I thought that the people of Verona must be liberal, because I noticed a few times that gay men were in abundance in Verona, freely enjoying themselves without seeming to come under any undue scrutiny or disapproval. I forgot all about how difficult life is for African immigrants in many parts of Europe; and I wasn't even thinking about that when I posted. I actually feel a bit ashamed of my naivete.

As a tourist, I like to see healthy and prosperous people where ever I travel. I sometimes forget that, just as in my own country, the prosperous are sometimes prospering at the expense of the poor. It is only logical that the rich of the North of Italy would like me and be nice to me: I am clean, and well-behaved, and I'm spending money in their shops and restaurants.

I have no personal experience of how your countrymen treat poor immigrants. But I thank you for pointing out to me that my tourist-point-of-view isn't a complete one.

After all that, just let me add that I still encourage others to visit the lovely city of Verona. And I hope that everyone, everywhere, strives to be charitable, hospitable, and kind to all the members of the family of man.

And IMHO a group of travellers has a moral duty to discuss more than just what hotels and restaurants we should visit. Thanks for bringing such a thought provoking topic to this forum. Sincerely Debbie