Friday May 19

We took it a bit easier today, washing our cloths, going for groceries and than the afternoon in the historic center of Padua which has a few remaining Roman structures but is defined by the post-Roman period, with a lot of Venitian influence since Padua was part of the Venician Empire at various times. There is a medieval wall around the old city that is almost complete.

The clock tower not only resembles the one in Venice, but has the winged lion symbol of Venice below the clock face and on a column to the left.

When I went out to buy milk for my coffee in the morning I happened upon cars taking part in the Mille-miglia Rally, which is an event that celebrates the famous race that was run on public roads from 1927 to 1957 from Brescia to Rome and back. Only cars models that were registered for the original race can be entered, so only from the 1920s to 1957. I saw an Austin-Healy, a Porsche, a Mercedes 300SL, a Ferrari, a Jaguar and a couple of others. When I became a car nut back in the early '60s the Mille-Miglia was already mythical.

Saturday May 20

The plan was to take the intercity bus to to Venice, so at 10h30 we were at the stop when a bus pulled up that displayed Ventizia, so we got aboard. First indication that there was a problem was when was that the machine to validate our tickets was electronic but our tickets needed an old fashion printed validation. Then we saw that it was not going towards the freeway, rather it was heading into the outskirts of Padua??? We figured out that we had got onto the local bus that goes from Padua to Venice via the back roads... which is not the same company as the express bus for which we had tickets. So all the way I was freaking out that we would be caught by the inspectors, thrown in prison, tortured and fined 200 euros each. Meanwhile Suzanne was relaxing and enjoying the scenery and offering me breath mints when what I needed was Valium. Finally we arrived at Venice, we weren't caught by the inspectors, so we got a free trip that took an hour longer than it should have but allowed us to see some of the countryside.

We had lunch at a little sidewalk café in the drizzle then walked to the Rialto bridge.

Buildings in a campi we crossed.

Near Rialto we took the vaperetto to the Giardini where the national pavilions for the Biannual are located. The vaporettos are quite expensive, 7.5 euros each trip, but the walk is far enough that we decided to save our (especially my old) legs.

Part of the exhibition in the Russian Federation pavilion.

We were there until about 17h than took the vaporetto back to the Plaza de Roma where the busses are. Along the way there are many sculptures that are part of the Biannual.

We just missed our bus and since the next one was in an hour we went to the nearby train station and got a train back to Padua. New problem, the train station in Padua is a bit of a hike from our lodging so we bought city bus tickets... but then we had to figure out which bus to take. We got the right bus but almost got on it going in the wrong direction. By that time we were so tired and hungry it was either a taxi home or supper at the nearby McDo. So we ate at McDonalds and then with clearer heads were able to find the right bus stop and get home. Yay!

Sunday May 21

Back to Venice, we took the right bus this time.

But while we were waiting for the bus in Padue, about 20 Lamborghini drove by on their Sunday excursion. Actually there was at least one McLaren that sneaked in to the group.

Just after the Lambos passed our bus arrived, we boarded and when I looked out the front widow I saw at least 4 Porsches driving off, evidently another group outing but I missed them so don't know how many there were.  

 The second major venue of the Biannel is the Arsinale, which was our target for the day. It houses smaller national pavilions and many installations by international artists. Some of the exhibitions at the Arsenale

After the Arsenale we visited one other site in the ancient prison (actually called the New Prison, everything is relative) beside the Palais des Doges.

The prison courtyard.

Serious bolts on this door!

We economised our energy today and took the vaporetto both to and from the Biannal sites. It is a long walk, although rewarding. But the vaporetto along the Grand Canal allows you to admire and discover new things each trip.

 This is a working gondola, not for tourists, for Venetians who need to cross the Grand Canal between the rare bridges.

Traffic jam near Rialto, three Vaporetti, two gondolas (one hidden) and a taxi...

Monday May 22

A relaxed morning than the bus to the old city of Padue were Suzanne visited the famous Scrovegni Chapel where the frescoes painted by Gioto mark the beginning of European modern painting.

Meanwhile I wandered about and came upon a building that is part of the University of Padova and specifically monuments to students and others from the university killed in wars from the mid 1800s. The contradictions of the period of WWII are flagrant. There is a panel of heroic soldiers and workers created in the fascist era at the beginning of the war.

Also a marble tablet with the names of those that died in the fascist army in the beginning of the was and then a much larger on one with a long list of those killed in the struggle for “liberty”, that is against the fascist government, from the time of a declaration by anti-fascist partisans in 1943 till the end of the war.

After Suzanne's visit to the chapel we explored new to us sections of the old city as we walked home.

A typical sidewalk in old Padua, covered by the second floor of the buildings.

Our apartment is just outside of the medieval walls of Padua.

Tuesday May 23

Our last day... we explored the medieval wall again starting near our apartment, this lead us to a couple of campuses of the University. We continued into the old city for lunch then headed home to relax and prepare our departure.

Suzanne remarked that the neighbourhoods we visited are a bit like Sherbrooke, university town, lots of young people.

Judging by the number of Lamborghini and Porches we saw there is lots of money here too.

This evening we prepare our bags and we hope to catch the 9am bus to the airport tomorrow morning...

Wednesday May 24.
We again caught the right bus to the airport and our flight to London Heathrow and then on to Montreal was without problems. We got home at about 20h... which was like 2am for our jet-lagged bodies.