Back in Verona, we are still involved in the battle for water rights, although confident that the solution is at hand! The walls of these stone structures are 2-3 feet thick, and if there isn’t a clear path from point A to point B, one simply cuts a new trench in the wall, then inserts the water line, fills it in with concrete, and applies a quick coat of paint, and no one even needs to know!
Why Verona? This question comes up frequently, and to answer it, we need to return to St. Pete. Previously, we introduced Lara Damoli, the wine producer from Valpolicella; on her first visit to St. Pete, we had the pleasure of showing her around downtown. On her second visit, we had the pleasure of hosting her in our apartment for the week. She and Debbie became instant friends, and at the end of the 2nd visit, they were more like auntie and niece.
Over our 36 years of marriage, my wife and I have hosted visitors frequently. The idea of having Lara stay with us after only meeting once before was truly par for the course as far as we were concerned. In Italy, hospitality is a way of life; for Lara to experience it in America was an unbelievable gesture, and she could not wait to reciprocate.
We see Italy as a country, but the Italians identify themselves by region, and they always believe the region they are from is by far the best! Veneto is in the northwest area adjacent to the Alps, with Venice as its most recognized city. Verona is an hour east of Venice, the home of Romeo & Juliette. It also includes the Valpolicella wine region, which is where Lara’s vineyard is located, along with Lake Garda.
We would be hard-pressed to find a person more in love with their region than Lara is with Verona, and she could not be more eager to show us around! Her passion for her home is contagious, and we were in love with the area almost immediately. As the idea of finding a home in Italy continued to build in our minds, the Verona area became the perfect choice.
One slight problem: did I mention that Italians are very regional? How would we break the news to Clara and Elena? The little broken English that Clara can speak was clear: "Why do you choose there? Why not here?" (Tuscany)! As we began to muster our defense, her next sentence was, “I love Verona; my dentist is in Verona as well as my architect.” That was a relief. Not only did we pick the 2nd best place in Clara’s opinion, but we also now have a dentist and an architect!
