Day 41 Pula to Monselice

 76 km  (47 miles) day, 1,903 miles total 
A lot happening today so lots of photos. First, last night. Went to the Colesseum for the jazz but there was a big queue. Went instead to a bar with a Big-Band playing jazz. Really good band, open air, and cheap beer - very nice indeed.
I keep missing any rain. I got to the ferry at 6:30 am under a dark and threatening sky. It rained all the way to Venice and suddenly - bright sunshine. Didn’t hanh around too long (been twice before and very crowded) and left Venice via a nice dedicated cycle track at around 12:30. I had the same difficulty navigating out of the run down industrial zone on the far side of the causeway as last time but eventually escaped. I was hungry and randomly picked a village from Google Maps for lunch. Fate or coincidence? It was the same village, with the same pizzeria, where I stopped for lunch 3 years ago! Still great pizzas and, unfortunately, still strange toilets (see pic). Lovely road to Padua tracking the Naviglio Del Brenta. Stopped again at the spectacular 
Villa Pisani but didn’t dally as I had visited last time. Padua was gorgeous and deserves a longer visit. Today was a national holiday in Italy so Padua was quiet. It also had great protected cycle paths all the way from its suburbs to the centre. I love the arcaded streets. The route to Monselice from Padua was all a fabulous cycleway with some lovely, deep cut, and wooded hills to the right a kilometre or so. They were so nice I looked them up. They are the Euganean Hills and have been admired by Petrarch and Shelley (and now me)! Great minds etc....Along the cycle track the Castello del Catejo in the pretty village of Battaglia Terme looked worth a visit but they only did accompanied one-hour tours and I would have had to wait for the next one. Next time maybe. Arrived in Monselice- which has a castle! Showered and went out. The village square contained the entire population, partying. Live music again. Wrote this blog while enjoying expensive beers (I may have to change my drink of choice in Italy). Left at 10:45 for bed. Thinking of a big days cycling tomorrow. 

Pula Colosseum at night


Big band (with too bright lighting)


Italy here I come!


First view of Venice through rainy window 


Venice Pictures










Cycle bridge out


No change - still squatters with pull-up bars for the weak of knee!


Villa Pisani




Naviglio Del Brenta 


Padua


















Euganean Hills


Castello Del Catajo 


Battaglia Terme


Monselice 


Party night in Monselice 



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