Verona, Italy

From Album: Verona

Like my Zoolander pose?

Went to Verona back in June for the opening of opera season. A quite unique experience being that the opera is performed in a Roman arena built in AD 30. For opening night they chose to perform Carmen amongst a fantastically theatrical set (i.e. horse and carriage on state) and the finely dressed audience (i.e. floor length gowns and security detail).

Being my first opera, I struggled through scene 1 of 4 and decided to knock back an espresso so I wouldn't fall asleep during this once in a lifetime experience. As scene 2 started in full swing, we heard a rumbling from the audience in the back of the Arena. My friends and I turned to see a curtain of rain heading towards us!! Gasp! Maybe I didn't need that espresso after all. We dashed to the exit with seat cushion in tow.

As we huddled in the arena tunnels, we could hear the waterfall of rain running down the stone steps. We hoped that the rain would stop and the opera would continue, but that didn't happen... No money back after the show starts sorry! I grumbled that we just paid about 3 Euro/minute for less than 1 hour of entertainment. =/

Now what? Luckily we had made post-opera dinner plans, initially booked for 1am. Is it too early to show up at 10pm? Well let's go an see. We skated to the restaurant about 1/2 a mile a way. Yes, skated as it was impossible to walk in the rain in high heels on marble tiles. We skated on the balls of our high heeled shoes :P.

And by the way that restaurant was amazing! Can't end the story without a restaurant recommendations!

RESTAURANT RECOMMENDATIONS

* Antica Bottega del Vino (Post opera dinner w/great wine. Try Amarone, red wine from the region) - 3 Via Scudo di Francia, Verona. Tel: +39 0458 004 535

* L'Oste Scuro (Seafood) - Vicolo San Silvestro, 10, Verona, Italy. Tel: +39 045 59 2 650

* Venchi il Gelato (Dark chocolate gelato to die for! Also on the main shopping street ;) - Via Mazzini