So I spend most of Friday in meeting with a supplier, but thanks to the time zone, etc, it's light really late here. So after work I went exploring. Lunch was this amazing multiple course fish meal and dinner wasn't seen as a needed. Lunch included a fish soup, 6 different raw fishes in different marinades, several shrimp, calamri, and lobster dishes, polenta with squid cooked in ink and shrimp, pasta with lobster, and a dessert sampler. About 4 different wines, a lemonice-sparkling wine-vodka drink, a dessert wine, and expresso. I thought I died from sheer delight.

We drove up the road along the Mira River, which runs down into Venice. The rich people had mansions on this river to escape the summer heat and retire for weekends. One huge one belonged to the Doge and was called the Doge's Bedroom as he apparently kept some female friends there.

Padua was once a walled city and the wall remains as does some of the houses build into it with doors on the river...

The center is dominated by the church of the local saint, St. Anthony of Padua. His tongue and jaw are available for reverencing but no photos were allowed inside (They let me carry my camera, which isn't allow, if I promised not to take pictures. You soon see why. This is still an active house of worship. I may be a barbarian, but I understand some rules.) Otherwise I'd be posting shots of the interior which was unreal. I see why Europeans say if you want to see art, go to Italy.)

Walking over to the central area, we crossed lots of little canals on our way to see the large park, decorated with stautes of Paduan lords and a large fountain. The huge house of the local barron dominated one end.





Back to the hotel for a very light dinner, and then tomorrow off to Venice for weekend.