25th Gennaio 2015

I woke up at half past 7 and had breakfast. At 8:10 Giuliana drove me to the bus stop in Ponte San Nicolo. I caught the bus (number 41, because it was Sunday) to Stazione Ferroviara, and then I took a train to Vicenza. I arrived at about twenty-past nine, and I waited until about half-past ten. Then I met Paulo and a few other AFS students from Vicenza and Venezia. Then we had a walk around Vicenza. It is a beautiful city, and is the city of Palladio. I don't remember if I have mentioned it before, but he was the architect who started the whole neo-Classical trend during the Renaissance.

We went inside the Olympic Theatre, which was breathtaking. The most interesting part was the set. It is never changed, but there are three passages going out from the back of the stage. They look about 50 metres long, but they are only 12. They go up and get narrower to enhance the perspective. It was very good.

Afterwards we went to an army-surplus/dry-cleaning shop. The was a lady there who ran a mask-making workshop for us. Some of them were very good. I painted mine silver, but she said that silver would look bad with my design, so she sort of took over. It always happens like that to me. The teacher wishes they could be doing it, so they do mine. It looks good, but I would have preferred to design it myself, like everyone else did.

Afterwards, at about seven o'clock, I caught a train back to Padova. I have a funny story about the train, but I think it is better if I don't put it here. Remember to ask me about it! (I have written it elsewhere).

I began to walk from the station to the "Kofler Birreria" where the Intercultura dinner was. I was getting there, but I was afraid of getting lost. When I was about halfway, a girl came and said to me "Hello Craig, do you remember me from the Christmas party?" It was an Intercultura volunteer who came to Padova four years ago and has returned to study at the university. We walked to the restaurant and met everyone else.

I had "una pizza Gradevole", which had buffalo mozzarella, pesto, black olives, capsicum, cherry tomatoes and fresh basil. Then Giuliana came to take me home. Another great, but tiring, day.