I look forward to the weekends because it means we have time to travel further afield. Before we left PA, I had copied down a number of gardens I hoped to visit. And since the weather was to be nice on Saturday, we packed a picnic and headed off to Padua, where there was a garden with a maze. (I love mazes)! We chose the slower road in case something caught our eye enroute. Suffice it to say, the majority of the day was spent just finding this garden! It was at a town called Strá˝±, near Padua. If it wasn’t for a young man in Padua and a woman in an info booth along the autostrada we’d have never found it. But sometimes mistakes lead to happy results, and this was one of those instances. Because it turns out that this maze/garden is attached to a huge villa. And in addition to this villa – there are many, many more to explore. Since it was late in the afternoon by this time, we had our picnic and returned to Pordenone, planning to return on Sunday. Plus we had to be back in Pordenone to go to a concert that evening being held at San Giorgio’s, the church we have been attending in town (See earlier posts – the one with the bells).
The church was dimly lit, the music superb! San Giorgio’s had a small choir, bit like our choir at home; this choir is small but mighty. For the concert there were only four voices, but they sounded like a heavenly host – the acoustics in there being an added aid. There were two organists, one of whom is the church’s regular organist. While mostly religious music, there was an elaborate toccata. We couldn’t understand much of what they were singing, but it was beautiful nonetheless.
It was neat to say we have been to Padua (or Padova) as the Italians call it. Who’d have thunk when I read Shakespeare way back in junior high, that I‘d ever get to see Padua! We did see this really neat “cottage” on our way to Strá˝±. Unfortunately it’s not for sale…
