Ciao. It is a lovely, warm day in central Ohio,
and a perfect opportunity to share memories of a beautiful day in northern
Italy!
As I've mentioned, when we are on these
conference-centric trips, Huz heads off in the early hours to his lectures and
lunches, and I head off to adventures. Works for me! I have managed to find
great travel companions at times, and this day was rich with good
company.
Steve and Matt, with whom I had walked the
Verona bastions, and explored the Arsenal and Castelvecchio joined me again,
and we were lucky enough to add a fourth in Shane.
The crew looked to the cruise director and asked
the plan. I didn't have one. But, I do like to get off the beaten track. I
truly enjoy the big cities and famous places, but when I look back on these
trips, often my favorite memories involve finding the smaller places, the
quieter hamlets and discovering what they have to offer.
So, a few words with the hotel reception desk,
and we headed off to Porta Nuova Stazione and platform 3 to await the train to
Vicenza. At the hotel, I had googled "Vicenza" and up popped some of
the sights to be found in this small town between Verona and Venice.
Aqueduct. Roman. Sold. I have never seen one,
and I recall being fascinated by the idea of the Roman Aqueduct in middle
school. I think I even made a model of an aqueduct in a single grade. 6th?
Plus, hours spent playing with water and gravity in the Little River next to
Puckihuddle- my childhood home, had me motivated to see the real deal. The
location was Fogazarro... which may have been a bit vague for most adventurers,
but we had time, and my companions were an engineer, a roofing and guttering
specialist and a general contractor/pilot. So, my sell didn't have to be hard.
Basically, I said "Vicenza has an aqueduct."
We arrived in Vicenza and headed in the
direction that seemed to lead to town.
On the way we found a helpful map. It did
not list our quarry-the aquaduct, but we found a Corso Fogazarro, and headed
north as indicated. To the east was the obvious entrance, through a formidable
wall and tower into the town, but we headed through these lovely gates instead
to a green space.
This lovely building over water, so quiet and
peaceful was in a garden, the Park Giardino Salvi.
Quite fine. But, it is not an aqueduct.
We headed out of the park and into town north of
the gardens. Finding Fogazzaro. We headed out in search of Roman
delights.
In front of the Parrochia di Santa Croce
ai Carmini was an assembly of well dressed people. It appeared as if we had
happened upon a wedding! So, we searched the crowd for the bride and groom, and
couldn't definitively identify a groom- there were several possible candidates,
but no apparent bride. Until a flash of white down the street caught my attention
and I pointed it out to my companions. A bride, facing a gent who was pulling
the veil over her face. Could we have just happened upon a father about to walk
his daughter to the church? The aqueduct has been here for 1000 years, and can
wait!
And, here comes the bride! But, unusually, her
stride is quite, long. And she is very tall. And she is wearing rather large
trainers. And, as she gets near us, she has an impressive amount of facial
scruff. My friends, that is a dude. Maybe we are at a gay wedding? Not
expected, but still cool. As the bride was presented to the fellow we could now
assume was the groom, the crowd response, and theatrical "kiss" and
"dip" made it clear we were just witnessing the age old pastime of
dudes everywhere. Taking the mick out of their buddy on his wedding day. Or,
since this is Italy," far ridere i polli. "
We walk up to the Rio Bacchiglione, and water
seems like a logical place for an aqueduct? Sure enough there is a ruin
across the water. It doesn't look Roman... more medieval. Still, worth checking
out. So, we find a bridge to cross and then into someone's back yard to get
closer to this structure, deciding, nope. Not aqueductal.
It is a cool portion of the medieval wall, with
some serious Goldilocks and the Three Bears choices for entering and
leaving.
Consulting the map on cell phone says we are off
track, and so make our way back to Fogazzaro. The wedding party is no longer in
front of the church. And we are stumped in finding our aqueduct. Steve heads off
to chat up a nun in the square to see if he can suss it out.
I head into a pharmacy to ask the old
gentleman behind the counter. "Dov'è l'aqueduct romano?" I say.
He replies that he's never heard of it. Hmmmm. So, I ask him "
Avanti Corso Fogazzaro, c'è qualcoso di romano?
Now, my Italian is terrible, but he is trying to
understand. I ask "Parla inglese?" He does not. But he does not know
"aqueduct." It is unclear to me if it is the word, as they may call
them something else in Italian? Or, he knows what I mean, but has never heard
of one here. He instead draws me a lovely map in shaky hand to the Piazza dei
Signori. I want to stay and plague him more, as the shop is empty. But, it is
about 120 degrees F in the shop, and smells strongly of camphor, and I must
dash. So, I tell him, "Grazie mille!" and head back out into the
street.
Steve has not gotten anywhere with the
nun. I tell my companions that a local thinks there is no aqueduct here. We may
be out of luck.
So, we head down the sidewalk towards down town,
feeling a failure.
Until I stepped on this.
A glass window in the sidewalk on
Fogazzaro. We decide that it is a tad anticlimactic, but this is our aqueduct.
When you pay to see the "Two Headed Boy!" at the sideshow, and it is
a kid holding a puppet.
But, undeterred, there is still much to
see.
The very pretty Piazzo dei Signori is a great
destination, thank you Signore old pharmacist guy!
The dominant building in the Piazza is the
Basilica Palladiana. In our wandering of Vicenza, we find that Palladia was an
architect in the 16th century that held great fame. He designed many buildings
in Vicenza, more here than in any other city. So, it is a World Heritage sight
for Palladian buildings. Now, in the US, we have many buildings of the 1990s
that feature Palladian windows...and as far as I know, World Heritage has yet to recognize us for
this, but, whatever.
My adventuring fellows note there are people on
the roof. So, we head to the Basilica to see if we can join them. Plus, there
are statues on the loggia roof that are intriguing. Especially the single statue
on right, just shy of the corner, that appears to be wearing verdigris copper
boots. I like the look, and am curious about the fashion choice.
We pay a few euro for access to the second and
third story views.
Totally worth it.
On the top story, we enter the wide marble
terrace ringed by statues in various states of decay. And, I go in pursuit of
my copper-booted pal, recognizing that boots would be impractical, as he's
naked. And only an impractical fellow would protect his shins and let his bits
lead the way.
It seems the copper was devised as a way
to protect the statue from crumbling to the piazza below.
In fact, most of the statues are reinforced in
some way. And looking a bit rounded and pocked.
I decided to take a panoramic photo, and my
fellow travelers had a bit of fun with it. Speedy boys. (Do you see?)
We had a cappucino and un aqua frizzante at the
rooftop cafe, and headed back to the piazza.
In the square below are the now familiar tall
columns we had seen in Verona, with the winged lion of Venice atop one. A bit
shorter was this colorful creation, that looked to be painted wood? It also
looked like it may have been temporary, brought out for a festival, perhaps.
But is was so pretty, especially with the blue, orange, rose and yellows
surrounding it.
Our course was toward the other side of town,
and the Teatro Olimpico. Not sure what it is, just that it seemed like a
destination. Also, it was where the tourism office was located (as far as is
possible from the train station and still be in the town- Perchè?)
We found the entrance marked " Teatro
Olimpico" and walked into this courtyard, sort of a Roman yard sale. All
around were bits and pieces of architectural detritus, a wonder to behold. A
promenade around the courtyard yielded an inestimable opportunity to become an
instant goddess. I said "YES!"
Okay, maybe slightly out of proportion to my
body, but hey, I'm the Goddess of...music and toilet paper?
Steve (talks to everyone) stuck his head in a
window and had a grand conversation with the man inside, and I tried to figure
out how to get into this Teatro...which I assume is a theater.
Finding the Tourism Office seemed the ticket
....to a ticket. And yes, that is correct. I also got a map of Vicenza to carry
around- finally, and some words of wisdom about Andrea Palladio. Shane elected
to join me in checking out the inside of the theater. Of all my traveling
companions, Shane seemed to be the most concerned about my getting lost, or
left behind. A fine trait in a traveling companion!
Inside it was as hushed as a church. The theater
seating was rounded to the stage, great hulking wooden risers with tiny little
stairs to mark the aisles. The theater is still in use, and it seems that with
your ticket, you find your seat by the red cushions they place on these wooden
risers, each cushion marked with a seat number. But, with no performance
happening, we just found ourselves a place on a wooden seat, polished by 450
years of hineys.
The stage is elaborate, and looks like a Roman
street. Three entrances to the front of the stage, one in center, one each
side, are sloped and lined with buildings that get tinier as they recede. It is
a beautiful piece of scenery. It is certainly possible, timing wise, that
Shakespearean plays were hosted here when the theater was new.
Have a seat. The orchestra is tuning up......
While we have been in the theater, although
there is no actual orchestra, Mother Nature is tuning up outside, indeed to
have a nice little thunderstorm. Our band decides to find lunch. The TO fellow
recommends a vegetarian place near the main gates- on the other side of town-
and we head off. Matt is likewise a vegetarian, so it isn't just for
me. And, Steve and Shane are uncomplaining. Another fine trait in traveling
companions.
A brisk walk across town shows us our next
"fail" for the day. No aqueduct, and the vege place is closed.
By now, it is getting late for lunch and the
rain is nearly here, so we just dash into the next open restaurant. I explain
my eating limits to a doubtful waitress, and then ask for "Un piatto di
formaggio?" She looks a bit more optimistic with this and takes the
orders of the fellows. As we start into our bottle of wine, the rain starts
coming down outside, and the open window next to me bangs shut in the
wind.
I am delivered this plate of heaven.
This is how you walk 9 miles a day and gain 2
pounds.
The restaurant restroom was unisex with this little bit of stick figure humor...
As we finish our meal, the rain finishes too-
very accommodating.
We head back to the train and to Verona to the
next EVDI dinner adventure!
Good traveling, guys!
