My "Introduction to Italy" class

When we first moved to Germany, I took a little "introduction to Germany" class and met lifelong friends and gained an invaluable amount of knowledge, so I definitely wanted to repeat the opportunity. My little class in Italy has been different because of Covid, but we learned how to use the city bus, we got a historical tour of our new town, learned little tidbits of language, culture, and food, and took the train to Padua for another tour. It was super informative and extremely helpful. It is fun because there are always new things to learn! (One little tidbit is that Thomas Jefferson got his design idea of Monticello from Andrea Palladio's architectural design right here in Vicenza - so cool!(Vicenza is the town of Andrea Palladio - his architecture is everywhere and has inspired design throughout the world!) - If you know what a Palladian window is - it is named after Palladio!

 

Padua was a home to Galileo and the 2nd oldest University in Italy - If you look close, you can see that the girl in the photo is wearing the traditional celebratory "hat" that is earned when achieving the honor of becoming a "doctor" - it could be medicine or PHD. 

I laughed at this picture for many reasons - the fact that the dog was so well behaved and not on a leash, he/she was oblivious to living in this incredible town, and the fact that it looks like something my dog would do for a photo :-)

Vicenza is famous for Palladio's Olympic theatre. It is the oldest covered theatre in the world. When you sit in it, it feels like you are outside (this is the ceiling))

Our restaurant for lunch was lined with famous wine and in the cellar of a roman lined wall - so cool!

The Basilica of St. Anthony in Padua - it even displays parts of St. Anthony's body (including his jawbone/teeth and tongue - yikes!) to always treasure his gift of speech.

More of the Olympic Theatre in Vicenza - the seating is original!

The Palladian walkway in the Olympic Theatre - it looks 3-D which is an amazing accomplishment for being hundreds of years old!

The Roman wall that was found at the bottom of the restaurant that we ate at (preserved under a glass floor)