Day 42 Monselice to Mantova

98 km (61miles) day, 1,964 miles total
Good day - lots of pictures. Set off around 8:00 and said goodbye to the Euganean Hills. This was supposed to be a long cycle day. Didn’t work out for two reasons. Firstly Mantova (Mantua - English spelling) is the Italian Capital of Culture and was the 2017 European Capital of Gastronomy Secondly, Mantua’s Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site. I didn’t want to rush through it so decided to finish today’s ride there. 
Journey was pleasant and flat. This is holiday time in Italy and all factories and many businesses are closed giving very limited traffic so great for cycling. The region I have cycled through is the major producer of the Glera grape and there continues to be plenty evidence if this. The Glera is the major grape variety in Prosecco (min 85%). Stopped a couple of times during the morning for Italian coffee and a taste of the local product! In Italy if you ask for the largest coffee a cafe has you get what in England would be an espresso! Delicious though. After 12:00 the grapevines disappeared and were replaced different crops. One took me a while to recognise. Eventually I saw some flowers and immediately realised what it was. I used to grow Nicotiana in the garden - it was tobacco! Also paddy fields growing risotto rice - for which the region is famous. Navigation software misled me and led me to a apparently deserted farmyard where the only exit (other than going back several kilometres) was completely barred by a huge gate. Shouting “hello” attracted a very large Alsatian dog. Yikes! Quietly withdrew and did the 5km detour. The decision to stop in Mantova (Mantua) was a good one. A lovely place. It’s where Romeo was banished in the play - it could have been Burnley! Great architecture, not too polished for tourist reasons. Squares, and some streets are paved with millions of river pebbles. Great cafe scene. Compact yet lived in with locals living in the heart. Wine appears to be cheaper than beer in this region. Going out after posting to research this. In the Manitoba pictures, notice the number if cycles. This is what happens when you make it safe to cycle!

Last of the hills


Checking the juice of the Glera grape


Rice Paddy


The risotto rice from the region has protected name status  (like Welsh Wine - really!)



The Alsatian-free side of the blocking farm gate (after detour!) The side extensions are over a huge ditch. 





Lovely Mantova










































Inner courtyard of my place for tonight





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