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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, and you knew you would soon be free.

Willa Cather (1873–1947), U.S. novelist

A beautiful autumn day. The sun is shining and the air crisp when we reach Peschiera after a 20 minute train trip from Verona. Coffee and a brioche for breakfast in typical Italian style at a bar and then a walk to the ferry dock. We are heading to Sirmione, a peninsula on the southern shore of Largo di Garda.

A perfect postcard of Italy is the picture of the town as the ferry arrives at the little harbour. The Rocca Scaligera, the square towered castle built in the 13th century AD by the Scaligera family, dominates the waterfront. There’s not much to see inside, but there are wonderful views of the lake and town from the top of of the battlements.

We walk up to the Grotto di Catullus but it is locked up…closed Mondays, the sign reads. and decide to take a boat to view it from the lake. A fantastic view on this perfect day of the little peninsula. There are some hot rocks a short distance from the shore which heats the water to 70 degrees. This heated water is piped to the two spas in the town and you can smell the mineral rich odor.

We join the tourists for lunch in the local cafe and wander around the little town which is a tourist trap during the day but which becomes a quiet haven at night as there is no way on or off the island at night.

A photo of me and the poet Catullus whom the town has adopted, however there is no record of him ever living there, except for holidays in the family’s villa.

We return to Verona via another ferry trip to Desanzano another pretty town.

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 times intense but always rewarding and fun. We have a small celebration to mark the occasion and Giacomo is at his best with lovely words and certificates of achievement to hand out to Lee and myself.

I feel that my Italian language skills have improved exponentially thanks to Romina, Gaia and Giacomo and my classmates, during this fantastic sojourn in the beautiful city of Verona. I will be back to learn more and to continue the friendships!

Grazie tanto a tutti. Alla prossima …Isabella

 

Friday night in Verona and we are invited for dinner with Lodovica and her family and friends. Gnocchi – which I am helping to prepare – is on the menu.

First, a mountain of potatoes are boiled, then flour is added and the two are kneaded into a soft dough. Quantities are not exact as Lodovica works by touch. At first I am awkward with my rolling, but it becomes easier and my gnocchi look almost as good as theirs. The gnocchi are dropped into a pot of boiling water and they rise to the surface almost immediately. And, after adding butter and a little cheese, dinner is ready!

The are eight of us for dinner. Lodovica, Wolfie, the two teenagers Carlo and Charlie, good friends Paola and Giorgio and Timo and me. The table is set beautifully, water and wine…a number of different bottles as Giorgio is a VIP in the wine industry and loves his wine.

The gnocchi is served two ways…grated parmigiano, with or without cinnamon (cannella) or with tomato sauce (sugo di pomodoro)…not the stuff that Aussies put on their barbecued sausages!!

Next is a savory tart with prosciutto and mushrooms and a delicious crispy crust. More wine is poured and the conversation continues in both English and Italian. No one seems to have a problem understanding each other, perhaps it’s the wine…

We finish the meal with a creme caramel…not a typical Italian dessert, but delicious, served with a sweet, bubbly wine.

Lodovica and Wolfie’s children have beautiful manners, it’s a pleasure spending time with them…so different from many Aussie kids. Charlie comments that Timo looks just like Patrick Swayze – it’s the second time in Italia that this comparison has been made – he laughs.

It seems the night is not over yet as we are walking over the road to Paola and Giorgio’s house to see some history. They have a remnant of the city wall in their house. Not only that; cellars, a bomb shelter, what used to be stables, a well for fresh water and rooms of grand proportions. More wine is opened, and then Grappa and another liquor made with 100 herbs…tastes vile! Giorgio wants the night to continue, but finally we say basta and goodnight. To our Veronese friends, thank you for a lovely evening!

Buona notte …Isabella

It was time to get down and get floured! An italian cooking class with la pasticcera Angela. On the menu: Parpagnacchi from Vicenza – biscotti eaten for breakfast, dipped into milk or coffee; Pasta frolla – a pastry used for making tarts; and Crema pasticcera – an italian creamy custard filling for tarts.

The group of women, a couple of interested fellas who observed, and Fernando who got his hands dirty and is curious about all things Italian, gathered at the lovely Romina’s house for an afternoon of baking. Angela, the beautiful pasticcera, definitely looked the part in her chef whites and fantastic hat…I want one!!

With instructions from Angela…in Italian to the mostly English speaking group, we made the biscotti, fruit tarts with the crema pasticcera and little shortbread type biscotti in various shapes.

Buon appetito …Isabella

 

If we sip the wine, we find dreams coming upon us
Out of the imminent night
D.H. Lawrence, Grapes

It is the perfect daydream; clear blue sky, warm sunshine and sweet grapes for tasting in the beautiful hills of the Valpolicella region. How lucky are we to be alive and on an excursion to Azienda Agricola Manara to taste the famed Valpolicella wines!

We are taken on a tour through the cantina through the whole process, from storage of the harvested grapes, crushing, to the cellar where the wine is aged in oak barrels. The vineyard is on 11 hectares and we taste the sweet grapes from the vines as we listen to the story of this small cantina which has been in operation since 1950 and run by three generations of the Manara family.

Afterward, the best part – tasting the wines. My favorite is ‘El Rocolo’ Recioto della Valpolicella D.O.C. Classico, a ruby red dessert wine. It is made from 70% Corvina, a very important variety used in the production of the famous Italian Amarone wines and blended with 20% Rondinella and a small amout of others – delicious!

cin cin …Isabella

 

 

 

 

 

My teachers

The teachers at InClasse, my language school, are fantastic. They are experienced in language teaching and learning and their teaching methodology is based on the Italian language as it is used today.

Giacomo is a fount of knowledge on the history of Verona and I have enjoyed a number of guided walks with him through the city and countryside, learning about the city’s history, it’s myths and legends, always told with passion.

From Gaia I’ve learnt grammar and expanded my Italian vocabulary, always with patience and enthusiasm and great drawings on the board to explain what she means.

Many hours with Romina in conversation hopefully has improved my conversation skills. She has taught me so many things, from learning the Italian way to speak and how to pose questions to Italian culture: weddings, food, clothes and etiquette, to name a few. She is a special person, passionate and open and always available to help.

All three are generous and enthusiastic and interested in their students. I recommend the school highly as a great place to learn; not only the language, but also how Italians live, their culture and history.

My classmates and I have been entertained with fantastic activities, exploring the city, the countryside, parties and games, even learning how to make Italian pastries. Fernando from Brasil, Brea from the USA, Goretty from Spain and Barbara from Austria, are some who have made my time special in Verona.

Grazie e ciao a tutti …Isabella

Classmates