Verona - on the up side

I'd like to tell you that I woke up the next morning well rested and with a clear vision of what I was going to do to "save the day" for myself, but it didn't pan out like that.

Instead I woke up after a crappy night sleep on the worst bed I've met in Europe so far and was greeting with the most pathetic "breakfast" ever. Apparently to a hostel, a crunchy roll, two Denny-sized packets of jam, and my choice of tea, coffee, or hot milk (yes, I said hot) to drink out of a bowl! is a complete breakfast worth 3 EU. Booo.

After that dismal beginning, I decided to cheer myself up with a few of the sights that had been closed by the time I reached them on my walk the day before. The first on the list was a Roman Theater - I was actually pretty excited about this; apparently they still show Shakespeare plays here (only slightly more difficult to understand in Italian than Elizabethan English). I roll up to the door at 8:30 (stupid hostel made me get up early) and she refuses me at the door. Evidently my "Verona Card" (good for all sights for one price) is not a 24-hour card, but a one-day card....and my day has expired. Augh. I'll be honest with you - I cried some more.

But then I had suddenly had enough. I was not going to let something this stupid ruin my trip. I could hear Andi in my head reminding me that I am the boss of my trip - I should just do what I want. Right. So I hiked it back up to the hostel, dug through my bag, recovered my debit card and got some friggin' cash (dang the fee!!).

Ahh, much better. I was so relieved to have money in my pocket (because money represents freedom: freedom to eat, freedom to travel, freedom to shop, freedom to sight-see, freedom to not do any of those things...) I was practically giddy. I wanted to buy about a hundred scoops of gelato, a liter of milk, gnocchi, pizza, a bottle of wine and boots immediately. I could hardly stand it!

In the end, I managed to reign in the temptation for crazy, wreckless spending and realized I wasn't really hungry just then (and I didn't neet more boots). But I promised myself a good lunch. Then, since my Verona card was no good (and my pride wouldn't let me buy another - it would just be inefficient, right Abby?) I decided to utilize my ipod and wander - just enjoy the piazzas (and Italy!) for what they are. In Verona in particular they have been well populated at all hours and great for people watching and getting a taste for the culture.

After a most delicious lunch of gnocchi belonese (with meat sauce) and a follow-up cappuccino (tot addicted) I eventually made my way back to the hostel to collect my bag and head to Vicenza, next stop on my journey east toward Venice.

Despite the melodrama, I actually really enjoyed Verona. It was small, yet still somehow full. Despite its size, it lacked neither culture, nor history, nor beauty. Shakespeare really ought to have visited where he was writing about...