Euro Trip Part 1: My My My Verona

Verona

We arrived dead tired to Milan around 8:30 in the morning on Tuesday.  

Despite an initial hiccup to our driving plan, (we couldn't confirm our original car rental because we were in the air, so there was no car reserved for us) we were able to rent a car for cheaper!  Our little Fiat  took us to Verona to check into our hotel and then we began our adventure.

We took a bus from our hotel to the city center and walked the rest of the day.

Do I look tired here?  Pretty sure I'd been up for 33 hours at this point. 

It was very important that we loaded up on gelato for energy since most of us hadn't slept a wink on Monday night or eaten lunch. 

Mmm coffee and hazelnut gelato.

  

Next we toured a really cool castle called Castelvecchio, which means "old castle." Ironic, huh?

Eric thinks he's the king of the world! (I would be having panic attacks from being that high up, so I was happy to take the picture.)

Verona was a cute little city that was very picturesque. Everything from the stone streets to the flowering balconies added to its charm.

It also houses the 2nd oldest arena in the world!

  

We were surprised to see how modern-looking it was on the inside.  Obviously work has been done.

Apparently they have operas and other such events.  Jodie said that she and Jason had once been to an opera here.

Verona is also home to la Casa di Giulietta, or the house of Juliet (of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet).  It was SUPER crowded there.  Even for a Tuesday afternoon. 

Ignore the lady rubbing on the the statue's, ahem, boobies.  Apparently it brings you good luck in love if you do so.  We couldn't even get close!

We ambled around with our gas tanks (stomachs, not the car!) on empty for so long that we decided we needed an impressive dinner to fill us up and welcome us to Italy.  This place did not disappoint.

Eric had lasagna bolognese, Jodie had gnocchi with tomato sauce, and I had spaghetti carbonara.  All were more than satisfied.

Reason #2090934 we were happy to have Jodie: She tells us stuff that we were happy to not have had to find out the hard way.  Apparently sitting down at a table costs money before you even order anything.  Water costs money as well. 

This is on our way back to the hotel-the Verona City Walls.

  

Needless to say, after being up over 24 hours, we were back to our hotel and in bed by 8 pm!  Next up, Venice.