Padova Local Customs

Italians love their chocolate. Shelves are filled with Cocoa Puffs, Cocoa Corn Flakes, Special K with chocolate bits, etc. etc. The breakfast brioche often contains chocolate filling.

In Canada, we attempt to hide our love for sugar by filling the grocery shelves with Honey Nut Cheerios, Honeycomb, Honey Oats...the natural foods (ha, ha). Our brioches are Tim Hortons Tim Bits, or cream filled donuts, with a XXL coffee, five sugar and triple cream.

Our appetites are the same, just a different colour.

Italians have a fun way to celebrate fellow students completing their university degree in Padova...(not a Doctorate)

The 'target' is forced to dress up in a silly costume, which often includes a humiliating walk through the 'centro' of the city while surrounded by fellow students, and then must read from a prepared statement to the assembled group of family, friends and total strangers, while standing on a raised platform drinking from a bottle of wine. If a mistake is made while reading, objects are tossed at him/her, and is struck by soft objects like sponge bats or dildos, and must start all over.

This poor, but newly graduated student is expected to perform feats as dared by spectators, and if he/she forfeits, then more additional abuse is directed their way. This continues for hours and hours. Once the readings are successfully completed, the grad is crowned with a wreath of laurels, and cheered with cries of 'dottore, dottore'.

I have no idea what the 'readings' contain, but judging from the laughter, I assume it is a humorous collection of the targets life while attending University. Great fun, and enjoyed by all passersby.

This is a special Paduan tradition which is held in the square in front of the Palazzo at various times of the year. I don't believe this celebration occurs in other cities, certainly not in the same fashion anyway.

Lewd posters are attached to walls throughout the centro, with life like caricatures drawn of the target and his/her physical attributes. I will includes photos of some of my favourites (if VT allows, that is).

In Italy, but Padova specifically, store hours are much different than they are in North America. We are used to going out at any time of day or night, and shopping for food, clothing, toiletries, or music and books etc.

Not so in Italy.

In Padova, generally speaking, stores will close either from 12:30 until 15:30, 'or' from 13:00 until 16:00 hours for lunch. Note that military time is used throughout Italy.

Each community has its own days to close, and in order to simplify things, consider most shops will not open until 4 pm on Monday. The same thing applys to Sunday.
Many stores will remain closed 'after' lunch on Wednesdays as well.

I just use the above as a rule of thumb only.

In the centre, shops are a little more flexible, so a stroll through this historical part of Padova during lunch will be photo op time, and you will find the occasional shop open.

Bars, restaurants, and gelaterias will be operating of course, so keep your wallet handy.

Summer time is a different story, as many, many shops and restaurants close for the month of August, some starting the last week of July. This does make providing for daily consumption rather difficult.

Happy shopping. SPEND. Please do your bit to help my adopted community live a more prosperous life.

Learn to adjust, after all, we are the visitors, and the Italian people would think we are just as odd if they come to North America.

Hotel rates drop a little bit, but not excessively. Last week of August you will find rates of Four Stars dropping to 35 euro. Every region is different. Florence doesn't seem to drop...ever.

The church of Santa Maria del Pianto, or coloquially called Chiesa del Torresino, was built in the 18th century. It is called del Torresino because of the central battlemented tower.
The church is located in Via Memmo, five minutes walk from Prato della Valle.

4 more images

The Cathedral of Padova is situated on Piazza del Duomo, one of the most beautiful squares of the city, rich with historical monuments. In the Baptistery of the Cathedral, erected in 12th century, there are aamzing frescos a must see.
Next to the Cathedral stands Scoletta della Cattedrale, which is turned into Museo d'Arte Sacra.

Italians in general, upon meeting someone on the street, will often stop exactly where they met, and begin chatting. There is no attempt to move off to the side so as not to impede other pedestrian traffic. This is especially annoying if bicycles are involved. People are expected to walk around them, even if it means they might have to step into the gutter.

The same thing goes when you have two or three people walking side by side, coming towards you. They do not budge, or even make an attempt to separate or 'lean in' so as to allow you to pass. The space they occupy is 'their' space.

None of this is done in a malicious or mean spirited way. This is just the way it is. Why is it done, I have no idea, but if any Italian readers can advise, I would love to hear from you.

In Canada, and once again I'm generalizing, every attempt is made as to avoid confrontation. We would step off the sidewalk in order to chat, and would part when walking together in order to allow others easy passage.

Different cultures, different ideas. You have to know this particular trait is quite common so don't take it personally.

Election time in Italy is very interesting. A few weeks ago we noticed many portable billboards being erected around small piazzas and empty lots. At first we assumed construction was about to begin behind these long walls of galvanized metal, and got rather excited about a new business or shop coming to our neighbourhood.

We quickly realized that these were the 'walls' on which election posters were to be pasted. In Canada, election signs are stapled to any wooden fixture, planted on peoples' lawns, and propped up against window panes in places of business.

Everywhere we go in Padova, signs are lying in shreds beneath the 'walls', and are replaced immediately, only to be torn down in the dead of night by the opposing political parties. I'm tempted to roll up a few of these discarded posters as remembrances, but with my luck, someone will accuse me of removing it from the 'wall'.

Ma Kettle and I had just left our favourite pasticceria after church this morning, and while waiting for our light to change, got involved in a conversation with a 'local' who was on his way to a political luncheon/meeting. He was quite excited about the opportunity to share his political views with us, and was anxious to be very vocal with others at the luncheon.

At dinner this evening, we sat next to a table with four gentlemen wearing suit and tie, and
throughout dinner all they did was argue. Politics, politics, politics. The argument was good natured, but quite animated and loud.

The Italians love to argue, and complain. Complaints about politics is a favourite past time. So very different from Canada, where the odd person may be outspoken, but generally politics remains a personal choice, and even the spouse is unaware of your favourite candidate.

We have no idea who is running, nor do we care. Politics is NOT for outsiders to meddle in.

Please note...the picture was taken from a 'spoof' site. I have no idea what it means. If it is offensive, please advise and I will remove immediately. If it is funny, tell others.

I am so used to finding my way about a city by noting certain stores in my head, and counting the number of turns after that. I never use street names because..., heck, I don't know why, but I just don't.

When I arrived in Padova, I continued on doing it my way, and got hopelessly lost. I looked for certain stores, but, I could never find them again. This was especially difficult for me in the centre, where the streets twist and turn, and I couldn't pronounce the street names anyway.

You see, throughout Italy, it is common practice to roll down the shutters of businesses at closing time, obscuring the contents of stores, as well as the names of shops. A 'shuttered' store front looks very bleak and uninviting, and blends with all the other 'shuttered' shops.

Therefore, if you're looking for your favourite fabric store for example, with brightly coloured bolts of cloth in the window, and displaying wonderful gold embroidered throw cushions that you've been eyeing for your sofa, forget it... if they are closed for lunch.

Learn to make note of the shop addresses, or better still, mark an 'X' on your map. After a while you will begin to notice the closed shutters are different colours of grey, some more faded than others, and some even use different brands of locks. Look for distinguishing scratches or dents, anything to give you an edge. Don't fret, you'll catch on. Give it time.