We all Live in a Yellow Submarine in Padua

I arrived after 8pm in to Padua by train from Trieste. I had directions to the hotel but had problems with finding what direction to head in.  I asked at the bus “station” which was really just a little hut with a window and the man at the counter had to ask someone else. Then the woman he asked thought I should call a cab as maybe I should not walk there but then the man told me the direction and said okay to walk. I had to walk up the hill and be careful for the bikes I walked to the point they said but did not see any sign of the hotel. I asked in a little café and no one knew. Then I asked a girl and guy walking by and they did not know Hotel Alberto Junior but when I said it was a 2 story pink building the girl knew so I had to just cross the street and walk a bit.  I found it was actually just called Hotel Junior. I walked in the cute little gate and they were expecting me.

I liked the décor they had these huge frames going up the stairs full of postcards, my room was cozy I was glad I had the private bathroom rather than wander down the hall at night. The breakfast room was cute, not a lot to eat but a start 2 rolls, with plenty of butters or jams or chocolate to put on and a choice of coffee or tea and a big glass of juice the one morning they also had yogurt I had to ask for milk for my tea the first day but after that the woman always asked  Milka Mrs. 

I headed out to explore Padua/Padova the thing I spotted near the bus station was a mural of Yellow Submarine so naturally I walked closer to snap a photo and saw there were more of Yellow Sub various scenes and characters had been painted the Blue Meanies, The Glove, and more I walked around and snapped away.

the apples

Then it was off to town I came across a little canal of water with some boats on it reminiscence of Venice and a little park and a museum that had interesting statues. A market and some beautiful buildings I walked for quite awhile taking it all in, I had several places in mind to see and they were at the other end of town. I came across St Anthony of Padua church it was beautiful inside I walked over to another church and when I left it I someone wound up in another area quite near where I had started. At this point I realized  I was quite and decided since i was so close to my villa I decided to go back for a quick nap as I felt too tired to enjoy. I also grabbed a chicken kabab at a place I saw near my villa and had that followed by a 45 min nap.  I felt refreshed and ready to head out.

It was back down to the area I had been in search of the two main things I wanted to see. I saw a tourist place so walked in and asked where  St Anthony and I drew a blank here and said church was.  The Man said to me Madam St Anthony is a basilica not a church, whoops sorry. I also asked where the place with all the statues around water was and he pointed to a poster on the wall and said you mean that? I said yes that is Prato della Valle, I might  add that somehow I did not have all my print outs with me, on this trip.

I walked a bit longer and found Prato della Valle it was very beautiful The canal is decorated with a double ring of huge statues, 78 at all, representing famous people. At 90, 000 sq metres, this is the largest square in Italy, I walked around it snapping away and sat and just enjoyed the area.

I could see the The Basilica of Sant'Antonio di Padova, at one end and also a bit to the side another church that turned out to be The Cathedral of Padua. I walked there first and looked inside and then headed to the Basilica and have to admit it was beautiful inside. I explored for awhile and found I had missed a video presentation and put it in my head to go back to see before I left on Friday, but that was not to be as my train was 9.15am.

There were stalls outside the Basilica and mainly people selling postcards and candles of St Anthony I bought several postcards Id rather give the little people the money. I wandered around and decided to slowly make my way back to the hotel as it was quite a walk I did toy with a bus but decided walking was better especially on a nice evening. 

Basilica of Sant'Antonio di Padova

I might add the Padua has a lot of marked bike paths and sometimes you do have to share with them and be careful but many people were riding bikes on sidewalks not marked as such and some would wizz right past you and close scared the crap out of me more than once not to mention a motorcycle doing the same thing. As I was getting back to my hotel some man zoomed by on a bike and then made his attempt to cross the street,  that spot had tracks for trams? or whatever and he must have hit one and suddenly flew up in the air and he manages to grab his bike and move himself just as a tram came up I doubt he missed being hit by it less than 45 seconds. He stood to the side rubbing his leg.