Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Hello from Verona :

SAM_1259   I was going to post HELLO yesterday but we had computer (adaptor) problems which were only solved this morning, and now I am a day behind in telling you our story. 

Better at least get started. 
The trip was uneventful.  Plane left Rio on time, arrived in Paris on time, the little puddle jumper to Verona left out of terminal 2G so we made the right choice when buying the tickets  - giving ourselves 4 hours between flights.  Two just wouldn't have made it.  Our flight out of Rio landed and parked on the tarmac and we had to load onto a bus and be taken around and around the airport (seems that way) and then unload down on the ground floor.  Finding our way out of that mess and to the bathrooms.... then to 2G which is a bus ride away, around and around the airport - we were on the ground about 2.5 hours before going through security at 2G.  This section  has  a new, and very comfortable lounge to wait for your flight, but without services like money exchange or choice of eating
places.  But it was a comfortable wait.
SAM_1264 The little plane, and I am not exaggerating when I call it little, carried about 45 people.  It had one seat on the left and two seats on the right side of the plane. There was only luggage racks for very a small carry on on the right side.  the Plane was an EMB 145 – a Brazilian made plan.  Considering that Brazilian tennis shoes last 3 months at the most I was a little nervous as we took off. Don’t yell at me!SAM_1268
SAM_1277 By 7:00 in the evening we were checked into the hotel, had had showers and were back out on the streets, SAM_1292
   SAM_1280 getting our bearings just as the sun was setting.  We bought fresh peaches and apricots at a street market to have with our breakfast, walked all the way down to the river and on our way back ate dinner in our first ‘Italia Profunda’ restaurant.
Trattoria Colonna – via Tezonne, 1-37122 Verona – We rated it a 6 - nice Tortiini & Brodo, table wine was fine, service fine, baked veal was commercially prepared with gravy…. no didn’t do it for me. 

Bread was BAD – price was okay for what we ate.  Six is probably being generous.  It may move down as we have other places to compare.
Rating words - Very good (nice), good (nice), fine, doesn’t do it for me, bad.

4 comments:

  1. So fun! You are such a trooper, posting from the trip. Love the photos. Love that you guys are doing a no plan sort of trip.

    Thanks so much for the comment on my blog; he is a keeper, and I do treat him well (or try to).

    Have a wonderful time!!!

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  2. That plane does look small. Love the comparison with tennis shoes lol
    Breakfast looks and sounds perfect.

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  3. Ginger, please no more comments comparing Brazilian planes to tennis shoes! You'll make me nervous! I've enjoyed the first day of the trip. Back in the days when I used to travel between Whangarei and Auckland a lot by air, I usually had to go on the "air taxi" which took just five passengers. Now that was small!! But you could look over the pilots shoulder to make sure he was doing it right! :)

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  4. Dear Ginger,

    The Brazilian Embraer planes are the best in the world in quality and reliability, they are beating the Canadian Bombardier in every bid around the world in recent years.
    Most American Airlines are replacing their older planes with new Embraer MADE IN BRAZIL.
    My point is you are in very good hands while inside an Embraer.

    Have a great trip.

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