Letters from Italy Part 7 (written in 2008)

I Made it to Venice!

Wednesday May 7, 2008

Ciao!

Why didn't someone warn me that Venice is full of steps  Note to self: next

time, visit Venice first, when the bags are lighter!  I arrived by train from Florence yesterday and my directions said I just had to go over 3 bridges to get to my hotel...no big deal, right?  No one told me that all of the bridges have STEPS!  By this time, I am looking like a pack mule...loaded down with two big suitcases (one has 2 bottles of wine, 4 bottles of Olive Oil, and a terracotta something that is heavy plus the other with all my tennis gear, racquet, shoes, and too many clothes!)  Also, on my back I have a big backpack that now holds 3 leather bags (so much for souvenirs of the heart!) and my messenger bag with my camera, travels books, diary, and water bottle.  I hobbled up one bridge, one suitcase at a time up, then one suitcase at a time down, only to discover that I had crossed the wrong bridge!  There are about a million bridges in Venice and directions are not good.  After asking 4 people, I finally found a non-English speaking Italian with very clear and vibrant hand gestures that pointed me on my way.  

I arrived at my hotel, Aloggi Marinella, 1/2 hour later, hobbling and drenched with sweat! But I made it, yippee!  The hotel is down an alley and kind of away from the hub-bub, which I like.  It looks like it has been newly renovated with bright and cheery decor and a small but modern bathroom with ceramic tile.  Perfecto!

The first thing I did was buy a 72 hour vaporetto pass.  The vaporettos are water buses that travel down the 2 mile central canal.  I can ride til my heart's content, which I have done now 3 times.  I love the boat ride and seeing all the sites...the gondolas (saw one with a serenading opera singer today), and all the gorgeous old palaces and hotels.  It's great fun. 

Yesterday I had a pizza lunch at a cafe by the water and then rode the vaporetto to St. Mark's Square.  There are lots of shops around the square and two big restaurants with orchestras and pianos.  I think there is dancing when the sun goes down.  I was too tired to check it out last night but tonight or tomorrow I hope to be there.

Today I went back to St. Mark's and toured the Basilica San Marco, where Mark's bones are buried.  It was the most beautiful church I have seen thus far...lots of golden mosaics in the ceilings and domes.  I went to the museum there which offered close-ups of some mosaics and also the "famed" four bronze horses which were booty from the 4^th crusade.  There was also a treasury with items acquired from other conquests and the altar where St. Mark's bones are buried has a huge gold screen with 50 rubies, 300 emeralds, 1500 pearls, and assorted sapphires, amethysts, and topaz.  I wished I could take one of those emeralds and make myself a nice little ring!  :)

After that I went to the Correr Museum, which hosts Venetian History and Art.  My lunch there was a warm panini with olive oil...so scrumptious!  Following the Correr Museum, I went to the Doge's Palace, which was the official residence of the doge's who ruled Venice from 697 to 1797.   Opulent!  More amazing art, and a prison attached by a bridge called the "bridge of sighs," named for the sighs emitted by the prisoners as they crossed the bridge into the prison and while crossing have their last view of beautiful Venice (and freedom).

I broke my "one museum" rule and did another as I am only here one more

day and trying to pack it all in...I went to the Peggy Guggenheim Collection.  She was a mining heiress from the US who purchased a painting a day and willed her collection to Venice.  She chose to live in Venice for 30 years and the palace which was her home is now the museum of modern art.  It was quite a contrast to all of the "Madonna and Jesus" art that I have been seeing everywhere...I saw works by Jackson Pollock, Picasso, Chegal, and other Cubist, Abstract, and Surrealist art.

After that, I wandered and eventually found this internet cafe.  There are no cars on Venice, just the water which is full of vaporettos (Water buses),  taxi's, delivery vessels, garbage buses and anything else normally in a car or truck.  The alleys are narrow for walking only, and it is huge maze to navigate around.  Very fun to explore.  Lots of shops, art, fashion (every designer imaginable), and murano glass.

 

The squares are full of pigeons.  My guidebook says the birdfeed has birth control in it but it doesn't appear to be working!  :)

Everywhere I have been, it has been very crowded with tourists.  Especially here, as tourism is all they have.  Still, it is beautiful and quite unique.  I was also in Italy over 2 major European holidays (April 25 and May 1).  That means the locals were off of work and touring as well. 

It rained all day on my last day in Florence.  I had fun wandering.  One of my favorite places was the indoor food market, which I was introduced to by Nancy from Chicago.  She went 3 weeks early to take Italian and live with a local family so she frequented this market.  It had everything you can imagine...but all separate stalls...meat, flowers, fruit, wine, cheeses...I took lots of pictures as it was very colorful.  I purchased some dried fruit including Kiwi that was the best I've ever tasted.  Must have had lots of sugar in it...

Well, my hour is up and I think I'll take another boat ride...:)  Tomorrow I am gong to the island of Murano to see how the glass is made.  Friday I come home...sigh...

Ciao!

Janice