A close friend of my parents had bought two tickets to the Arena of Verona but due to a health issue, she kindly passed them on to us.
We were in three and the tickets two, but my mother, despite my protests, was adamant that I went with my father.

Verona is a 240km stretch by car from Stresa, which is located on the shores of Lake Maggiore, where we lived at the time.
Father decided to make the trip in two days and have my mother come along for some sightseeing.

We hit the road at the crack of dawn in the hope to avoid traffic.
To keep merry along the way we sang whilst playing cassettes of Greek singer Demis Roussos and Swedish pop group ABBA, two of our all-time favourite artists.

We arrived at 10.00, checked in, and once refreshed, got a bite in the picturesque Piazza delle Erbe in the heart of Verona.
The piazza, once a Roman forum, now contains plenty of medieval buildings with beautiful sculptures to admire.
After a creamy plate of risotto, we went to visit the most iconic site in Verona.
With noses held high, we admired the famous balcony where tragic lovers Juliet and Romeo declared their eternal love.

We slowly made our way back to the hotel crossing one of the 7 famous bridges that stretch over the L'Adige, the second-longest river in Italy, whose waters begin in the Alps.

After a short nap and a quick bite, we dressed. To keep the peace, I a tomboy by nature promised to wear the only dress in my wardrobe.
I retrieved it from the mothballs and washed it; my beloved sandshoes were replaced by a pair of leather sandals my father bought me a couple of years prior.
My mother fixed my long hair weaving it into an intricate pattern of braids and then ushered us out; after a 15-minute walk, we reached the mastodontic Arena.

Built in 30AD, the ancient Roman amphitheater was once a place of death where gladiators entertained the plebo with their bloody fights.
Today it is still a place of entertainment but of a different kind where concerts, theatre, opera, and other events delight the public.

Under a canopy of stars that twinkled like gems, we found our location on the left-hand side of the imposing Arena.
The orchestra began to play and lights lit the stage; the chitter-chatter stopped and all eyes were on the famous dancing etoile: Nureyev.

He was truly something to behold; I was enraptured by his grace, his feet in mid-air fluttered like butterfly wings. His powerful, athletic leaps and fluid movements were enchanting.

I will always cherish that magical night at the Arena with my father; sadly twenty months later, the Russian dancer died.. as a teen he was nicknamed "white crow" because he was "strange/different". Fourteen months earlier famous singer Freddie Mercury died due to the same disease:AIDS.