A Cities Homage to Learning – Padua

 

And so the rain finally arrived.

The hostel that I was staying in, is situated right against the bank of a river and when I woke and looked out the bedroom window, I almost fell off my bunk-bed. The river had swelled and was now a raging mass of dirty brown slush. The hostel owner told us not to worry and so with that positive confirmation, Suzy and I boarded a regional train for a fifteen minute journey to Padua – the city of universities.

The constant downpour, really tested our comfort levels. It is no fun to walk in wet clothes and shoes, but we tried to have fun and just appreciate our last day together. Padua is a smaller city and it is renowned for the universities, students and life associated with learning. Maybe not as beautiful as Verona, it still offered some delights. We found some shops and this is where I discovered Suzy’s hidden talent – shopping! She loved it and although I was tempted to buy, I needed to stay within my allocated budget, but I enjoyed the ride.

                

One of the best things that I loved about Italy, was their food markets. I have now been to few and each one has been better than the last. I just love that under one roof, there are stalls selling almost everything associated with food. We found a much needed respite against the rain within one of these markets. Now my understanding of the Italian language is pathetic, but Suzy really shined and was able to communicate extremely well with the stall holders. We walked between the stalls, admiring the wonderful array of meats, vegetables, dairy, spices and bakery. We came to one stall that sold cheese. The attendant was a cute man, so with Suzy translating, we were able to get quite a few different samples – for free. Amazing what a smile can do. My favourite, is the massive buffalo mozzarella and I bought one to be savoured later on.

It was here that Suzy left me to go back to Vincenza to meet up with her cousin. I was left to walk the soggy streets amongst the uni students and admire the beautiful architecture.

                

After more than an hour, I had enough of being cold and wet and decided to go back to Vincenza in the hope of changing into dry clothes. Upon my return, I was confronted with the city bracing itself for more floods. Emergency procedures were being implemented and sand bags where starting to be placed in front of shops, houses etc. The river had risen since morning and was only a metre away from overflowing. I returned to the hostel and met a very concerned Suzy, who was very worried that we may get stuck in Vincenza. Both of us were leaving tomorrow and so we confronted the hostel owner on what we should do. He reassured us and believed all will be well. So, to help ease the tension, we decided on doing so retail therapy and have fun along the way.

I loved shopping with Suzy. We went to the department store and had fun in the make-up department, we went to numerous clothes stores and here Suzy really made me laugh. We passed a busker playing the saxophone and had some cheeky fun. We shopped, walked, laughed and enjoyed it all.

               

But all this shopping takes it toll and makes us ravenous. So in the evening, we meet up with Ramsey at a Pizza Pub for our final meal together. The restaurant’s decor was beautiful. Wood was the main feature and it gave the atmosphere a medieval feel about it. The food was stunning and I ordered my very last pizza in Italy – The Super Devil (hot salami, salami, fresh tomato and rosemary). Accompanied with two glasses of red wine, the meal was amazing. It was shared with two very beautiful friends. The evening lasted into the late hours of the evening and although I never wanted it to end, unfortunately it did. There was an early start tomorrow. With my final farewell to Ramsey, Suzy and I went back to our hostel for some much needed rest.

 

Vidi Vincenza

 

When I eventually decided to undertake my marathon backpacking journey, I really had to put to reason the wisdom of carrying a laptop. The decision in the end was easy. To stay in a hostel you lose two things; privacy and security. So a laptop is a luxury that I could not afford to be stolen. I use computers supplied by the hostels at exorbitant rates and limited time. My journey is first recorded in my journal and then transcribed onto my blog.

So where is this all leading to, you ask?

When in a foreign country and without the knowledge or understanding of the language via television/newspapers, I would become ignorant of the daily news around the country and subsequently, the world. So you can imagine my surprise this morning, when my hostess Simone, kindly informs me on my departure, that I may not have a hostel to visit in Vincenza. Whoops! That was not part of the plan and I was at a loss what to do next. Northern Italy had been subjected to unprecedented amounts of rain and the damage bill was in the millions. After much deliberation, I decided to leave for Vincenza and just hope for the best.

So it is with a reluctant heart that I say goodbye to Rome. A week was never going to be enough, but in saying that; with all the humanity and traffic, it was enough and I was ready for my next adventure.

So why Vincenza?

My main mode of travel is via rail and with that in mind, many of my destinations are dictated by ease of travel. I carry upon my back about 30 kilograms and with the language barrier, I need to make my journey as easy as possible. But Vincenza is an ideal base that would allow me the chance to travel to the neighbouring cities of Padua, Verona and Venice. And for all the  architect buffs, it is the home to Italy’s, and indeed the world’s most famous architect; Andrea Palladian. I am an admirer and could think of no greater pleasure than to walk the streets that he helped define.

After a three hour journey through mist and rain, I arrived tired and relieved. A quick bus trip to the front door of my hostel, that is still standing and apparently undamaged by the floods. My host is a very friendly man and he kindly updated me on the past two weeks of rain and floods. My room is clean and although small, comfortable. Alone, I unpack my things and then go for a walk to acquaint myself with the city. Then it dawns upon me. Directly behind the hostel, is the raging river of the city. Muddy brown and still surging with run-off from the mountains, I pray that I can get through the next couple of days without getting my feet wet.

The city is beautiful and although not on par with Italy’s greatest and well-known cities, Palladian is well represented and admired. His style is elegant, universal and recreated many times over in the past few centuries. No traffic! No noise! Just the simple and peaceful life that I am looking forward to exploring.

When I arrive back at the hostel, I am not alone. My room also plays host to a new roommate.

You know that immediate feeling when you first meet someone and you just know that you will like them or not? Beautiful big brown eyes and a warm smile; meet my friend Suzy. She greeted me and we became instant friends. Visiting her cousin Ramsey who is studying music at the university, she originates from Jordan. I have never met anyone from Jordan and I was keen to learn from her and understand that part of the world. We talked, laughed and made plans that at any window of opportunity, we would do some sight-seeing together. Happy, I just knew that coming to Vincenza was one of my best decisions.

NB. I would like to dedicate my journey in Vicenza to Suzy. We only spent a few days together, but they were the most memorable and enjoyable. Thank you for the memories and thanks for being a true friend.