Away days

Grand cafes have long played an important role in the intelectual life of Northern Italy & many intelectuals has students have met & talked here at

Caffe Pedrocchi in Padova since 1831. It was the centre of the Risogimento movement to free Italy from the Austrians. It was a scene of uprising in 1848 for which several leaders were executed. it became famous thoughout Italy for never closing it's doors. Today it is still ameeting place for drinks or lunch. I ate here & there several groups talking & drinking. I ate tagliatelle au cafe Illy, the pasta had coffee inside it. & was served with a prawn sauce. The photos are of the outside of the cafe & the fruit decorations inside.

I am continuing my fruit theme with two photos from the market. I love the raddichio. I have roasted it, served it in salads and added it to pasta with mushrooms, tiny heads on a long, thin stalk. It is delicious. Some stalls just sell oranges & apples.

Bassano del Grappa. Just on the edge of the Dolomites with beautiful views of the mountains.

The wooden bridge, the Ponte degli Alpini is very famous, crossing the river from the new to the old town.

This is the main square , Piazza Garibaldi with the Torre Civica, the Palazzo Publico ( town hall) in front & the symbol of the Venetian Republic - the winged lion.