Wise Words in Fair Verona

After a long night of travel, my three friends and I finally arrived in Romeo and Juliet's Verona. We lugged our carry-on luggage through the narrow cobblestone streets as our stomachs grumbled. We were in desperate search for a carb heavy meal. We stumbled across a quiet outdoor café close to the lively Friday flea market.

The owner stood on the porch of the restaurant, Tèta de Guileta, and greeted us in English. I guess we did epitomize the definition of American tourists in that moment. The welcoming man led us to a table and insisted that we made an excellent choice for lunch in Verona. He asked us where we were from and what brought us to his lovely little town. He then took our drink order and returned after a few minutes.

The owner began by saying, “Please do not order the Spaghetti Bolognese or Lasagna.”

In my mind I was thinking, “Crap…” I was definitely planning on getting the Lasagna. My friends and I looked at each other in confusion. Why would the man make this request of us?

He continued on to say, “You are in Italy. My advice to you is to try authentic local cuisine.” He promised we could try something else if we didn’t love our exploratory choice.

Taking his advice, we went out of our way to order a dish that we would not typically order in a United States “Little Italy.” One of us, feeling extra adventurous, even ordered spaghetti with donkey meat sauce (no, it wasn’t me). The four of us unanimously agreed that this was an unforgettable meal. We gathered out bags and thanked the owner and staff for the great experience.

He reminded us, “Take advantage of this opportunity and continue to try new things.”

Now as I’m on a train heading from Verona to Venice I am reflecting on our interaction with the small-restaurant owner. This man must wait on hundreds of tourists a week who lack an appreciation for authentic Italian cuisine. I appreciate how he yearned to share a piece of his culture with us. He wanted us to experience the “real” Italy, not a tourist version. The lesson he shared was one surrounding the art of exploration. I will always hold on to this man’s words as I continue to travel in the future. Exploration leads to the truest form of immersion in a foreign culture.