June 2, Verona before we go to Florence and Rome

            On this Tuesday before we left for Florence, I was away from my little apartment for about 9-10 hours.  I taught my pre-Florence class on Brunelleschi, Michelangelo, etc., and then had lunch with Terri on the Ponte Nervi restaurant.  I had pasta with carciofi, but the artichokes are tougher than I remember from the past and it was not that good a lunch.  But I did enjoy talking with Terri and having company, adult company no less.

            It was a holiday June 2, so when I decided to walk over to the Castelvecchio and to study some of the architecture in that direction, there was practically no traffic as I repeatedly criss-crossed the streets.  I just love the Castelvecchio for the architecture, for the play of modern and old forms, for being able to climb up near the crenellations and walk between them.  I even drew in a little garden for some time there, surrounded by crenellations.  The art collection has a few nice things, but I actually like the rooms with shields on the walls the best because they give a feeling of what life back then might have been like in that palace.  At best, there are a few second rate pieces and a lot of third rate pieces.  But it is worth visiting nonetheless, if more for the architectural complex than for the art.

            I did enjoy my visit to San Lorenzo that afternoon very much.   It is perhaps my favorite church in Verona.  It is such a modest church, with some really interesting Romanesque architecture.  It was founded in the 8th century outside the Roman walls, but much of it dates from the 13th century, according to a booklet.  But to me it seems older, and I wonder about the wider, almost transept arches in the second level gallery, and the range of smaller and then larger arches in all different sizes and rounded shapes on that gallery level.  One can almost hear the builders think as they change their mind within the building. 

            I also wonder about the red and white stripes.  This is a common coloration in Verona.  Is it because of the soil that makes brick feasible?   There is also often tufa or other light stones that contrast with the brick to make the stripes.  Quite often the stripes are not even, especially when compared to the Florence Duomo.  But why the red?   Does it reflect the symbolism of candy canes: the blood of Christ with the white reflecting the purity of his sacrifice? 

            In any case, I was a bit tired after returning through Piazza Herbe.  I had a nice dinner of leftovers at home: pork with peaches and eggplant with tomatoes and cheese.  Then I packed for Florence and Rome, trying to keep everything in the one computer backpack.