Padova a piedi (on foot)

Well, let it never be said that didn't walk off the gelato today.....We've spent the past two days in Padova walking around the historical town center for hours upon hours.  Tonight we're held up in the hotel trying to soothe our feet. Gotta love the cobblestone streets they have here! Actually, it took us a while to figure out that the "sidewalks" were made of smooth marble, whereas where we were walking (in the center of the street) was truly rough cobblestones.  Now, don't go thinking we crazy enough to walk down the middle of any street - this was an area of pedestrian use only.

We decided to buy a "Padova Card" which allows use of the public transportation system to get around the city, as well as free or reduced admission to many historical buildings.  We learned quickly, however, that  the bus service here is not very punctual (actually nowhere near punctual), but from my perspective, it was still better than driving into the city center and trying to find parking.

Yesterday, we visited several piazze - Piazza della Frutta (fruit), Piazza delle Erbe (herbs), and Piazza dei Signori (aristocrats). A small mercato was in each piazza, so we spent some time walking around and checking out the goods.  Near one of  piazza's we witnessed a "tar and feathering" of students that had just completed their Ph.D's.  One guy, dressed in a sort of cat outfit, was being smeared with raw eggs and flour, while his classmates poked fun of him and sang bawby tunes. Another was dressed like a bumblebee. After, their classmates paraded them around the piazzas continuing their singing, which I won't translate because, after all, this is a family blog.  A picture of the "cat" student is below.  It seems that this is quite the ritual here, and it was certainly being done with fun and not malice.  Poor guys, they finally earned their doctorates in Science and then they are subjected to raw eggs being rubbed through their hair and then coated with flour and water.  You'd think they were nutrition or culinary majors.

We had dinner at ristorante "Agli Eremitani", where we had eaten some delicious pizzas two years ago.  The food was once again fantastic.  Rachel had two huge pieces of grilled swordfish with vegetables, while I had branzino (sea bass) and spinach.  For the first time in all our years visiting Italy, Rachel was offered a "doggie" bag for the fish she didn' t finish.  Was she ever happy about that!


We got an early start this morning, and headed to the largest mercato in Padova, which was at Prato Della Valle (Field of the Valley).  Seriously, there we hundred of vendors and, unlike other mercati we've been too, it was organized according to what was being sold - fruit, housewares, clothing, and shoes - the latter of which was an immediate draw for Rachel, who ended up buying two pairs (the counting of shoes begins!).  After lunch, we visited the Basilica of Sant'Antonio, the patron saint of Padova.  The basilica is gorgeous, filled with marble walls and colonades, and beautiful frescoes.  It also has the tomb of Sant'Antonio to whom my Mom was much devoted.  We visit here when we come to Italia in her honor and memory.

We continued our walking tour of Padova, sightseeing the city in general and passing some very large palazzi (palaces).  We returned to Piazza della Frutta to pickup a few items for dinner and have, once again, a delicious and refreshing pre-dinner Martini Royale cocktail that is made from Martini white wine, prosecco, lime, and mint.  On a hot and humid day like today, it was just perfect.

"Tar and feathering" of a graduate.

The local meat market.  This whole section of the mercato in Piazza delle Erbe is filled with meat counters.

Rachel and the pink Vespa

Piazza della Frutta and the mercato

Rachel and our favorite Padovan cocktail

The prosciutto shop that Greg wants to own someday. Check out all those hams hanging in the background.

Well, that's it from Padova.  Tomorrow we return to Berzo to partake in the Festa della Birra on Sunday night.  Don't forget to root for the Azzurri on Monday, who play against Ireland. Forza Italia, Forza Azzurri!!