Things I loved, things I missed...

If you've been paying attention you know our sailing and biking in Croatia lasted less than 12 hours. Things I missed: the Nostra Vita at night...

Too bad they didn't have the lights on the night I fell.

We biked a little...

...through some interesting countryside.

After the fall...

I scooted on my butt from the sailboat to the Zodiak for Mr Toad's Wild RIde to the hospital. You can see where the steps are - it looks like a plank in the lower right corner of the photo. In the dark it looked like black velvet. Who doesn't mark the steps? 

Oh well, at least with Leslie and the gang we shopped the Venice outlet mall. Leslie got some killer shoes; I got some things from Loro Piana...

...but I can't carry a purse and work the crutches. 

And we went to see Aida in Verona in the ancient Roman amphitheater.

Hui He as Aida was breathtaking, her strong sensual voice gave me chills. No vibrato to cover an upper register thinness here, she owned the stage.

Salvatore Licitra as Radames was rich and strong. The spectacle was unreal, at one point Dave counted 292 people on stage. He didn't count the horses.

It's a magical place, a magical evening. Made even more incredible by the woman in the seat in front of Wally. 

Bet you won't see that at the opening of the San Francisco Opera.