For our free day, Amanda and I took a train to Verona from Florence to see Romeo and Giulietta’s balconies. The train ride was about 2 hours long, and we had about 6 hours between the arriving train and departing train. When we arrived to Verona, it was at least 10 degrees colder than Florence. The rain was pouring, the wind was strong, and we were lost 90% of the time, but that didn’t take away from magic of the city.

Every time I cursed the rain and about the cold, I had to stop and remember that I was strolling down the same streets Romeo and Juliet would have walked; every time we got lost because there were no matching roadsides on the map, I reminded myself that I have the opportunity to be in Italy.
This day trip not only made me appreciate Italy more, but it also made me appreciate, even more so, how much Shakespeare has influenced English literature and Verona culture. There were Shakespeare bars, Romeo and Giulietta cafés, tourist shops superficially dedicated to the tale, and of course, the Guilietta Club. The Giulietta Club is a club that accepts and reads tons of letters written to Juliet from people all of the world. They read the letters and can respond in Italian, English, Spanish, Arabic, and so many more. Fortunately, Amanda and I stumbled across the club in a dark ally way while we were lost, and of course, we had to write Juliet a letter!

Out of all of the tourist places I’ve seen, I don’t think I have seen one quite as majestic as Juliet’s balcony. First, you walk into this short tunnel completely graffitied with hearts, names, and years –its so overwhelmingly beautiful. Then, you walk into this beautiful green courtyard –directly ahead there is gold statue of Giulietta and above her to the right is her balcony. The rain was cold and pelting the ground, but even so, my heart flutter, and like Michelangelo’s David, I saw Giulietta’s statue as a human being.

Everyone one by one walked up to the gold figure and rubbed her breast for good love luck. Couples locked their “amore eterno” locks on chain links and door knockers, people stuck gum and notes to the wall behind her statue, and Amanda and I gazed up at the balcony is disbelief and awe –an absolute beautiful moment despite the miserable weather.