Memories and hints of a travelling IT professional.
“She speaks, yet she says nothing. What of that?
Her eye discourses. I will answer it.—
I am too bold. ‘Tis not to me she speaks.
Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven,
Having some business, do entreat her eyes
To twinkle in their spheres till they return.”
– William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet (act 2, scene 2)
If you visit Verona, Italy you might think that the Piazza Brà with the Arena di Verona is the main square of the town – but that is wrong. It was once outside of the main city and was included later on. To find the citys core you’ll have to walk along the crowded shopping street (Via Giuseppe Mazzini) to the Piazza dell Erbe – a long stretched market place with wonderful old houses, market stands, a wale tooth and a column with the symbol of the Republic of Venice; the lion.
Verona, Italy is known to be the city of love – mostly because it is the stage to William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet; or in Italian: Romeo e Giulietta. Couples come here to find their traces and can visit three places: the house of Romeo (Via Arche Scaligere, 2; not open to the public), the tomb of Juliet (Via del Pontiere, 35; containing a museum) and most important: the house of Juliet – la casa di Giulietta.
The Arena in Verona, Italy is the town’s landmark and directly located at the Piazza Brà – a main square that you’ll reach when entering the town from the railway station Porta Nuova. It dates back to the year 30 CE and is the third largest Roman amphitheatre after Rome and Capua. It has 45 tiers and can hold up to 22.000 spectators.
“There is no world without Verona walls,
But purgatory, torture, hell itself.
Hence “banished” is banish’d from the world,
And world’s exile is death.”
– William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet
The Albergo Torcolo in Verona, Italy is a hotel I returned to multiple times during the last years. It is a very small and narrow hotel with old-style furniture – nothing really special one would say. But there are two reasons why I always love to be there; the first is the very friendly family running the hotel. You immediatly feel at home and it is possible to switch between Italian, English and German in just one sentence at the reception.
One of the most beautiful railway tracks I can imagine is the “Brennerbahn” (Ferrovia del Brennero) crossing the Alps from Germany via Austria to Italy. It dates back to 1864 and has a maximum inclination of 25%. While the train goes in slopes through the mountains you can sit back and enjoy wonderful views. Especially in winter time the fir trees loaded with snow look great.
The Krämerbrücke is a bridge with multiple houses on it in Erfurt, Germany. According to the word “Krämer”, meaning grocer, a lot of merchants were located here. It is one of the town’s landmarks and it reminded me much of the wonderful Ponte Vecchio in Firenze, Italy. Even though it is less high and there isn’t so much water running under it – the Breitstrom, a part of the river Gera is just a small flow.
All around Erfurt, Germany you will find statues of characters from television series for children – this is because of the fact that Erfurt is home to the German children television channel (“Kinderkanal“, KiKa). One of the most visited is that of “Bernd das Brot“, a grumpy and depressive tin loaf located at the fish market close to the city hall.
Continue reading “Moaning with Bernd”
The egapark in Erfurt, Germany is a landscape and garden park with some special features. It is 36 hectare large and has been built on the ground of an old castle and fortification. It was opened in 1950 with a first horticultural show and from 1961 on the Internationale Gartenbauausstellung (iga), an international garden show of the socialist states was located here.