Days 13/14 Verona, where Juliet lives, well, not really

First, for you Shakespeare fans, yes, this is the Verona where William Shakespeare placed Romeo and Juliet.  However, it is known that he never visited Verona, and maybe even Italy.  But, whatever.  An entrepreneurial chap decided to build/identify a balcony in Verona and proclaim it 'Juliet's Balcony'.  He is a rich man today!  A travel writer calls it 'fluff covered with touristic fairy-dust'.  Pictures below.

Here is Gloria on Juliet's Balcony

Scot and I with Juliet.  To our right are the 'love letters' left by many, tradition
is to attach them by gum!  Gloria told me that tradition also states that if you
hold on to Juliet's breast you will have good luck.  I hope that Gloria was telling
me the truth.

However, we are certain that Rome was here.  Hence the Roman Arena.  Built around 30AD to house 25,000 people to watch other people and animals die.  Now, it has been retrofitted for concerts and opera.

This section is all that is left of the outer wall.  Yes, it does lean a bit.

Great cathedrals here allowing the Middle Ages to bow in with some extravagance of their own.  Saint Anastasia was our favorite.  It would rank in the top five of the Basilica we have visited.

Day 14 is our final day in Italy.  A quick check of another cathedral and castle in Verona, then a two train trip back to Milan for our flight back to the US tomorrow.

This 'Madonna Nursing Jesus' is a rare painting to be found in a museum
for two reasons.  First, not many paintings were commisioned of Jesus
nursing.  Second, it is such a bad painting, I am not sure how it
got into a museum!!

To me, it looks like Jesus is finally on a bottle and Mary is very relieved.

A few thoughts.  First, as I have mentioned, we visited two 'cultural' countries.   Austria/Germany and Italy.  Northern Italy IS German and will always be.  As you head south, Italy takes over and is as firmly entrenched.  But, all seem to get along well.  With hundreds of years of history and culture, a geographic/political border does not erase or erode traditions.

Also, the northern part of Italy sees few tourists.  At least those that speak English.  For whatever reason, the guidebooks ignore this great part of Europe.  I think the people who live there are not disappointed.

Finally, visiting this part of the world by bike is perfect.  One couldn't walk over 200 miles in 8 days, and traveling by car or bus will only allow you to see the 'destinations' not experience the 'journey'.

Days 11/12 Trento to Verona and our best meal for the adventure

54km ride (34 miles) to Lake Garda.  We started an hour late because of the rain, but once we got on the bike paths, no rain.  Good timing......We hurried along since we thought it could start up again at any time.  Lucky, it didn't

We arrived at Lake Garda in two groups.  Scot took a quick way down with all the traffic.  Janet, Gloria and I took the boring bike path down with all the other bikers.  We didn't hook up again for an hour or so, just before the ferry was to leave for our 4-hour lake cruise.  BIG lake, think Lake Tahoe on steroids.  Villages and resorts on all sides and the ferry stopped probably six or more times on the way down.

They take their bike bridges very seriously.

No one thought to brings books, computers, puzzles or cards.  A long 4 hours.  Add the clouds and the rain for the last hour, not a high point of our trip.  When we got to Simione, after a quick check with the TI, and pouring rain, we found our hotel, settled in to anticipate our last day of biking tomorrow.

Our last biking day started clear and humid.  A solid 54km, (34 miles) with a total of 333km, (207 miles) in 8 biking days.  We'll take it.  Couldn't have done it without Scot and Janet, thanks guys!

Along the shores of Garda, lots of resorts.  Many closed now that it is offseason.

Now, the highlight of the day.  We stumbled on al Bersagliere dal cionca di Ferrari Carla in San Giorgio.  Early afternoon as we headed east to Verona, Scot stopped due to what we were smelling coming out of the kitchen.  The parking lot was packed but we started to go in to see if there was a table available.  NO!  Reservations only, especially on Sunday.  As we were starting to leave, a kind gentleman sitting close to the entrance told us to wait, disappeared and returned shortly to tell us we would have a table in 20 minutes!

Everyone was local and dressed up having come from Sunday Mass.  We were the only 'tourists' dressed in sweaty biking shorts.  They sat us at a long table for 8 with us on one end and an older couple on the other end.  They were actually waiting out front with us as well and Janet and Gloria struggled to carry on a one-way conversation in Italian.

Menus came out and some real surprises here.  First the prices,  Really, really low!  Game on!  Appetizer, a bottle of wine, salads, main courses and dessert--47 Euro.  And, when Scot and I went to pay, two shots of Limoncello were waiting for us at the register.

Now, during lunch, the older couple continued to look at us and smile.  Part way through our meal they passed their extra french fries to us!  And, after the meal, they came over, more one-way Italian, pictures, handshakes and kisses.  Amazing!

Finally, what did we order?  My car'ne sala cotta (cooked salted meat.....I think it was beef) was trumped by Scot's stracatto d'asino (braised donkey).............Yes, the menu was in English.  Scot used to eat horse in a former life, so the braised donkey sounded ideal!  We all tasted it.  A bit stringy and chewy, but a great gravy.  Scot pronounced in PERFECT!

OK, here it is, braised donkey.  It DOES NOT taste like chicken.

A real memory maker today.  Oh, the tiramisu for dessert was the best ever.

Success!  207 miles.

Days 9/10 Heading south from Bolzano to Trento and we finally 'found' Italy!

A great two days in Bolzano.  Nice city to explore and a nice break from cycling.  Day 9 takes us to Auer.  A good trip, 35km (22 miles).  More roads and hilly terrain today.  We could have stayed on the official bike path between Bolzano and Auer but that would have been a boring, quick ride next to the river, highway and railway.

Wine grapes ready for harvest.

Instead, our fearless leader, Scot, took us up and around the area visiting lakes, villages and churches and more apple orchards and vineyards.  Our break around noon was primarily fruit!  Also we just started hearing English as a first language.  Until Bolzano, no US or UK visitors.  Just us.  Kinda nice.  Now we have to share the country with others who speak our native language!

Day 10 found us 'officially' in Italy.  It all goes back to WWI, well actually to the 13th century.  This is when the Haderburg Castle was first constructed.  It was at the 'border' between German-speaking Tyrol to the north and Italian-speaking Italy south.  It has changed hands numerous times in the last 700 years but due to the geography of the valley we have biked for the last week this is where, culturally, Austria ends and Italy begins.  You can see and hear it as we talk to the locals in Trento our destination for today. 

We biked 54km today, our longest so far. 34 miles plus a bit of a headwind.  A good day.  A good Italian meal in Trento.  Another 50km ride tomorrow.  Rain is forecast.

Day 8 Ötzi the Iceman

Today was Ötzi Day.  For you uninitiated in The World of Ötzi, you should find this interesting.  Others of you that have followed Ötzi since he was first discovered in 1991 will be glad to know he has found a happy home and is being well taken care of.

Briefly, and you really need to check out this and this to get a good background on Ötzi.  For the unwilling, Ötzi was discovered accidentally by Austrian trekkers.  His half exposed corpse was sticking out of a snowbank.  Initially, it was thought he died in the last few centuries.  But, after some good science, he was dated to around 3300BC! 

He was dressed in his best hunting gear (all layers came from a total of 8 animals), with his bow and arrows, a knife, a copper ax, first aid kit, and fire making kit.  He also had 61 tattoos.  Until 2001 it was assumed he had died of starvation or freezing to death until through more sophisticated imaging they discovered he had suffered an arrow wound and had bled to death.  He was MURDERED!

See Wikipedia as to what Otzi looks like now, this is a wax model of him.  Very lifelike!

It was soon discovered that two of his arrows had blood on them fr\om two different individuals, and there was blood on his outer coat with a third type of blood.  His stomach was full at death and the arrow came from behind him.  Perhaps revenge for the killing of 2 or 3 others.  He was 5'3" and around 45 years old.  Bad knees, bad teeth, he had lived a tough life.  But within hours or days, he was covered with snow and frozen in place for over 5000 years.  (What they call a 'wet mummy', he still had intact red blood cells in his veins).  A real glimpse into history.  An amazing museum.

I asked him to smile, he didn't appreciate my attitude.

Days 6/7 Biking in the rain to The Sound of Music

Day 6 found us looking at a day of inclement weather, (to say the least).  A band of showers was coming in from France and it was not to be outrun.  We got an early start and hit the road/bike path/orchard tractor path.

The serious rain really didn't start until the afternoon and after stopping a few times to 'wait it out', we realized this wasn't something to 'wait out' but rather continue on to Bolzano.  Although cold and windy, we powered through and arrived at our hotel around 3pm.  What we did discover is that the 'waterproof' pants and jackets we were wearing weren't that waterproof, but when you get wet slowly and you are focused on getting to your destination, getting soaked to the bone is a destination-surprise.  But, still 48km, (30 miles)

No pictures today, I didn't bring my waterproof camera.

Still, beautiful country to see, the further south we go the fewer apple orchards and more vineyards.  Also, the more Italian and the less Austrian in feel and sound.

Scot included a two-day 'layover' in Bolzano.  Nice move Scot, especially after a day of biking in the rain.  Day 7 saw us on a gondola and train to ascend to Collalboo.  The pictures below best detail what we saw.  After living for over 30 years in the Sierra Nevada, I think the Dolomites compete well.

The Pinnacles.  Eroded sandstone some with rocks teetering on top.

Day 4/5 Apple harvest time in Tyrolea

We started our bike tour today.  Actually, only the four of us on this adventure.  Off-season is nice.  Good bikes, nice seats (!), and great traveling companions.

Scot is our leader with map and GPS as needed,  EuroBike provides good map support for our travels.  They pick up our luggage in the AM from our hotel and the suitcases are waiting for us at our day's destination when we finish our ride.

Day 4's highlight was the apple harvesting season here in Tyrolea.  Think Napa Valley but apples, not grapes.  Miles and miles of apple orchards.  First, all orchards have skinny trees planted only 2 feet apart in long, narrow, tight rows.  But, each tree is loaded with fruit.  Say, 50-plus per tree.  And with them packed in so tight, the yield is through the roof.  See the pictures below.

Janet and Gloria in one of the many small-town squares.

Nothing in English,  Scot keeps an eagle-eye for directions.

We are on bike trails most all the time, but as these trails wind through the orchards we share them with the harvesters and innumerable narrow tractors that are picking up and delivering this year's crop.  We got to see the 'system' up close.  We are impressed.  We rode 53km today, (33 miles).

One of the tractor drivers. I learned immediately after I took this picture, don't take
pictures while riding your bike.  He helped me get up after I did a faceplant.

The only hiccup on our journey.  Gloria with a map, Janet with a phone and
Scot on his laptop.  Success, we got to our hotel.

Day 5 was more of the same.  Incredible views of the valley and the agriculture.  Again, great riding.  A few detours that either Scot recommends or Eurobike suggests as alternative routes.  43km today.  (27 miles).  A highlight today, (but not really) is the castle of Reinhold Messner an extraordinarily famous man that I have never heard of.

Typical apple trees.  Basically three varieties.  We have samples of all
and will so a taste test tomorrow.

Janet clued us in as to his importance.  In 1978, he was the first human to summit Mr. Everest without oxygen.  He continued and continues to do amazing things in the world to this day.  He is 74 and above us is his summer home/castle and one of five museums that he has conceived and maintains.  'Not really a highlight' only because his home/museum is at the top of a mountain, inaccessible to us on bikes and it is a 5-hour block of time to see and do everything.  A good excuse to return!!

Incredible views as we continue our adventure.  It makes us feel very small........

  

Days 2/3--zip-code may be Italy but people are Austrian

Confirmed, this part of Italy doesn’t look or feel like Italy.  No “Romans” every lived here, history is rather short, no huge medieval castles to speak of.  After both WWI and WWII, the people in this part of Europe wanted to be part of, or return to Austria, but just couldn’t pull it off.  Italy it is but the food, culture, and language is definitely German/Austrian.

Walking among the endless vineyards, this guy was selling fresh grape juice, pulp and all.  Amazing. 2 Euros.

Day two we spent our time walking the town of Merano, pictures below.  Janet’s birthday today, that gave us a good excuse to eat more!  Happy Birthday, Janet! 

Janet's birthday sundae, (we had our own as well).

This 'one-man ski lift' takes you up to the top of the mountain above Merano.

Passing above the Cabernet grapes ready to harvest

Day three took us to Reschen.  We are REAL close to Austria now, high in the Dolomites, skiing in the winter and biking in the summer. A two hour train and bus ride to get here.  Today, is a warm-up hike to a restaurant high above the town, again pictures below.  Great view, great food.

Reschan's know how to do window boxes

The amazing view during dinner.  Long walk up, we started from our hotel in town!