Casa Chincarini Malcesine

... to Siena for a day trip and Jason nearly got arrested tryint to use a public toilet. I guess it costed 50 cents but he only had 3x20 cent coins and wasn't sure if the machine would take not exact change so jumped the turnstyle instead. Got screamed at and chased down by the italian bathroom police (a highly specialized elite force) so he put the money in and had the pee scared out of him (literally, as he ...

... I was going to do once I got there. I glanced at the train departure board, then headed off in the general direction I believed the lake to be. My instincts turned out to be right, and the ceter was so beautiful. There were some ferries that I thought might be fun to take on a tour, but I guess they were just for going to other towns around the lake, so instead I just wandered around Desenzano. I thought it might be weird to be by myself ...

An early morning as we were heading to Venice for the day which was a bit over an hour by train from Verona. Both Greg and I had been before and it hadn't been our favourite place, but we wanted the girls to at least see it. We had warned them that we wouldn’t be going on a gondola as it is over 75 Euros ($150 AUD) for a ride. Katelyn said that we had already been on a gondola ride in Las Vegas so we didn’t have to ...

<br><br>A day to explore Verona so we started at the Arena where we bought a Verona Card which covers Verona's major attractions and proved to be good value as kids only then had to pay 1 Euro to get into whatever we decided to do. We usually avoid these as with the kids we usually don&#8217;t rush from one place to the other. The Arena was pretty impressive- it is a Roman Amphitheatre which is used today for traditional operas such as Aida and also other concerts ...

It was still raining so we got a taxi to the train station as we were heading to Verona in Italy. A funny thing happened at the station- we were in the supermarket there when the security thing beeped as someone went out of the shop- we looked and it was a nun leaving the shop- the shoppers all were smiling. As the trained climbed across Brenner Pass, the rain had turn to snow but as we got into Italy the weather cleared ...

... you about my clean clothes. Capito?<br><br>I did not find canella gelato, I honestly think finding it at the place two days ago was a little blessing from God which I may not receive again. But after wandering and wandering AND wandering I found a cute little place that said, "Caffe shakerato con mente" Coffee and mint gelato sounded pretty good so I was sold. However, nowhere did it say gelato. And nowhere did I see gelato. But I ...

... But I've been drying everything out on the line outside. I don't think I've ever really done that before. It's kind of fun. Again, clearly still honeymooning. But this little taste of domestic life in the midst of my exploring has been just what the doctor ordered. Then on Friday I head to Venice, Saturday is the cruise and then a week of floating around the Greek Isles. I would have to say that life is pretty darn good.

So much so, that it is about to take the title of 'longest stay' while in Italy. I will spend 5 total nights here. Woohoo! I'm about to leave my fabulous hotel that I love to go to an apartment in the city, where I can live like a local with my own kitchen and everything. I am psyched! The only drawback is that it doesn't have internet. So I will do my best to bring my laptop with me and post updates while I'm in town picking up produce. EEEE! :)<br>

Verona may just give you a run for your money.<br><br>I'm in a glorious hotel, drinking German beer -- courtesy Olga at the front desk. And I am right in the very heart of Valpolicella country.<br><br>I've decided that in Paris and Rome I was touristing (though I recognize I didn't see nearly enough in either) but Verona is going to be relaxing time. Which I also recognize is ridiculous since I go on a cruise in less than a week. But whatever, it's my trip, I get to decide what I'm doing. :)

... amphitheatre. We walked down Via Mazzini to Piazza Erbe, a really nice square with restaurants and market stalls. We saw Juliet's balcony as well as the graffiti-lined walls of the tunnel that leads to it which are filled with hearts and people's declarations of love. We walked along, following the canal, and saw the Duomo, after which we headed back.<br>One night we bought some groceries and had a lovely ...