Re: Cycling in the night

Posted by: ConRAD

Re: Cycling in the night - 08/04/13 08:04 PM

Verona: "notte scaligera"

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Definitely an hot, early August night, .. last night !!
From time to time only a warm and pretty light breeze from the nearby Alps.
So Verona last night ... beautiful and seductive as I’ve never seen it before.
Once left the car not too far away from the Basilica of San Zeno, I then stopped by in the square in front of the church and stayed for a moment with bated breath: I’m alone I'm thinking, not a single noise, in the distance the umbrellas of the bars are closed for the night and all-around it appears to be perfectly clean, tidy, somehow surreal.
I then head towards the center stopping from time to time to take photos.
In the splendid Piazza delle Erbe it seems to me impossible to ride with no one to "look at me" ... and possibly disturbing ...
Probably around there are hundreds of cameras installed at each corner and quite likely someone at the local police station (questura) ... is wondering who may be that strange cyclist who goes around the city at that time in the night.
Passing through narrow alleys and unthinkable gateways I arrive in Piazza dei Signori and immediately after aside of the unique and fantastically gothic Scaliger Tombs.
Not to far away I arrive to see the river Adige, lively enough but pleasantly quiet during these summer months; it reflects the façades of houses and the white bell tower of the cathedral.
Going "against” the river stream I arrive at the Stone Bridge, the bridge built by the Romans in the first century BC to allow the via Postojna to link Genoa to the Brenner Pass.
I then kept following the river and in the distance I could see Castelvecchio and the Ponte Scaligero, incredibly open at that hour and absolutely deserted.
It’s now almost five and before it starts to make clear I decide to head to the Arena.
Once arrived at the Arena, I could see that in an area just opposite Piazza Bra are kept most of the scenes of the operas on program, including the upcoming "Verdi's" Aida and Nabucco.
Thanks Verona !!

ALL THE PICTURES HERE !