Leave the ship for a new adventure
Trip Start
Sep 12, 2008
1
16
21
Trip End
Sep 29, 2008
6 am and we are up and showering. Our last meal on board, breakfast, recheck our room for 'stuff' and be ready to leave ship a bit after 8 for customs. It looks cool and windy out there-the sun is just coming up. On closed circuit TV we watched a video taken on this cruise and found us in a few scenes. Hope they offer it for sale at a later date. Back to our room for last minute check- brush teeth and close our door for a final time. Oh, sad! They had taken our luggage last night to somewere so only had our backpack and small pack to carry. Down to the lobby/reception to wait and at 8:50 headed off the ship for the last time, picking up our luggage and heading towards customs when Marie, carrying a neat sign for her American 'sister', spied Carol-they hugged and cried and hugged while, GP (GianPiero), her husband and I stood by. At last we all got introduced and hugged and headed out to their car, where our luggage completely filled the trunk of their Renault. Maria had also brought Carol a bouquet of roses. Off we went heading north with our first stop in Verona where we hunted a long time for parking and then even longer finding the place to pay for the parking. We walked through town, they are fast walkers and we had to hustle to keep up. They took us to a coliseum that was built in the 13th century - complete with moat and draw bridge. Veneto or Venetia (Vèneto), is one of the 20 regions of Italy. Its population is about 4.8 million, and its capital is Venice. Once the cradle of the renowned Venetian Republic, then a land of mass emigration, Veneto is today among the wealthiest and most industrialized regions of Italy. Veneto's natural, historical, and artistic beauty makes it, by far, the most visited region of Italy, with about 60 million tourists every year . Cassanova and Marco Polo lived here. A treat here was going to the home of Juliet, as in Romeo and Juliet; we saw her house and the balcony-Where for art though, Juliet! We also went to the original town center of Verona where we could still see the old walls, still a market place in the middle but upscale shops all around. We had lunch in a very upscale little eatery, wine and all, then rushed back to the car, driving through town to see the coliseum from another view. Toilets are strange here-and they charge .50 Euros to use one! Since I drink tea in the morning I spend a lot on WC's! Now on north toward Riva del Garda, but GP took the scenic and winding road - hard on Carol and had to finally stop and let her out for a bit and move to the front seat. We arrived high above the town - a spectacular view, drove down and in and they took us to Grand Hotel Liberty, built in 1910 - very upscale and least expensive room is over E100. After getting settled in and a short nap they returned to take us for a walk through the town- Very old town, with interesting old building - - At dusk back to the hotel and sat in the lobby to talk, we gave them the gifts we had brought, and said our goodnights, when they said we had reservations at the 4.5* restaurant in the hotel. What a meal-and they do not serve water with the meal- they serve a bottle of sparkling water, then a bottle of Merlot, huge appetizers, another huge course, a huge dinner and dessert. Great food great service. At last this long day was over and we are off to bed. We are sharing a very large bed here but will be moving to another room tomorrow.
