Verona, Italy

This past weekend our study abroad group went on a weekend trip to Verona and Lake Garda. We spent a day in each place, touring the area with the group and exploring it on our own. I have to say, so far no place we have been comes close to being as wonderful as Florence, but I was glad to see some different parts of Tuscany.









We arrived in Verona on Saturday and discovered a food festival was taking place in one of the central parts of the city. It was very neat to see the vendors handing out samples of fresh italian ingredients, and the variety that was present.





I used the food festival as an opportunity to eat my first Italian cannoli. It was DELICIOUS. Here's my friend Shepp taking a big ole bite.



We also found cookies that look like fruits and veggies.



One of the reasons I was most excited to visit Verona was Juliet's house. If you have ever seen the movie "Letters to Juliet" you know that Verona is the town in which Romeo and Juliet lived, and the balcony, where she supposedly shouted those famous words to Romeo, continues to be a major tourist attraction.





Well, long story short, the movie makes it seem like there is a wall full of letters written to Juliet by people from all around the world asking for her guidance in their love life, for her help in making sure things turn out the way they would like them to. My friends and I wrote letters during lunch, so excited to see the wall of letters and to tac ours up as well, in order to be a part of the story. If you haven't guessed it already, there was no said wall of letters, only one covered with graffiti and gum...bummer, right? There is also a statue of Juliet and our tour guide told us it is good luck to "touch her breast" while taking a picture. So wait a second...not only is there no romantic wall of letters, the tradition is to touch her boob? Chivalry is dead haha. However, I did find this one letter stuck to the wall. Some hopeful out there decided to give it a try anyway.



It was also a holiday in Verona when we were visiting. Locals bring flowers to the church for Saturday mass in order for the priest to bless the flowers. I didn't really understand the significance of this, but we saw flowers being sold all around the city, and groups of people walking towards mass with all kinds of beautiful arrangements.



We also saw a wedding taking place in one of the chapels in Verona. Part of the wedding party had stepped outside of the church for a quick cigarette break. I thought this was the ultimate portrait of Italian life.



On Sunday we said Ciao to Verona and headed to the lake. This weekend 9 of us will be going to Cinque Terre to hike through the 5 hill towns! I cannot wait.