Travel Diaries [Padua]

 Well. This has been a long time coming, and I can't say I'm sorry that it has - because it has been good to take a break while a lot of life changes have happened and then fully enjoy my first European trip... and now I get to relive it all by sharing it with you!

So, without further ado I present my Travel Diaries. Over the next couple weeks I'll be sharing my time traveling through Italy (Paduva, Venice, Verona, Florence, Cince Terra, Pisa) and then on to Paris! Hopefully, if you're planning on a trip through these parts, there will be some helpful tips on how to travel, where to go, and what to see. Also, if you're planning a trip you'll take me with you. Pleaseeeee take me back.

At 10 a.m. on a Wednesday morning, my brother Sam and I headed off to our native territory, good ol' Canada. We discovered when looking for international flights to Italy, flying out of Toronto was about $600 less than anywhere we could find around Grand Rapids (i.e. Detroit, Chicago) AND it was a direct flight - so driving the 5 hours definitely seemed worth the savings and hassle of changing flights.

Unfortunately, Sam and I's first international flight was not a cup of tea. With most flights headed that way going through the night, we were looking forward to reclining and blissfully sleeping our way across the Atlantic. BUT we were stuck on an older plane, with no videos, a vape-ing individual in the seat in front of me, blinding aisle lights (grrrr), and no leg room for my 6 foot 5" younger brother. We jealously gazed upon the family in the row next to us, with the mother doling out pills to help her children sleep.... something we definitely wished we thought of.  The second picture above is after 8 1/2 hours with little to no sleep, kinks in our backs, but excited to have finally landed in Venice and ready to meet up with our parents.

Our first few days in Italy, our dad was teaching at a seminary where pastors had gathered from all over the country to hear him teach. They were the most gracious hosts and provided delicious meals and rooms for our visit - and after arriving in Italy that morning, one host, Pietro, was ready to show us his hometown Padua.

Padua is a beautiful university town - unlike the university towns we have hear in the states - this place was filled with buildings that are hundreds and hundreds of years old and priceless works of art. It hosts the 2nd oldest university in the world (University of Bologna being the oldest) with Galileo being one of their notable graduates. Padua also hosts the Cathedral of St. Anthony, the patron saint of finding things or lost people, AKA your mom.

*St. Anthony's Cathedral*

After walking through the cathedral, we perused the streets and even happened about a Padua University graduate's celebration. They have a funny tradition there where the graduate's friends and family's slap his bear back and chest as he runs by, leaving very painful looking welts.

The temperature throughout our week in Italy wavered around 100 degrees the entire time, so cold showers were necessary in the morning, afternoon and evenings. But even with the heat, Sam and I easily fell asleep that first night - apparently traveling through the night right into traveling through a beautiful city in blazing heat, tuckers you out real quick.

Packing for this trip was important to me, as I needed comfortable shoes, and cool clothing in order to feel comfortable there (gotta fit in with all those fabulous Europeans!) Obviously, style is really important to Sam as well - he had to represent his hometown Grand Rapids Whitecaps, along with a range of other fashionable printed tees. 

Hope you follow along with me through the rest of awesome European adventure.

~Naomi~