Sunday Afternoon in Verona

Getting back to our new digs (we had to move from the five-star hotel into the studio apartment we had originally rented, which had been overbooked for Saturday night), we made some pasta for lunch and put the kids to sleep.

My wife and I took turns exploring Verona while the children napped. We both went separately to the Basilica of San Zeno, the most spectacular church in Verona (recommended by all the guide books we'd read), and that will get its own post soon. I also saw a lot of little interesting things before the kids woke up.

Several small military installations (including a hospital) are found in Verona. Many of them feature rather intimidating signs. Even though it was in Italian, I was taken aback by this sign.

If you call now, snipers are standing by!

Less intimidating but still off-putting was this sign recommending an upcoming show in town. Clearly they are trying to cash in on America's recent interest in musicals, especially ones set in high schools.

I assume the title is more impressive looking if you don't know English

I also ran across a dapper looking gent whose name I've forgotten.

Scientist? Poet? Haberdasher?

I also ran across San Bernardino da Siena church, a Franciscan parish that will also get its own post soon.

Going back to the apartment, the kids were ready for some more adventures. We'd seen most of the nearby sights so we decided to wander along the little defensive mounds around the town.

The little hills seemed to be one long park around the city

The walls they had before the hills?

We also took the time to look more closely at one of the main gate buildings found on the edge of town.

The road just goes around it now, rather than through it

A tunnel going down to ???

A tunnel going through to the other side

We wound up at the same playground we visited in the morning. We stayed to take as much advantage of the sunny day as possible. A large group was there celebrating what seemed to be a child's birthday. We stayed clear of the party. Lucy had the most fun this time.

Lucy spins on a big tire

Lucy spins on a fun pole

I was able to get some of the delightful flora on film, too.

Sunshine in plant form

We had our last round of yummy Italian dinner at the apartment, finishing off the pasta and sauce from lunch. The kids were a lot less frantic in the hotel room, or at least it seemed like they were. Maybe we parents are just overly sensitive in restaurants. We had to hit the road by 7 a.m. the next morning, so we all went to bed early, even me. I still had to catch up from going to the opera the night before. We had sweet dreams for sure.