Una bella giornata per un’escursione alla cantina di Baldestri Valda. (A beautiful day for an excursion to the Baldestri winery) The winery is in the middle of a picturesque postcard view of the slopes of Soave. We are taken on a tour of this modern cantina by Laura, and then a tasting of the wines produced by […]
Continue ReadingAutumn in the Veneto
La Serenissima shares some secrets
The Republic of Venice was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, one of the “Most Serene Republics”. It’s an early start on our final day in the Veneto as Timo, a seaman at heart and would-be fisher wants to check out the fish markets. […]
Continue ReadingScenes from a vaporetto on the Grand canal
Another chilly day greeted us as we stepped out of our lodgings. A ride along the Grand Canal on a vaporetto is a delight even though we are chilled to the bone. Bellissimi palazzi, all types of boats and of course the ubiquitous gondole. In 1630 Venice experienced an unusually devastating outbreak of the plague.As […]
Continue ReadingA chilly Venetian reception
Venice greeted us with rain accompanied by a chilling wind. This was a bad omen. A last minute booking at a B&B turned out to be our first italian disappointment in all the years we’ve been visiting. After Verona, where we had been received so graciously, our venetian hosts did not live up to expectations. […]
Continue ReadingA last supper in Verona
Bottega del Vino, hidden in a side lane off one of the main streets in Verona is one of the best places for a dining experience. Not a 5 star setting, it nevertheless serves up 5 star meals with fantastic wines and attentive service. Timo and I chose it for our last meal in […]
Continue ReadingViews from the tower
Our final day in the city of love and beauty. We have fallen in love with Verona and its people. In Piazza Erbe, we take the steps up the Torre dei Lamberti for a panoramic view of the city, pausing to rest a couple of times. At 84m high, the tower is the highest in […]
Continue ReadingA day on the lake
The great fact in life, the always possible escape from dullness, was the lake. The sun rose out of it, the day began there; it was like an open door that nobody could shut. The land and all its dreariness could never close in on you. You had only to look at the lake, […]
Continue ReadingCelebration, accolades and farewells
My final day at inClasse …and it is bittersweet. I feel a sadness that my time here has come to an end but joyous as well for the people I’ve met and the new friendships I’ve forged in the short time here. The past four weeks have been a fantastic cultural and learning experience, at […]
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