CHAPTER 20. ITALY, CONT.

We drive to a pizzeria for a better breakfast at 1/2 the hotel price before taking the bus to Venice again. A boat takes us to the Academy of Fine Arts for a couple of hours of viewing much well displayed art. We walk to the Stephano Restaurant and eat a very good meal at a much lower price than yesterday’s. Walking on to St. Marks we buy a few little things for family, and then ride a boat that goes around by boat docks and dry docks on the way to P. Roma, where a bus is waiting to take us to Mira. It is nice and warmer today, but there is a hard rain shower in late afternoon.
The next morning we take the freeway to Verona along with heavy traffic, including many trucks. After finding a parking spot we walk to Juliet’s tomb, by the Arena, and to the Capulet home to see Juliet’s balcony; the courtyard here is solid with tours! We eat an excellent lunch at the Hotel Restaurant Alta Grotte on the highway near Verona; our menu includes pasta, mixed roast meat platter, vegetables, fruit, wine, coffee, and after dinner liqueur. We go on to Lake Garda and stay at the Albergo Garda where we think we are the only guests.

It’s clearer this morning as we drive counter clock-wise around Lake Garda, seeing many wind surfers and going thru many tunnels. We take the freeway to Bergamo, stopping en route at an Autogril for a tasty ham and mushroom dish. We drive a slow winding road to Lake Como and the Hotel du Lac at Bellagio. The hotel is right on the waterfront with lots of boats and ferries coming and going. What a beautiful spot, with a fiord appearance of mountains rising above the narrow water! We decide to stay three nights.