Verona and daytrip to Sirmione

We left Bergamo the morning of the 8th, arriving in Verona that afternoon. We picked up a rental car, then the next day braved the Italian highway system to drive to Sirmione on Lake Garda.

Here are some photos from all three places with comments, only occasionally snarky. Click on any to embiggen.

One last look at the beautiful main square in Bergamo before leaving for Verona.

Once in Verona, we rented a car and the next day drove to Sirmione where there's this medieval castle that appears to have been designed by Disney Studios.

See what I mean? Hard to believe it's real.

At the north end of the peninsula in Lake Garda where Sirmione sits, you find some ancient Roman Ruins: The Grottoes of Catullus. Beautiful weather that day.

John, with a view toward the mountains behind him.

Verona and the Adige River that runs through it.

The Verona Arena - the local colisseum built by the ancient Romans and which they use for opera performances throughout the summer.

They've started rehearsals for the operas. These 12 foot tall statues were among the props that are stored outside the arena during the summer since there's no place else to put them. They're three medieval knights. No idea what opera, since they're not doing Parsifal. It's almost all Verdi.

This is the facade of a many-hundreds year old building just down the street from where we're staying. Zoom in to see the devil's head above the doorway.

One of the cool churches in Verona is San Fermo Maggiore. It's one church on top of another. The "new" one (this one) is from the 14th century. You go downstairs to see the "Chiesa Inferiore" which is anything but inferior.

Inserting a typical Italian moment here. Going down the steps to the church below, you see this sign telling you to be sure to close the door behind you.

But the door with the sign is propped open with a wedge of brick. Sign? What sign?

This gorgeous older church dates from around 1065.
It appears to be the space that the current congregations uses for their masses.
It's hard to capture in a photo the amazing feeling in this space.

Interesting ooooooold fresco of Jesus getting baptized.  Note the rosy cheeks on everyone. I'm guessing the Jordan was particularly cold that day.

An amazingly anatomically incorrect fresco of Mary breastfeeding Jesus.

A hilarious sign trying to get people to pick up after their dogs. It says: "Don't be an .... ostrich." as in "Don't stick your head in the sand when it comes to scooping." But the Italian word play is that the word for what the dog is leaving behind here also starts with "str" and it makes you think the sign is going to say "Don't be a [dog dropping]"

Not to be outdone by other cities, Verona has its own castle - The Castelvecchio with a mind-blowing collection of paintings.

Statue of Saint Cecilia, holding a organ keyboard and pipes. The model for this handsome woman apparently came from some very husky stock.

Creepy portrait of Savonarola, the Jerry Falwell of his day in Florence. He was responsible for countless pieces of secular art being burned in public squares in "bonfires of the vanities." (Booooo. Hissss.) He ended up being burned at the stake himself once the crowd got sick of him. Oh, Irony. Will you never cease to amuse us?

Gorgeous alabaster windows in San Lorenzo church.

And lastly for this posting: Italy: Land of tiny, tiny cars.

Off to see the Vienna Ballet this evening. They're in town. Until the next posting......