Verona
Another touring day on the 24th: Verona. Can you believe Romeo and Juliett were real? They may have been. We visited Juliett's house. You can see her balcony. It's a quaint town with many churches, shopping, an arena dating back to the 1st century (which is now used as the opera house).
20,000 people can fit in the arena. Not sure I'd enjoy sitting on the the hard steps.
That night we had dinner with another colleague/friend of Jamie's. We got to eat on their patio at the base of a few mountains. Our hosts lived up to the billing: he makes his own wines and grappa. All kinds of grappa. The meals have been an authentic experience: antipasta, pasta, first course, second course, desserts, coffees, grappa. Did I mention the grappa? They are all loads of fun and warm people.
