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lollardfishLast year, towards the end, I took a wrong turn on my home from the library. I did this a lot in Venice. It was the only way to find anything you didn't already know about. I ended up on the street of paradise (calle de paradiso), and found a bookstore. The street is only about one block long, then ends in a bridge leading to the Campo di Santa Maria Formosa (the courtyard of the beautiful St. Mary, also the dwelling of a courtesean of some fame during later years). In the window of this bookstore, I saw published editions of all sorts of interesting texts, and made my way inside. I made my way outside some 200 euros poorer, and with a lot of pounds of weight to add to my luggage, but equipped with wonderful new books. I knew I would have to return there.
My apartment is directly next door, and two flights up.
No. Really.
Of all the streets of Venice, of all the streets of the sestiere of Castello, of anywhere in the whole city, I am next to the Fillipi bookstore. This could be dangerous.
My trip has, until today, been relatively easy and uneventful, although as tiring as any transatlantic journey and as filled with beauty as any walk through Venice must be. I arrived, bartered for a hotel, ate seafood, walked and walked, found my realtor, dropped off most of my luggage, and am now setting off again. Venice is a much easier city to negotiate with familiarity, as I suppose are most places, and it's been fairly smooth sailing. I think I am over the jet lag. I am definitely happy to have Italian coffee, food, wine, and chatter all around me. My languge skill is climbing back to competancy, and I am about to embark on a new adventure.
I have until September 16, when I must return to Venice. I have some money, a backpack (a big backpack), a guidebook, and relatively no plan. I've never really travelled with this, and am facing the prospect with delight. I might go to Bologna tomorrow. Or I might go to a little village north of Lake Garda where I hear there's a good youth hostel and gorgeous scenery. I plan to make it to Florence by next Wednesday, and to Rome by the following Saturday. But even those plans may change depending on who I meet and how I feel.
Today I am in Verona and am likely not going to the opera. The opera seats about 22,000 (and will sell out I am told) and is performed in a Roman Amphitheater. I just missed Aida. Today, instead, it's 'Notre Dame of Paris,' which may be wonderful, but I don't know it. Instead, I will wander about the city with a bunch of young english folk I met in the bus and the youth hostel, carouse a bit, be back at the hostel by 11:00 (there's a curfew), and sit in the garden drinking wine with them. At least, that's the plan.
I should say a word about the hostel. If you are hostelling through Italy, Verona is a must. The hostel was a palazzo, a manor home, of noblefolk built around 1700. Apparantly it was left in a will (the line dying out) to the 'youth' at some point, and is now a simply gorgeous hostel. It perches on a hill in the manner of such palazzos, looking down on the city, and hosting a polyglot international community for the princely sum of 12.50 a night. Not bad at all.
The city of Verona has three main points going for it. Romeo and Juliet - There were families who Shakespeare based the Montagues and Capulets after. They didn't feud. There's a Capulet house with a lovely courtyard and a nice brass sculpture of Juliet by a balcony. And IN the tourists flock. They touch her left breast for luck (and photographs). They cover EVERY surface in love grafitti and notes (quite striking, really, not unlike some of the Saint's tombs I have seen). They buy buy buy. Roman remains - The Roman amphitheater - Huge, stunning, well-restored, pricey to get into today cause of the opera. There's a big roman town gate we drove through as well on the bus, and no doubt I shall see more after a nice cappucino after finishing my email. Venetian influences - Venice dominated the city post 1405, and built a number of impressive palaces and castles, many of which remain. One particularly large castle towers over the city and it looks like a bit of a climb to get to. Maybe in the morning.
Email me or post responses (those who can)!
Love,
David.
My apartment is directly next door, and two flights up.
No. Really.
Of all the streets of Venice, of all the streets of the sestiere of Castello, of anywhere in the whole city, I am next to the Fillipi bookstore. This could be dangerous.
My trip has, until today, been relatively easy and uneventful, although as tiring as any transatlantic journey and as filled with beauty as any walk through Venice must be. I arrived, bartered for a hotel, ate seafood, walked and walked, found my realtor, dropped off most of my luggage, and am now setting off again. Venice is a much easier city to negotiate with familiarity, as I suppose are most places, and it's been fairly smooth sailing. I think I am over the jet lag. I am definitely happy to have Italian coffee, food, wine, and chatter all around me. My languge skill is climbing back to competancy, and I am about to embark on a new adventure.
I have until September 16, when I must return to Venice. I have some money, a backpack (a big backpack), a guidebook, and relatively no plan. I've never really travelled with this, and am facing the prospect with delight. I might go to Bologna tomorrow. Or I might go to a little village north of Lake Garda where I hear there's a good youth hostel and gorgeous scenery. I plan to make it to Florence by next Wednesday, and to Rome by the following Saturday. But even those plans may change depending on who I meet and how I feel.
Today I am in Verona and am likely not going to the opera. The opera seats about 22,000 (and will sell out I am told) and is performed in a Roman Amphitheater. I just missed Aida. Today, instead, it's 'Notre Dame of Paris,' which may be wonderful, but I don't know it. Instead, I will wander about the city with a bunch of young english folk I met in the bus and the youth hostel, carouse a bit, be back at the hostel by 11:00 (there's a curfew), and sit in the garden drinking wine with them. At least, that's the plan.
I should say a word about the hostel. If you are hostelling through Italy, Verona is a must. The hostel was a palazzo, a manor home, of noblefolk built around 1700. Apparantly it was left in a will (the line dying out) to the 'youth' at some point, and is now a simply gorgeous hostel. It perches on a hill in the manner of such palazzos, looking down on the city, and hosting a polyglot international community for the princely sum of 12.50 a night. Not bad at all.
The city of Verona has three main points going for it. Romeo and Juliet - There were families who Shakespeare based the Montagues and Capulets after. They didn't feud. There's a Capulet house with a lovely courtyard and a nice brass sculpture of Juliet by a balcony. And IN the tourists flock. They touch her left breast for luck (and photographs). They cover EVERY surface in love grafitti and notes (quite striking, really, not unlike some of the Saint's tombs I have seen). They buy buy buy. Roman remains - The Roman amphitheater - Huge, stunning, well-restored, pricey to get into today cause of the opera. There's a big roman town gate we drove through as well on the bus, and no doubt I shall see more after a nice cappucino after finishing my email. Venetian influences - Venice dominated the city post 1405, and built a number of impressive palaces and castles, many of which remain. One particularly large castle towers over the city and it looks like a bit of a climb to get to. Maybe in the morning.
Email me or post responses (those who can)!
Love,
David.
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no subject
Date: 2003-09-06 02:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-09-06 07:38 pm (UTC)In the Fair City of Verona
Date: 2003-09-06 08:47 pm (UTC)I hope, in the midst of your studies, you do as much indulging on all that wonderous food...this is the only thing of which I am jealous...
otherwise, I wish you well...
...now, on with your story...
no subject
Date: 2003-09-07 09:38 pm (UTC)If you make it to Florence, you should try to stay at the main hostel that's listed in the Let's Go guidebook (name, anyone?). I remember it fondly as being clean and well-equipped, with walls covered all over by the product of what must be the convergence of every art student who has passed through the city and tried to copy the Boticcellis. I remember it as being hard to get into, with lines outside at 8am, but of course this was in the summer.
Looking forward to more updates!
J
no subject
Date: 2003-09-08 08:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-09-09 04:32 am (UTC)Welcome to the secret world of Live Journal, okay well maybe it's not secret, but a subculture all it's own.