Gelato, Padova and Shoes

The important stats:

Percentage of Italian men with ugly shoes: 0
Percentage of pizza that made me groan with pleasure: 100
Flavors of gelato tried so far: 8, oops, count today, 9
Cost for a public bathroom: 40 – 60 centessimi
Comfort of public transportation: High
Beauty of towns visited: Un-measureable
The number of books purchased: Not saying

Today’s flavor was chocolate pear, cioccolato pera. I was in heaven, sitting on the steps of a chiesa, watching the people mill about in Padua (Padova). Yesterday was Venice, today Padua, with its historic center open to pedestrians only, lined with cobblestones, and surrounded by churches and beautiful architecture. I passed by Benetton and The Gap before coming upon the center and its expanse of vendors, selling fruits, vegetables, clothing, fabric and purses (le borse). I browsed my way through all of the center’s bookstores, le librerie, purchasing many titles such as: “Mi innamoro fi chiunque mi parli,” by Charles Schultz, and “Che talento, Clementine,” by Sara Pennypacker. I believe I have my share of translated Italian literature for the year, trying to stick with titles for readers, ages 8 – 12. I returned to Caorle, exhausted, hungry and laden with packages (filled with water, yes, but the phrase just sounded so right). Tomorrow I will have been here a week. I am starting to feel at ease, willing to call a conto (the bill) a coverto (a tablecloth) just to amuse the waitstaff. As of yet I still cannot pronounce the word for waiter, cameriere, but my ciao ciao is coming along.