Geneva to Padova, Italy

Thursday, April 26, 2018

Today was dedicated to getting us half way to Budapest, so we were in the car all day.  

We crossed into France and after picking up our car a short distance from the airport, re-entered Switzerland just for the length of time and distance it took to cross through the center of Geneva and re-entered France headed south, straight toward Mont Blanc.  The scenery was spectacular – small villages in the green foothills of snow-topped mountains, waterfalls gushing with snowmelt, beautiful pale spring-green foliage among dark evergreens, and the jagged, snowy peaks themselves.

We were actually headed straight INTO Mount Blanc, through a tunnel over 7 miles long – and with a whopping toll of almost 55 dollars!  When we emerged, we were in Italy, where the mountain is known as Monte Bianco.  After stopping to take pictures of the scene on the Italian side, complete with cable cars, we put pedal to the metal and spent the rest of the day crossing northern Italy on the autostrada. 

Arriving in Padova (Padua) this afternoon, we found that our small hotel had inadvertently overbooked its rooms.  The very apologetic owner had already arranged to alternatives or us to choose from and we chose what seemed like the easiest one – a B and B down the block.

After dropping our things off, we drove into Padova’s main piazza to wander around the Prato della Valle.  The Prato is the largest square in Italy, elliptical green space ringed by a canal with whose banks are bordered with 78 statues of notable historic figures.  The balustrades of the bridges crossing the canal are decorated with obelisks at each end.

The Basilica of Saint Justine faces the Prato, and entering it, we found it contains the tomb of St. Luke the Evangelist.  Though buried in Thebes, his remains were inexplicably found in the Basilica’s  cemetery(!) and now hold a place of honor in the church.

A few blocks away, in the basilica that bears his name, we visited the tomb of St. Anthony, who is known here simply as il santo. When we visited several years ago, the chapel that houses his remains was mobbed with pilgrims; early this evening, the daytime crowds had gone and  all was quiet.

From the Basilica, we walked along he portico-covered Via del Santo through the university area and a dinner of fresh pasta in a small storefront restaurant, where one young man was waiter, cashier and chef.  

Three countries and  two saints – a pretty good tally for this day.