I’m in Padua (just half an hour from Venice, but a world away). I didn’t see a soul all day with my guidebook. (Kind of depressing after so many in Florence and Venice.) But if nobody’s here, I can’t let my coverage slide. I really like this town and I want my chapter to be worthy.
Galileo called his 18 years on the faculty in Padua the best of his life. The university seems to dominate the town and since its 60,000 students can graduate whenever they defend their thesis, I’ve never been here without little graduation parties erupting on the street all day long.
Graduates are given a green laurel wreath. Then formal group and family photos are taken. It’s a sweet, multi-generational scene with family love and pride busting out all over. Then, grandma goes home and the craziness takes over. Sober clothing is replaced by raunchy wear as gangs of friends gather around the new grad in the street in front of the university and the roast begins.
A giant butcher paper poster with a generally obscene caricature of the student and a litany of This Is Your Life photos and stories is presented to the new grad who, with various embarrassing pranks being pulled, reads the funny statement out loud. The poster is then taped to the university wall for all to see (and allowed to stay there for 24 hours).
During the roast, the friends sing the catchy but obscene local university anthem, reminding their newly esteemed friend to keep his or her feet on the ground: “Dottore, dottore, Dottore del buso del cul. Vaffancul, vaffancul.”
Very loosely translated it means: Doctor, doctor. You’re just a Doctor of the a-hole…go f-off, go f-off. (Sorry…G-rated blog.) Once I hear this song (it starts like an Olympic games fanfare and finishes like a German cartoon: oom-pah-pah, oom-pah-pah) and see all the good-natured fun, I just can’t stop singing it.
rick! don’t be depressed about not seeing anyone in padova carrying your book. you’re just too late! i was there (by myself) between christmas and new year’s, day-tripping from venice and clutching your dog-eared book. in fact one of the highlights of my trip was sitting in the cloisters of the basilica of st. anthony eating roasted chicken from the deli you recommended. thanks for writing your venice book (in particular). your calmness and sense of humor really comforted me at those moments when a solo trip didn’t seem like such a good idea after all.
grazie mille!
Off subject question:
I see from your schedule you will be in Greece for a tour in late September. Any chance that you are the tour guide? Do you still lead a tour just to keep in touch with the tours, guide responsibilities, clients, etc?
If a traveler wanted a certain guy (due to the fantastic comments on the guide), is there anyway to know a guide’s schedule prior to committing yourself to a tour? What comes first the guide or the tour? Thanks again for your great blog!
rick – you rule. :)
Rick, We’re in Venice for the next three nights (May 6, 7, 8) and we’re glued to your book. Where should we eat, Da Fiore is too expensive (got 2 kids!) but love good food. Got any ideas?
Mary, Judd, Esther and Isaac
I have your guide book. It travels with me and is used dearly. I’d have been lost without it. Travel safe!
Hey my good man! Is Padua as popular as Venice or Florance? It would make sense to me that more people would have your guide book in the bigger places.
And, how do you really know if people in Padua have your book or not? When I travel, I keep my guide book in my R.S. day bag and pull it out when I’m alone. I often read maps away from people because it’s safer. I don’t look lost. Same with a guide book. People would know I’m a tourist, and I could be a target. This is one way to try to avoid getting mugged. So, please don’t get depressed! You rock everyons world!!!
oxox, Lisa P.
Hello Rick… my husband and I are planning a much-anticipated trip to France/Italy this summer, reading your Italy 2007 book with pleasure. He is French, and I’m fluent, so traveling in France is a breeze… he only speaks basic Italian however, and I’m learning, so we’re spending more time planning for Italy. It’s great to be reading your blog, super idea. Any ideas for the easiest way to get to Rome (by train) from Auvergne? We’re thinking of driving to Lyon and take the train to Rome from there, but are finding nothing direct… if you have a chance to answer, would be much appreciated. Happy trails…
I used your book all over Italy. It is the best! Happy travels!
I was in Padua in March last year, and heard the Dottore song quite a lot. It’s good to finally see a translation. Padua is a really nice place, and I would have liked to have spent an extra day there.
My, My, on the ‘A’ list in Padua…
Seriously, when will you get more ‘adventurous’ and ‘do’ the Baltics ?
Vilnius, in Lithuania is an interesting place with the Castle on an island in the lake (Trakai) a fairy tale wonder.
They are a decent ‘deal’ costing less then the +30% of the rest of Europe…Before the Euro takes over that is….
I think this is a perfect spot to tell you how your Italy guidebook granted us entrance into Contucci Cantina in February. Maybe Adamo was just having a bad day but he seemed none to happy when my husband and I knocked on his door, until he saw your guidebook tucked under my arm! He then yelled “Rick Steves” pounded his chest and then pointed to the book. We were immediately welcomed in and he took off through the winery talking a mile a minute in Italian. We didn’t understand a word until he made a tasting motion! That we can understand in any language. We loved his wines though so bought 4 bottles, had our picture taken with him, got his autograph and let him get back to work. I know without your guidebook he would simply had told us that it was not a good time. Thanks for all your research.
I’ve been in Padova twice and loved it. The Scrovegni Chapel is wonderfully restored. Just the enery around the University makes visiting there fun. People should take the time to do the tour of the University. It is well worth it.
You didn’t see my guidebook as I done as you suggest and had ripped the Padua pages out of your Venice guide book to take with me for the day.
This was hilarious reading.
Hey Rick, my husband and I lived in Padova for 8 months and we used your book daily until we almost had it memorized. Thanks for the great walks throughout the city. Also when we traveled to the Cinque Terre, we had to laugh because it was like being in cult where you were the leader. Every american there had your book!!! Thanks for all the great tips. Happy traveling through Spain!
In Padova, Italy, we discovered a large Sheraton Hotel, I offered Emmy the chance for breakfast with menus, a tablecloth, a waiter, and all the trimmings, but she said, “I’d rather fix it myself.†Wow, is she trained. In 1995 while in Venice, our Sony video camera gave up the ghost. The man at the campground in Mestra telephoned Sony in Milano, and was told a Sony Video repair shop was located in Padova, just 25 miles away. We got off the Autostrada at “Padova East,†turned right to the 3rd light, then right for one long block, asked for directions one time, then turned left to Via Maroncelli #46, the Video Systems Centro Nordmende, where the man in charge said he would look it over and see what he could fix. That night we found we had a picture, but no sound, so went back the next day. He worked a little, while we went sightseeing a little, then he returned the camera in fine working condition. (1991)
I was there, in Padua with your guide book and Italian phrase book, but 10 days after you. We were in Venice also and had heard rumors you were there too. Kept looking for you, but I guess we had just missed you. Your guide books, as usual, were great. I xerox the sections I need before the trip and carry just the portions we need for that day. I can’t bring myself to rip the pages out! We used your guidebooks this trip for Barcelona, Venice and London. We also went to Bologna, Ferrara and Modena, but unfortunetly for us, your books didn’t cover that part of the trip. I would highly recommend adding them. The food was amazing and the sights were great. Lots of history. Did I mention the food was great? They don’t call it “Bologna the Fat” for nothing!
In 1995 while in Venice, our Sony video camera gave up the ghost. The man at the campground in Mestra telephoned Sony in Milano, and was told a Sony Video repair shop was located in Padova, just 25 miles away. We got off the Autostrada at “Padova East,†turned right to the 3rd light, then right for one long block, asked for directions one time, then turned left to Via Maroncelli #46, the Video Systems Centro Nordmende, where the man in charge said he would look it over and see what he could fix. That night we found we had a picture, but no sound, so went back the next day
We were in Sra and Padua and had your book, just got back.
Seems like in some places (e.g. Cinque Terre) you can identify the tourists by your book, and the vendors all identify themselves by what you have to say about them — even if the book is hidden in a bag (e.g. Egli or the Sicilian pastry chefs).
Almost as if your book is part of the local color …
Oh Rick, I laughed like crazy when I saw this! We were in Padua in September and saw the same graduation antics and the song was so catchy, I sang it all day. The translation just cracked me up!
When we were in Rome, we went to the Filetti di Baccala for dinner. I told the waiter I wanted a picture with him because I had seen the restaurant on t.v. in a Rick Steves video and he laughed and wouldn’t believe me. He smiled for the picture and said a stream of Italian words to his buddies, which I’m sure meant “These crazy Americans.”
Rick, I was searching for the exact spelling of that song and stumbled upon this entry! Unfortunately, I had the aide of a Padova native, so I didn’t require your guidebook for this city :) Padova was one of my favorite cities in Italy to visit because of how relatively quiet it was. Not quite a Siena or Cortona, but more Italian than Florence and Venice tend to be.
From an actual graduate from the University of Padova, I’d say thank you for translating the song. Now I can just redirect whoever asks to your blog! Nicola