Padova

Padova! I've been hearing about Padova since 1992 when I took an art history class and learned about the Arena Chapel and the famous frescoes of Giotto. And ever since that day I've wanted to visit it. I was finally getting my dream come true. Broken arm or no broken arm, to the Scrovengi Chapel I was going. When I had made our arrangements in Venice I had specifically made plans for this last leg of the journey, and had been looking forward to it for weeks.

Saturday morning Jimmy and I bid Mr. Luciano and Mr. Stefano goodbye and headed for San Lucia. We boarded a hot crowded train and set off for Padova. Upon arrival we had a few minutes to rest and then had to head to the Chapel. They make you book tickets in advance for a specific time, because they only allow a limited number of people inside at one time, and you are only permitted 15 minutes in the Chapel.

I will admit I was a horrible grouch, whining about the walk, the heat, how heavy my 50 pound mummified arm was. Jimmy was a saint to put up with it. We stopped for a pita sandwich along the way to cushion all the Tylenol and ibuprofen on my stomach, and went on.

I didn't take many pictures even though it was a gorgeous spring day. The Chapel is in a park and the trees were flowering and daffodils blooming, but I hurt too much to really appreciate it like I should have. I'm afraid google will have to supply most of these photographs. They don't let you take pictures in the Chapel of course, so those photos definitely have to come from google.

Here is the outside of the Scrovegni Chapel, which was built as an atonement for the sins of this family of money lenders.

You are not allowed to approach the Chapel directly, but must enter into a visitor's center. You are then guided through a courtyard and around a glassed-in walkway to the Chapel entrance. Despite my immense pain, walking inside the Chapel was magical. The beautiful blues created by crushed lapis lazuli stone is so striking and so awe-inspiring it's hard not to be moved.

The inside is painted in sections, depicting scenes from the Life of Christ. Here are some of the most impressive, and most famous ones.