Blog Archives

A final breakfast in Venice. Packed up our new treasures and dropped our bags with the bellman for a final stroll. Made our way to the Basilica del Frari, which we had visited last with Curt and Cheryl. Learned a quirky fact about the Frari: that the interior brick walls of this enormous church had been plastered over at the time of construction so that the walls could be decorated. So what did these folks paint on the walls? Bricks. Still pondering this architectural puzzler, stopped for one last gelato from ‘Il Doge’ in S. Margherita. Nutella and menta were today’s choices. Picked up our bags and departed the Ca’ Pisani for our winding path to the train station (Ferrovia). Walked today versus the vaparetto. Met up with Chris and Sherie at the station. Boarded our Eurostar train: Carozza 1, Posti 16/14. Watched Venezia fade into the distance as the train crossed the lagoon. We will surely return again. Lunch on the train (sandwiches and chips) near Padova. Three hours to Milano Centrale train station. Checked into the StarHotels Anderson, which is a really hip looking hotel directly across from the train station. More importantly, this hotel has ‘pillowmania’! Hopped on the Metro #3 linea to go inside the amazing Milan Duomo. (On our last visit to the Duomo with Curt and Cheryl, we chose to go on the roof…which is equally stunning.) Unfortunately, can’t say much else other than that the Duomo is huge, old (early 15th century?), and beautiful. The church ushered people out 15 minutes early, so our stay was very brief with no time for reading. Walked through the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, built in the late 1800s as ‘Millan’s sitting room’ that today houses Prada and Gucci stores. Chris and Sherie joined us from their shopping spree at Armani where Chris picked some hip new shades. Walked through the Piazza del Duomo, filled with hundreds of cheering World Cup fans watching Germany and Costa Rica play on a giant screen. Had a final dinner nearby in the shadows of San Sebastiano–amazing wood fire oven pizzas. Back to the hotel and into bed early. Tomorrow is an early flight home and the Malpensa airport ain’t close!

All good rules are meant to be broken. The perfect example is the #1 rule of visiting Venice: There is more to Venice than Piazza San Marco. The fact is, however, that there are some amazing sights in and around San Marco, and you just have to take your patience pills and plunge into this beehive of activity. Started this morning in San Marco around 10:30am. The pigeons are up. The crowds are manageable. People are laughing. Did a three-in-one museum stop in the imposing stone buildings surrounding the square: the Museo Correr (focused on the grand Venetian history and art), the Museo Archeologico (lots of Greek statues), and the Biblioteca Mariana (Venetian records and books). Had pizza and gnocci nearby for lunch. Returned to San Marco to visit the impressive Doge’s Palace, the seat of Venetian power for centuries. The palace truly reflects the once-great wealth of Venice, with gilded ceilings and enormous paintings. Adjacent to the palace across the romantically named ‘Bridge of Sighs’ is the former prison…cold and gloomy. Let’s just say that the prison cell ceilings are NOT gilded with gold leaf. Took a break from San Marco and walked to the train station to reserve seats to Milano tomorrow on the Eurostar. Afterwards had gelato near the Friary and then beers out on Campo S. Margherita at Orange. Returned to Rosa Rossa for dinner (more Chianti, pizza, and tiramisu). Then wandered back over to San Marco for a totally different experience. San Marco is at its best at night. The crowds and tour groups are gone, and the remaining visitors are finally relaxing. Everything is alive with music and light and food and drinks and laughter and dancing. After an hour or so of strolling and picture taking, left San Marco to head back to the hotel. Decided to visit Santa Maria della Salute one last time. A total opposite from San Marco, Campo della Salute and the narrow streets to and from it were vacant and absolutely silent. Sigh. We will miss Venice.

After a relatively early breakfast, headed to San Marco and the bell tower (campanile) to beat the crowds. Morning above Venice is spectacular. The terra cotta roofs, the grey church domes, and the striking blue lagoon are all dramatic, yet softer than in the afternoon (and midday must be totally avoided). Descended the tower, and the crowds had arrived! Headed for less populated parts of the city and found the elusive Santi Giovanni e Paolo church (Saint John and Paul). This church was ordered by the Vatican (Dominican order) in the 13th century, begun in the 14th century, and completed in the 15th century (the plauge and all delayed things). Afterwards, crossed Venice to visit the Fenice opera house, which was meticulously reconsturcted after a fire devastated the famous structure in the mid 1990s. The new building is breathtaking. Lunch (again) on the Santa Maria de la Salute steps (yummy panini). Visited the Peggy Guggenheim Collection (Picasso, Calder, Kadinsky, Chagall, Pollack, Rothco, Legere, Man Ray), which is displayed in her former Grand Canal-front home. Chris and Sherie arrived from Rome, so we met them in San Marco. Tasted traditional Bellinis at Harry’s Bar on the waterfront. Dinner, gelato, and mojitos in S. Margherita. Walked back to the hotel unded a bright moon in a cloudless sky.

Last night’s storms had blown through by morning. Awoke to clear blue skies and light breezes. Another yummy breakfast in the hotel. Took advantage of the perfect temperatures and…well…walked. Its what you do in Venice. Ducking into the occasional church to stare at muraled ceilings. Returned to a couple of favorite streets with some local artisan shops we had been eyeing: paper, glass, masks, books. If you choose wisely and select true artisan shops, every shop owner seems to have a story and a friendly smile. Discussing different marrionettes in one shop, for example, we learned the background on one of the classic Venitian figures: the “plague doctor,” whose long, down-turned white mask was packed with medicinal herbs to ward off the plague as the doctor tended to the sick. Ate panini’s for lunch on the cool marble steps of Santa Maria de la Salute overlooking the busy Grand Canal. Took the #82 vaporetto over to the Giudecca–the long, narrow island just to the south of Venice. Our first visit to the Giudecca. Toured the Tempio del SS. Redentore (a temple to the Most Holy Redeemer). This church was designed by Palladio in 1577 on orders from the Doge as thanks for delivering Venice from the plague, which killed over 50,000 people in Venice between 1575 and 1576 alone. (FYI, an unrelated figure: the current population of Venice is down to about 60,000 permanent residents…a third of the population 1950!) Spirits needed lifting after plauge talk, so it was time for gelato from our favorite spot in Campo S. Margherita. More walking and wandering. Circled and circled unsuccessfully without a map to try to find SS Giovanni e Paolo, an enormous church that somehow eluded us today. Gave up and had dinner in Campiello San Stefano as the rain returned. Topped off the day with jacuzzi baths to soothe aching muscles. Falling alseep to the rain and not-so-distant thunder.

At last…a HOT breakfast. Haven’t had one since London. Even better…this breakfast included a very good cappuccino. Pleasantly warm morning for a walk through the Dosoduro neighborhood to Santa Maria de la Salute…perhaps the most photographed church in Venice after the Basilica in San Marco. Caught the #42 vaparetto around Venice and out to the island of Murano…famous for its many centuries of glassmaking. Hadn’t been to Murano since our visit with Curt and Cheryl. Had a pleanant lunch on Murano, including fresh calamari (Cheryl would be proud). Bought several Murano glass items from a friendly glassmaker who told tall tales of his friendships with Menachem Begin and Telly Savalas–an unlikely pair to name drop. The cool morning turned into a warm and sunny afternoon, so the direct #5 vaparetto was in order. Photos of pigeons on the way through San Marco. Back to the hotel to drop off our glass objects d’art. Early evening stroll and then dinner along the canal facing the Giudecca. Pastas were excellent. Got ‘adventurous’ with fish dishes and ended up with fish mouths staring up at us. Thank goodness for post-dinner gelato. (Returned to one of Cheryl’s favorite gelato spots…we think it has declined and that Cheryl should return with us to sample new spots !) Walked off dinner as a light rain began. Caught a summer lightning show on the horizon over the Giudecca. The rain should make everything smell fresh tomorrow.