Padova: Secondo Giorno

After all the fun and companionship from the night before, I woke up well-rested and ready get in my daily walking. I said good-bye to Cesaria and headed straight for the bar/gelateria for my cappuccino.

Since it was Sunday, I had my own little “worship” service with Third Day pumping out of my ipod and some reflective prayer time while I enjoyed my foamy goodness. (Really, this is how I should start every day – it bodes quite well.)

Once I was good and ready, I pulled out my city map (in which I had already marked all the free places my shiny, new Padova card would get me into) and plotted out a course. The biggest obstacle for the day was going to be the Scrovegni Chapel. Like the Last Supper only a few people were allowed in at a time, for a limited time, and you were supposed to reserve ahead.

Of course, I had not reserved ahead. But this was a little less popular than the Last Supper and since it’s October, tourism is beginning to wane, so I thought I’d head there first see what I could get, and then work my day around any available time.

Luck was on my side again as the first time slot was only an hour and a half away. There is also an entire museum and multimedia room to learn about the Chapel on-site, so that was more then enough to help me kill the time. I happily paid the 1 EU booking fee and was on my way.

Like all of the really good sights in Italy, I was not allowed to take any pictures – but the frescos were absolutely beautiful and (so I learned) quite ahead of their time. They covered all four walls as well as the ceiling, and like the Sistine Chapel, it tells the life story of Jesus, culminating with the Last Judgment. However, the Scrovegni Chapel begins with the story with Joachim and Anne (Mary’s parents) as well as the life story of Mary. Definitely worth the one euro I paid.

From there I went to numerous other places including the Palazzo della Ragine (a HUGE hall with the biggest horse I’ve ever seen), Caffé Pedrocchi (a museum/patriotic café – kind of), and Padova’s Baptistry. I have no idea what a “baptistry” is by definition, but it was like one additional silo/dome that was technically connected to the Duomo, but you had to enter it separately.

Anyway, it was only one room with a small altar at the front and every wall and ceiling surface had been covered in a fresco – and they were beeeeaaautiful. It was actually quite like Scrovegni Chapel, only someone less famous had done these 70 years later. It too told the story of Jesus’ life as well as several bible stories and pictures of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John - one in each corner. What was unique about the Baptistry though, was the ceiling: In the perfectly shaped dome was a painting of Jesus surrounded (in perfect proportion all the way around) by at least a hundred saints; row after row, spiraling in. It was crazy – all in detail and perfectly spaced. It was something. The whole thing was remarkable.

From there I tried to find one last sight, but discovered it was closed (or the next showing wasn’t for half hour…? I don’t really know – the sign was in Italian and I couldn’t translate), so I headed back to the hostel to collect my things and head for the train station.

I liked Padova: it was richer in art than I anticipated, I very much enjoyed the piazzas and local market, and I had fun with a new friend. Definitely gets my stamp of approval. Now I just have to make it to Venice and figure out the whole “boat system” thing. I’m a little intimidated, but like everything else on this trip, I’ll just take a deep breath and figure it out.