si si si certo

Verona is a beautiful city. The Italians are out all the time: it’s like a college campus in the town square(piazza), in regards to the amount of people congregating. Everyone takes their dogs with them for a stroll. Most of these dogs are 1. Tiny and 2. Dressed up in ridiculous clothes. Many of these dogs are better dressed than I am--I saw one with a little furry coat (Do dogs enjoy wearing other animals’ fur?) The youth smoke quite a bit. Tiny little cigarettes everywhere, although not in the bars. The school I go to is connected to a Catholic high school, and I often see teens smoking during their breaks (which is really depressing). As Verona is the city of love (see: Romeo and Juliet), there are couples strolling EVERYWHERE, arm in arm. However, supposedly this is seen throughout Italy. It is a bit depressing. Many people speak “a little beet” of English, which is helpful. It is, after all, a tourist city. Most of the time, I try to use my Italian, and will get a response in English (which I’m guessing means my accent is awful).

The actual town is quite beautiful. There are two main piazzas: Erbe and Bra. These are large squares lined with stores and such, connected to streets. Smaller piazzas are structured around churches (see: Piazza San Anastasia and San Xeno). We pass by the historic Arena (~2000 years old, never used for gladiatorial fights or persecution) on a daily basis. It’s absolutely beautiful. In the summer, operas are held there, and the scenery and props from these fill an outdoor park. Many of the streets are cobblestone (mostly very intact and easy to walk on, but occasionally spaced so far you can sprain an ankle) or marble. All the sidewalks are marble. While this sounds awesome, there is a serious lack of greenery here. I haven’t seen a tree in ages. We found some grass by San Anastasia and flipped out. Speaking of weather: Haven’t seen the sun in a week here, it’s constantly cloudy, rainy, or foggy. Stupid Northern Italy.

There is a large shopping street named Via Mazzini, which is filled with VERY pricey stores. Gucci? Dolce and Gabana? You name it, it’s there, along with countless other stores. Especially lingerie stores. If I’m ever in need of underwear, I’ll never be in want for longer than 10 minutes. Currently Saldi (sales) is going on: 3 weeks of huge discounts in many retail shops. I’ve yet to take advantage of this, as I am not nearly as fashionable as the Italians (who constantly sport leather boots and skinny jeans).