Pacing Through Padova(Padua)

Here we are in Italy and one of the first things we notice is that there is a lot of confetti and streamers on the street and in the squares--a left over from New Years? But no--we notice that the streamers are gone then reappear the next day. We think there is just a party every night after we have gone to bed.
Trying hard to save this tower with iron braces. It is the Bulging Tower.
There are lots of pigeons in Padova. Even a statue. Italians are not pigeon electrocuters like the Germans. Of course I wear a hat all the time. Rick Steves says that if a pigeon bombsd you you have to wait and let it dry then it will flake off otherwise it will just smear into your hair. I prefer to think about flaking it off of a hat. You can hear loud cooing in all the arches.
Rick says that you need to reserve a viewing of the Scrovegni Chapel frescoes a day or two in advance. But since this is the off season we were scheduled in half an hour. The 40 frescoes by Giotto with scenes from the life of Mary and Jesus are amazing for their realism for 1303. There are tears dripping out of the eyes of the mothers during the slaughter of the innocents. The chapel and the frescoes were commissioned as atonement's for the crime of usury by Scrovegni and his father.
The Slaughter of the Innocents
The arches are over most sidewalks, keeping it dark and cold. But you don't need an umbrella.
The River runs through the town and you can see the Astronomical Observatory. It was closed so we don't know if it was the one used by Galileo and Copernicus who studied and taught here at the University of Padua which was founded in 1222.
As we walk we see the new built from the old everywhere.
We have seen about 3 sun clocks. One in Munich and two here in Padua.
A great draw in town is the Church dedicated to Saint Anthony. Pilgrims flock here for intercession and miracles. We went on the whole tour and were quite impressed with the beauty of the church and the devotion to the saint.
The Garden

The Church