself in high and low pitches. Add to this image the fact that all ... and I mean ALL ... the women of Verona - nay - Italy - are so incredibly elegant in black or fur, half of them have tiny dogs on delicate little legs wearing clothes that have more style than me.

This will be my abiding memory of Verona.

Stay tuned for the next exciting episode which will not be so long in coming - I promise!

Comments

[Lindsey (ethel & edna)]

Ooh the heart shaped cakes look so gorgeous - too good to eat. The man looks like one of the chocolate chappies in the latest Lynx advert (you may have missed this as you've been away).
The colours, patterns and textures are all so exciting. They make little old England look even more drab and grey. Can't wait for the nexy episode - this is better than telly!! :0)

[Zoe]

Sounds like you had a great time. I LOVE the image of you in your green tights and lovely Noro - sounds ideal and so warm and comfy. Did you take your Crocs? I chuckled to think of the contrast with the women of Verona - they can't be real. Love the photos and the Zeffirelli version of R & J is the best. Olivia Hussey as Juliet matched how I imagined Juliet to look. I did Henry V at "O" level. :((( On, on, on to the breach!

[Milly]

Wonderful photos!

[rosie]

Those dogs are going to be begging their owners for Noro jumpers now! My 'O' level play was Macbeth, but all I remember now is the Polanski film, and my 14 year-old self being horrified by the naked witches...

[willow]

I remember thinking the same thing about elegantly dressed Italian women in Rome on my trip in 2001.

I prefer to travel with just a backpack--we did that on our trip to England in 2004--when we visited Hexham.

I really love seeing the patterns as you saw them.

[heidi]

I imagine they enjoyed your jumper - it is one thing to be elegant in black, but quite another to be able to be free, colorful, and comfortable, isn't it? Loved the food pictures - so much.

[linda]

Hi Kate, I remember seeing the Zefferelli romeo and Juliet film when I was 14 at the tyneside cinema, likewise it had a big impact on me too, in fact I have the video!!!!

[Maddy]

Another wonderful journal entry, love it. I so with I could just hop on a train and be in Europe, insert big heavy sigh at this point. Thanks again for sharing.