May 20, 2022

UPDATED May 30, 2022 to add detail about Romeo & Juliette

After more than a week of long days of riding, and rainy days and nights, the rain has stopped, at least temporarily and so have we. We’re finally settled into our campsite in Lydney, England (just north of Bristol) for a few days. So it’s time to go back and catch up on where we’ve been for the past week. Let’s start where we left off…

We left Pula, Croatia and headed back up the Istrian Peninsula to cut through the western corner of Slovenia and into Italy. Crossing the border from Croatia into Italy, it was like someone had said, “Okay, Slovenia, you get all the green and trees, but as soon as there is no more of that, Croatia begins. Strange how borders are drawn, based on rivers, terrain, etc.

It was a very brief ride through this sliver of Slovenia, although we had to stop at the border and check back in, as our Schengen Visa time began again as we crossed into Slovenia. Within a few short miles we entered Italy, and needed gas, so we stopped at the first station we saw. As I was finishing filling the tank, a blue 700 Tenere pulled up on the other side of the pump. We had seen a few other T7’s on the road, but this was the first with full luggage and two people, like us, and they seemed as excited to see us as we were to see them.

Sandro and his sister-in-law/navigator/mechanic (yes, SHE is all that) were on their way home. Like us, he had previously owned a Super Tenere before downsizing to the 700, and like us, felt it was the perfect bike for two-up distance touring on backroads.

We parted ways with Sandro, agreeing that perhaps we would meet up in Mongolia next year (a goal for both of us). Our goal for the evening was Verona, and since we had a number of long days ahead of us, we chose to take the highway for a while. At the first toll booth we came to in Italy, the woman in the booth asked “What is wahldruck?”

“Sorry?”, I replied, not understanding the question.

“What is wahldruck?” she repeated. I was lost. I had no idea what she was saying. I was there simply to pay my two euros and proceed on.

“I’m sorry, I don’t understand”, I said.

Diana said, “She is asking “What is Wall Drug”. It finally dawned on me that she was looking at our pannier, and the giant “Where the Heck is Wall Drug?” bumper sticker that we picked up in South Dakota last year on the way back from Alaska.

“Oh! It’s a pharmacy, in South Dakota, United States.”

“So, it is store?”

“Um, yeah, sort of. It’s more of a giant tourist destination.”

Now she looked like she was either really confused, or doubting me. Americans have pharmacies for tourist attractions? No wonder they have a drug problem.

She took my money and the arm raised and off we went.

We eventually made it to Verona, and our campsite at Camping Castel San Pietro. The campground is on the top of the highest hill in town, or at least very near the old town of Verona, just across the river. On top of this hill is a castle — the Castel San Pietro — and just behind the castle is the campground. It makes for some incredible views overlooking Verona.

Beautiful views from the campground above Verona, Italy

We set up camp and walked down the hill and into town to grab a quick bite to eat. Everywhere were sidewalk cafes advertising Spritz Apertifs. As we crossed an intersection of two alleyways, I could see a large piazza about a block off to the right. We headed that way to check it out, and just happened to stumble on Juliet’s house.

As we sat having a snack at this sidewalk cafe, these doors across the way began to open inward electrically. It looked like the entrance doors to Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride at Disneyland. It turns out, they are two large doors that lead into a large courtyard where multiple cars were parked.

Around the corner and down another alleyway was this large piazza, and just before getting there, was Juliet’s House.

This, we are all told, is the actual home of Juliet.

Yep, that Juliet, of Romeo and Juliet fame. We listened as a tour guide explained in English to a group of tourists: “Yes, this is the real house of Juliet. We know that Romeo’s family had a house nearby also based on records. You can see the family crest of the Capulet family above the entryway. The balcony has been replaced because the original was very ugly. Shakespeare adapted his story from the local legend that was recorded by an officer; he did not originate the story.”

With a little research after our visit, we found online that the original lover’s tragedy of Romeo and Juliette was said to be a true story which occurred in Verona in 1303, and was passed on in Italian folklore for many years, being told in different versions by many poets and authors in the 14th century. However, it appears that William Shakespeare mainly drew inspiration on a 1562 poem by Arthur Brooke.

Although we are also told that this is NOT the original balcony that Juliet uttered those famous words from, as the original balcony was replaced because it was “too ugly”. (Oh, and Shakespeare’s stage directions never had a balcony; she appeared in a window.)

This bronze statue of “Giulietta” stands in the courtyard. You may notice that her upper torso is much more polished while the rest of the statue has a typical tarnish to it. This is because legend has it that if you rub her breast you will have good luck. There’s been a lot of breast-polishing going on, and we saw a lot of it in the few minutes we stood there.

How much of the story is factual, and how much is evolved folklore is hard to say, but it has definitely been good for the local economy.

We walked a bit further to a local grocery store next to the ancient coliseum and bought some food for dinner, then began the hike back up the hill to our campsite. When we arrived, tired and sweaty, I found that the campground store, in addition to everything we just hiked two miles to buy, had a bar serving Spritz apertifs. So we ordered two and sat on the patio enjoying the sunset.

Later that evening, as we lay in our tent, it became clear that the road to the top of the hill, which has several switchbacks as it climbs steeply, is used as the Verona version of the Pikes Peak Hillclimb at night by the local scooter riders, as well as a few cars. Apparently the only requirement to compete is that you must have a very loud exhaust. This went on until nearly 3am, the combination of screaming scooters and squealing car tires. It’s a shame, because aside from these late-night scooter clowns, it’s a beautiful campground.

Fortunately the noise died down around 3am and we were still able to get a few good hours of sleep before another long day of riding the next day.