Verona and two tragedies

Piazza Brà,Verona, Italy

We took a day trip yesterday, just us girls. Ada and I joined up with some friends for an afternoon in Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet's hometown, Verona. The city is probably more beautiful than Bologna. And that's saying something considering how breathtaking I think Bologna is.

Unfortunately, on Wednesday while watching a marching band play Italy's national anthem in celebration of Festa della Liberazione, I popped the hood of the stroller open to shade Ada's squinted eyes and simultaneously catapulted my camera into the air and onto the hard, stone pavers. It used to turn on and tell me there was a zoom error. Now it won't even blink an eye. Tragedy number 1.

So I took my video camera. It takes mediocre pictures which are better than no pictures when visiting a city filled with balconies weighted with greenery, rounded wooden shutters, medieval architecture, stately Roman structures, and charming bridges spanning a graceful, swelling river. I'm serious guys. I already want to go back. And take Mike. And leave the baby. . . with someone . . .

Ada, diggin' sitting it someone else's stroller. Climbing into stranger's strollers is a new favorite past-time. Though this stroller didn't belong to a stranger. And this is quickly becoming the longest photo caption in the world.

We were crossing Ponte Scaligero when I looked down and saw my camera die. Luckily this death was only temporary, battery death, but it left me once again image-maker-memory-recorder-less.  Tragedy number 2. The thought to bring my back-up battery crossed my mind the night before. But I tossed it aside: Just one more thing to juggle/lose, I rationed. Oh stupid me.

So I did as much absorbing with my eyes as I could (and I'll steal photos from my friends). You'd think that being out numbered by two toddlers, an infant, and a very curious (but very darling) little boy would have killed us off. But the day was about as close to perfect as I could have imagined. Sun, great company, a gorgeous city, and plenty of snacks.

Someday I'll go back for a long walk along the Adige river and spend an evening at the opera with my Mikey. The city is every bit as romantic as Shakespeare's famous tale.

Until next time, Verona.