By: Both of Us

Michael: Once again, we used public transportation to travel from Zermatt, Switzerland to Dolo, Italy. We knew we had a tight schedule that included a taxi to the train station followed by four different trains to Dolo. At one point we had four minutes to grab a connecting train and by the time we figured out which track the next train was on, all we saw was the caboose as it disappeared. Luckily, the next stop was only ten minutes away so we jumped into a cab and essentially raced the train to the next stop. Our cab driver, with limited English skills, told us that he races the train regularly and not to feel too stupid about missing the connection. Nine minutes and €45 later we were on our way to Italy!

Elizabeth: The couple that owns our apartment are a lovely older Italian couple — Gabriella and Alessandro. Alessandro picked us up at the tiny train station in the tiny town of of Dolo. We were the only people that got off the train that was terminating in Venice. Thankfully the apartment has a very sophisticated air conditioning unit in every room. We got a tour by the couple with very specific directions on how to sort the trash. I kid you not, there are four sorting bins! I was so thankful that there was a washing machine as with so little clothing we needed to do a few loads. When I asked if the washing machine was also a dryer Gabriella looked at me a little bit quizzically and announced that in Italy they dry their clothes naturally in the sun. You ought to see the drying rack contraption, someone should have videoed me setting it up as a comedy meme.

Michael: We (mostly Elizabeth!) planned our entire trip, the logistics of which can be complicated at times. One thing we did not anticipate was how hot it would be in northern Italy. And while it’s true that all of Europe is struggling with record breaking heat, we were not prepared for daily temperatures in the 95° range. Walking, our preferred mode of transportation, and waiting at bus and tram stops when it’s kissing 100° is energy sapping (and not the recommended treatment for Shingles) and is definitely altering our sightseeing plans.

Michael: Dolo is a small town of approximately 15,000 people situated between Padua to the west and Venice to the east. We are renting a spacious apartment on the grounds of what was once a grand estate. A little past it’s prime, Villa Tron Mioni is on a substantial plot of land that includes a once stately Villa and several smaller buildings. Our apartment is one of three that they rent out for short term rentals. It’s comfortable and functional and will serve as our base for exploring the area. Being somewhat remote, and with the high temperatures, we decided to rent a car for the remainder of our time here. We opted for what we call a “baby” car, a Fiat Panda. Pandas are not available to the US market, no doubt they would never survive the safety standards. “Pandy” is fun to drive and we are both glad that in our previous lives we owned and drove cars with manual transmissions. Hoping we don’t have any disastrous experiences to share with you along the way.

Elizabeth: The apartment is a little lacking in comfortable pillows and since we are going to be here for five weeks I figured let’s invest in some decent ones. After a google search to find the Italian equivalent of Target, a trip to ‘Ipercoop’ has been one of our highlights so far! It’s like a Target and grocery store combined and it has air conditioning — we have been finding ways to cool off!

One of the most surprising and confusing things that we are trying to get used to is the Italian tradition of ‘riposo’ similar to the Mexican concept of siesta. Ever heard of it? Riposo means to rest, pause or take a break. So most shops and workers close and go home to for il pranzo (lunch), typically the largest meal of the day. This closes down clothing stores, gift shops, grocery stores, banks, pharmacies and post offices around noon and they don’t open again until 3-3:30pm or later. We found it confounding when we were the only people walking around after about 12:30, no cars, no people and ‘chiuso’ on every door.

Michael: We have made two forays into Padua that included a to visit the Scrovegni Chapel, a beautiful frescoed chapel, that seems like a mini Sistine Chapel. We also visited the botanical gardens (Orto Botanico di Padova) on the campus of the University of Padova. You can see this through some of the pics!

Tomorrow we are heading to Venice where we will spend one night. Since it’s basically an island we are hoping for cooler temperatures with a forecast for this weekend a refreshing 89°. We plan on sharing our first impressions of Padua and Venice in our next post. Until then, “ciao” from Italy.

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