Padua and Verona 21-22 Sep

Check out my pics from Padua and Verona on facebook at
http://vuwac.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2020529&l=989ae&id=220000480

Friday 21 September
Spent the day wandering around Padua. Checked out Scrovengni Temple which was pretty amazing with 38 frescoe panels by Grotto that depict Christs life. It wasnt like other religious artworks I had seen with the bright, blue starry roof making this a pretty amazing place. Continued to get properly lost in this city without a map but stumbled upon a fruit market, wandered along the river and a huge detour around St Giustina Church before finding Basilica di Sant Antonio (patron saint of Padua and lost things - so very ironic that it took me so long to find it!) Made my way to Verona and my hostel up on the hill, watched the sun set from San Pietro Castle which was a gorgeous panorama of the city.

Saturday 22 September
Up early to make the most of my day in Verona - such a pretty city! Walked into town across Ponte Nuovo, quickly popped into Duomo at the start of a service and then through Piazza Erbe and Di Signori before picking up my Verona Card. Found Juliettes tomb (and a couple of weddings) and had lunch in Piazza Bra before checking out the Arena - third largest amphitheatre in Europe dating from the 1st century. Juliettes house was pretty roomy (about six floors with high ceilings) and stood on the balcony overlooking the graffiti covered courtyard and rubbed the breast of Juliettes statue as its said to bring good luck in love. There was some random international games festival (called Toscali) in town this weekend with petanque, old-school hockey and baseball, marbles, knife throwing, giant dice, biscotti making, arts and crafts, giant chess, stilts, whips, goh, go-karts, and spinning top pinball (which I was awful at but it was fun!). Found Romeos house (now a private residence) and the Della Scala (Scaligeri) residence in my wanders too. Had a quiet night chatting with my roommates at the hostel, had a great time in Verona and it was awesome as my last impression of Italy - off to Switzerland tomorrow - ciao!