Venice Again - Day 2

 

Murano sconces at De Pisis Restaurant, where we stayed at Hotel Bauer Palazzo, a block and a half from Piazza San Marco.

Gondole on parade.  I know that nowadays they are used almost exclusively for tourists, but they are a quintessential sight in this old city.

With no public transportation of any kind, life can be arduous for those that live here.

Just about everything is transported in carts like these.

We actually spent our first full day in Venice . . . in Padua, 29 miles west of Venice.  We took the train with two special destinations in mind.  First, The Scrovegni Chapel, with its fabulous frescoes by Giotto, arguably the greatest masterpieces of Western art.

There's an attached air-conditioned room where guests must spend 15 minutes before being allowed into the chapel.  This allows for the air to stabilize so it keeps damage to the frescoes to a minimum.  Interesting set up, and so worth it!

The frescoes have been restored on and off throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.

The colors were stunningly vibrant.  It's wonderful that they are taking such excellent care of these works of art.

Our second destination was the Basilica di Sant'Antonio, where the tomb of St. Anthony is located.  

This is a true pilgrimage destination for devout Catholics.

It holds some wonderful art, including altar cloths made of Venetian lace.

And some very old frescoes.

And, as typical in many European Catholic churches, it held a touch of the macabre.

We saw the statue of Erasmo da Narni, also known as Gattamelata, a condottiero, or mercenary soldier (which was not at all unusual for the times).  This is the earliest surviving equestrian statue of the Renaissance.  It was created by Donatello.  It's beautiful, powerful, and irreverently serving as a perch for the local pigeons.

Back in our hotel, we relaxed on the terrace and watched the waiters work tirelessly to keep the pigeons at bay.  I don't know how they manage it, but the terrace looked impeccably clean.

Scary-looking kites are used to scare the pigeons . . .

And there are little flags like this to wave at the pigeons if they get too close.

There's just no getting around Venice and its pigeons.