Venice Again - Day 6

 Random photos from our 5th day in this old, beautiful, incomparable city . . .

Primavera by Lilla Tabasso.  Milano 2019.  Flamed Murano glass, hand-blown and modelled.

Masks for Il Carnavale,

Golden mosaics at the Basilica di San Marco.  We were there at the noon hour when the lights are lit, and the gold mosaics shine as brightly as the sun.  The gold mosaics were, indeed, chosen to represent the light of God.  On our previous visit we explored the basilica at length, so this time we just stopped in to pay our respects to the patriarch of this ancient city.

Marble bench inside the basilica eroded by water.  Acqua Alta has taken its toll on most buildings in Venice.

Gondola ride:  Check.  Last time we rode the gondola at night, so this time we tried a daytime trip.

A charming young artist named Daniele pointed out that Venice is a city meant to be painted vertically.

Daniele is an apprentice in the studio of Ugo Barraco, an artist that works in mixed media, primarily etchings on zinc, and acquatinta.  He helpfully lightened the weight of my wallet. I'll show you what I bought as soon as I have it framed.  Right now, it's sitting at the bottom of our suitcase, safely encased in a cardboard tube.

We had lunch at Hotel Pensione Wildner-Venezia.  Paccheri Pasta with Beef Ragoût au Gratin, for my husband . . .

And Beef Tagliata with seasonal vegetables for me . . .

Bridge of Sighs, connecting the Doge's interrogation rooms in the Palace to the New Prisons.

After another exhausting and wonder-filled day, we turned in for the night.  The days are going by so fast!

Venice Again - Day 4

We decided to keep our daytime activities simple, since we had tickets for the opera at night.  

We decided this was the perfect day to go see the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, across the Grand Canal.

There are many unusual pieces in the collection that left me completely mystified.

I am a true philistine when it comes to modern art.

The Break of Day, Paul Delvaux, 1937.

Seated Woman II, Joan Miró, February1939, Oil on Canvas.

Sphere No. 3, Arnaldo Pomodoro, 1964, Bronze

Seal, Jean Arp.

The Horse, Raymond Duchamp-Villon, 1914, Bronze.  Sometimes, you gotta laugh!

On the way back, we stopped at the church of Santa Maria della Salute, which we had been looking at from across the pond for several days now.

It was actually rather plain on the inside.  I took a few minutes to light a candle for a friend.

We had now worked up an appetite, and it was the perfect time to go back to Harry's.

We ordered their famous, but amazingly overpriced bellinis.  They were very refreshing, though.

My husband ordered the Filet of Sole . . .

I had the Mushroom Risotto, which, in my opinion, is one of the best reasons to come to Venice in the Fall — mushroom season!

Then back on the vaporetto to our hotel for an afternoon nap.

We had to conserve our energy, you see, because we had tickets that night to see The Marriage of Figaro, by Mozart.

La Fenice (the Phoenix) Opera House has burned down to the ground several times . . .

And each time, it gets rebuilt with unparalleled grandeur.

Even the curtain was exquisitely embroidered.

To be sitting in the same theatre where Verdi debuted La Traviata . . . it was pretty special.

Venice Again - Day 3

Somehow, our morning eggs taste a little better while sitting under Murano chandeliers.

Today was a busy one.  We visited the Accademia on our last trip, but I really needed another look.

Standing in front of The Feast in the House of Levin by Veronese (18.21 ft. by 42.98 ft.).  Originally titled The Last Supper, the Inquisition accused the painter of irreverence, indecorum and heresy, and demanded that he make changes to the painting.  Instead, Veronese simply changed the title.

Sala di Capitolo, Gallerie dell'Accademia di Venezia . . .

The ceiling is covered in gilded cherubs, each with a slightly different face.

Then back at Piazza San Marco for a bite to eat at Caffè Florian.  The food is delivered covered in these metallic mesh domes, to protect it from the pigeons.

We walked all over . . .

Until it was late, and even the gondole were covered up . . .

And ended up at the terrace in our hotel . . .

With the great view of Santa Maria della Salute.

In gratitude for the deliverance of the city from the Plague, the city of Venice built and dedicated this church to the Our Lady of Health.

We enjoyed some cappuccinos — how very American of us!  Italians wouldn't dream of having a cappuccino at any time except breakfast!  We also noticed that whenever you order coffee anywhere in Italy, it always comes with a few cookies.  It's such a charming, hospitable touch!

“Ah, che luna — oh, che nare

With such a moon and such a sea

And you and me

I get so dizzy when you're standing near

It's not the music that you hear

My heart is beating like a jungle drum

Let's take the minutes as they speed away

And hope it's true what people say:

When you're in love tomorrow never comes.”

                                — Frank Sinatra

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.