27 Sept -28 Sept.
Depart Denver 6:00 pm arrive Frankfurt 1:00 pm 28 Sept. Here's what you don't get from Lufthansa anymore: earplugs, mask, disposable toothbrush, tv screen in the seat in front of yours. Maybe in 1st or Business class with an upgrade for a mere $6,000.00. I'll never know. BTW, try to get window seating cuz there are 3 seats in the row rather than 4. There was a big post holding the seat in front of mine, so there's very little room for putting a bag under the seat. I think the German lady sitting next to me wanted to punch me in the head cuz my bag kept visiting her foot.
Had 4 hr. layover in Frankfurt. Got in the wrong line for steerage boarding after asking a curly-haired guy w/a legalize marijuana keychain which line to get in. Should've known better!
Arrived in Venice @'6:00 pm, about 30 mins. late. We were supposed to call our apartment rental agent when we arrived at Marco Polo airport first, then again at the vaporetto stop so she would know when to meet us to take us to our appartamento.
Which brings us to adventures in Italian phone use
First I tried using my iPhone cuz R. Steves mentioned that iPhones might work in Italy even w/o a different SIM card. Not so, couldn't get AT&T, no surprise there, since we can barely make a phone call in our house. I asked the lady how to use the phone. Lady one said I needed to dial all the numbers, there are approximately 8 gillion numbers to dial. I tried using a credit card to make the call, but I think it didn't work cuz it needed to make a minimum "purchase", and the phone call wasn't it. Then I saw a machine for buying a prepaid phone card and tried it. Lady no. two said that wouldn't work because that particular phone card was for international calls only. Of couse the machine says "Domestic & International" calls. Lady no. 2 also told us since the call was local, we didn't have to dial all 8 gillion numbers. Cost of phone card no. 1: 10 euros.
Sooooooo, then we got a phone card from the tabbachi shop, cost: $5.00 euro. Dial the no., the card doesn't work. Nice lady standing next to us says we have to scratch off the covering to reveal the PIN no., which gets activated by inserting it into the phone and following the instructions. so, now we have and activate the phone card. Sooooooo, then we got a phone card from the tabbachi shop, cost: $5.00 euro. Dial the no., the card doesn't work.
How to dial an Italian phone:
1. Pick up handset 2. Dial 7 gillion numbers 3. Press the "OKAY" button IMMEDIATELY 4. Shove the phone card in IMMEDIATELY
It might work. Or not. Ok, this time it worked, but our contact's line was busy. For awhile. So, now it's about 7:30' we've been fooling around w/the phone for about an hour and a half. We haven't really slept since Monday nite & haven't eaten since noonish. Just a tad cranky.
We finally get her. She wants us to call again when we get to the vaporetto station. Oh boy! We get to use the phone again!
Let me also add that the Tourist Info ladies had about the same amount of charm as ladies working at the DMV.
I think it was almost 8:00 pm when we finally reached our contact by phone. We almost take the wrong bus because we're waiting under the sign that says something like "Pzle Roma Express" That's the stop we want, but apparently not the bus--we find this out after Jeff asks a bus driver. So yay, we're on the right bus, we know the stop we want is the last on the line. We go about 4 or 5 stops, the driver tells all to get off because we have to get on a different bus. Huh? We do. Hurray, it takes us to the Piazzale Roma, our stop! We're supposed to call our contact again.
Okee dokee. We know how to use the stinking phone,we're pros. The phone doesn't work this time because it says there's not enough credit in it and we can only make an emergency phone call. We need another phone card.
It's about 9:00 p.m. now. We ask a young girl if she has a cell and we could borrow. Yes, but no. We ask a couple of vaporetto drivers if they'll call for us. No. We ask them if there's a tabachhi shop nearby. "Yes" they say. Near the carabinieri. Of course, it's closed. I explain the situation --in Italian-- to the carabinieri who's standing outside the office having a smoke. Pretty much he tells me that the tabbacchi shop is closed, not open until tomorrow. I ask him if he would call our contact for us. No.
I must've looked pretty dejected because the next thing I know, he's calling our contact. Of course he immediately shuts the door to the office as soon as he's done calling. The carabiniere,I just learned as I write this, are national Italian police force which is part of the army. they deal w/issues of public disorder and serious crimes. I've got tell my Italian teacher this story!
We get on the vaporetto! The view at night is beautiful! We're almost there! But, not quite. The guy pulls into the stop just before ours and tells everyone to get off. NOW. Finito, end of the line. He says another vaporetto is coming. It does, it's a line that stops at every stop there is. So we end up going 2 extra stops until we get to ours. But yes, our contact is waiting for us and we go to our apartment. Our contact informs us that we'll have to pay a fee for late check-in. In my head, I'm quoting John McEnroe, "You cannot be serious!"
The apartment is air conditioned which in Italy is a big deal and we can use it at this time of year, another big deal. The weather in Venice is still pretty warm. Hurray, no rain forecast for the time we're here. No aqua alta! Yippy!
The apartment: 2 bedroom, kitchen w/dishwasher, bath w/shower & washing machine, living room. Looks recently remodeled, furnished w/new & antique stuff--sort of IKEA-ish, and the same floor as the Doge's Palace! Thanks Bea G. for recommending Views on Venice. They said they could rent us a phone, by the way. :-)
We're in the San Polo sestiere (district)
From Wikipedia:
San Polo is the smallest of the six sestieri of Venice, covering just 86 acres (35 hectares) along the Grand Canal. It is one of the oldest parts of the city, having been settled before the ninth century, when it and San Marco formed part of the Realtine Islands. The sestiere is named for the Church of San Polo.
Sept. 29:
Took long walk around our sestiere this morning. Went by Campo St. Toma, walked to Piazzale Roma, took a pic of Jeff & our favorite phone. Had a slice at a little hole-in- the-wall pizza place. Came back to the apt., Jeff took a nap, I worked on this stuff. Later in the afternoon we went back out, bought a 7-day vaporetto pass & rode out to St. Marco's Piazza. St. Marco, the "Saint of all Humanity" is probably rolling in his grave! Souvenir kiosks line the street on the fondamenta to the square and zillions of upscale shops are in the atria and a million restaurants line the outskirts of the square. I was surprised, but I guess I'm naive.
We did the tour of the Doge's Palace, very interesting. Many paintings by Tintoretto and Vasari. Can't take pics of the interior.
Went to Billa supermercato & got stuff for dinner. Stuff we didn't have to cook.
San Polo is the smallest of the six sestieri of Venice, covering just 86 acres (35 hectares) along the Grand Canal. It is one of the oldest parts of the city, having been settled before the ninth century, when it and San Marco formed part of the Realtine Islands. The sestiere is named for the Church of San Polo.
The district has been the site of Venice's main market since 1097, and connected to the right bank of the city by a Rialto bridge since the thirteenth century. The western part of the quarter is now known for its churches, while the eastern part, sometimes just called the Rialto, is known for its palaces and smaller houses.
Attractions in San Polo include the Rialto Bridge, the Church of San Giacomo di Rialto (according to legend the oldest in the city), the Campo San Polo, the House of Goldoni, the Church of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, the Church of San Rocco and the Scuola Grande di San Rocco.
Thurs., 29 Sept.:
Took long walk around our sestiere this morning. Went by Campo St. Toma, walked to Piazzale Roma, took a pic of Jeff & our favorite phone. Had a slice at a little hole-in- the-wall pizza place. Came back to the apt., Jeff took a nap, I worked on this stuff. Later in the afternoon we went back out, bought a 7-day vap pass & rode out to St. Marco's Piazza. St. Marco, the "Saint of all Humanity" is probably rolling in his grave! Souvenir kiosks line the street on the fondamenta to the square and zillions of upscale shops are in the atria and a million restaurants line the outskirts of the square. I was surprised, but I guess I'm naive.
We did the tour of the Doge's Palace, very interesting. Many paintings by Tintoretto and Vasari. Can't take pics of the interior.
Went to Billa supermercato & got stuff for dinner. Stuff we didn't have to cook.
Fri., 30 Sept.
a.m.: Walked to the Rialto mercato.Tons of fresh fish, fruit and vegetables (le frutte e verdure). Found the pensione where Terry & Kerry stayed, just a few steps from the market, literally!
p.m.: Took the vaporetto to Murano, had a quick linch w/the locals & walked around a bit, then toured the glass museum--which was a bit hard to find the entrance. Picture taking is allowed!
Returned to the apartment, Jeff took a nap, I went searching for the shop where I saw a bracelet (un bracialetto) I wanted. Jeff was sure I'd get lost. I gave myself 30 mins.. If I didn't find it by then, I'd come back. Found it just before my time ran out!
In Italian, I asked if I could pay by credit card, "Posso pagare con il carta di credito?" The store guy said there was some minimum, which of course I didn't understand, and didn't ask him to repeat. Price: E 10. I gave him E 15.00, thinking there would be tax, there wasn't. He put my $15.00 in the cash drawer. I looked at my receipt & noticed the total price was 10 eu, and so told him in Italian that I paid 15 and he gave me 5 eu back. Man, hard to think in Italian when you're tired! "Sono stanca, non posso pensare in Italiano"
Wanted to go to dinner at a restaurant that our contact recommended. We left our apt. at 7 and found it at 8:30! Have I mentioned that Jeff left our guide books at home including the one w/street and vaporetto maps. I think it wouldn't matter. On the map, it shows streets that do and don't exist. He checked the map again, like for the 1 millionth time and noticed that the street does exist, but not where we were expecting it. There were a gillion people waiting to get in. As we were walking away, I heard a lady say, "HERE it is." We weren't the only ones looking! Anyway, we'll try again, only earlier in the evening. We ended up eating at the same place as the first night. Jeff had pizza, potatoes, wine and some kind of fruit juice mixed w/sparkling wine, prosecca. Wow, was that good! I had pasta w scampi, served w/the heads still on. Wow, was it ever yummy!
1 Oct.
a.m.: Went to Peggy Guggenheim Collection. Modern Art. You name the artist, she collected him or slept with him or married him. Was married to Max Ernst. Work from Arp to Pollack.
p.m.: Went on "Dorsoduro District walk" see AAA book for details. Very quiet there, I can see why Bea likes it.
Walk runs thru the Dorsoduro and San Polo quarters of the city, takes about an hour, unless you're us.We were going to eat at the ristorante that our contact recommended and that we searched for last nite, but they don't open til 7:00 and we wanted to hear a concert at Frari Basilica. Went back to Dorsoduro and had a porzione of shrimp. I think this was like having cicchetti, because their menu was potions of this or that. It was cold shrimp topped w/onions and some kind of sauce served with crostini. Perfect! Did I mention we spent about an hour trying to find the Dorsoduro square we were at this afternoon? Did I mention Jeff bought a map after dinner? Also, there was a little dog walking around the restaurant. I asked the lady, probably the owner, about it--in Italian, of course. She found the dog and had it jump up on the chair next to me. I found out it was a female--in Italian, of course.
Sabato 1 ottobre 2011 ore 20,30 Heard music, organ and chorus at Frari Basilica. (Basilica dei Frari.) Music by Monteverde, born here
Francesca Scaini, soprano Andrea Macinanti organo Coro Cantori Veneziani Diana D'Alessio, direttore
The Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, usually just called the Frari, is a church in Venice, northern Italy. One the greatest churches in the city, it has the status of a minor basilica. It stands on the Campo dei Frari at the heart of the San Polo district. The church is dedicated to the Assumption (Italian: Assunzione della Beata Virgine). Fantastic acoustics.
2 Oct., Sunday
Burano
Rode a nice double-decker boat out to Burano, passed The Lido on the way.
Burano (Wikipedia) is an island in the Venetian Lagoon,
although like Venice itself it could more correctly be called an archipelago of islands linked by bridges. It lies near Torcello at the northern end of the Lagoon, and is known for its lacework.
Burano is situated 7 kilometers from Venice, a short 40 minute trip by Venetian motorboats, "vaporetti". The island is linked to Mazzorbo by a bridge. The current population of Burano is about 4,000.
The colours of the houses follow a specific system originating from the golden age of its development; if someone wishes to paint their home, one must send a request to the government, who will respond by making notice of the certain colours permitted for that lot. This practice has resulted in the myriad of warm, pastelly colours that characterises the island today.
Went to concert w/music by Handl, Bach and Vivaldi.
Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (March 4, 1678 – July 28, 1741), nicknamed il Prete Rosso ("The Red Priest"), was a Venetian Baroque composer, priest, and famous virtuoso violinist. He was born and raised in the Republic of Venice. The Four Seasons, a popular series of four violin concerti, is his best-known work. His other compositions include over 500 instrumental concertos, sacred choral works and over 40 operas.
During this period Vivaldi wrote the Four Seasons, four violin concertos depicting scenes appropriate for each season. Three of the concerti are of original conception, while the first, "Spring", borrows motifs from a Sinfonia in the first act of his contemporaneous opera "Il Giustino". The inspiration for the concertos was probably the countryside around Mantua. They were a revolution in musical conception: in them Vivaldi represented flowing creeks, singing birds (of different species, each specifically characterized), barking dogs, buzzing mosquitoes, crying shepherds, storms, drunken dancers, silent nights, hunting parties from both the hunters' and the prey's point of view, frozen landscapes, children ice- skating, and warming winter fires. Each concerto is associated with a sonnet, possibly by Vivaldi, describing the scenes depicted in the music. They were published as the first four concertos in a collection of twelve, Il cimento dell'armonia e dell'inventione, Opus 8, published in Amsterdam by Le Cène in 1725.
Mon. Oct 3 Sciopero!
The vaporetto drivers are on a 24 hr. strike. I don't know why because I couldn't read the electric sign fast enough.
WALKED to the Accademia Museum.
Da Vinci's drawing of Vitruvian man is housed here, but wasn't on display. I found that out by asking in Italian, didn't find out why, though. The museum lady told me it wasn't by pointing to her eye and saying something like non visibile.
Ate cichetti @ La Patatina. Seconda me, so-so & not very friendly. Ate standing up cuz it was just cichetti. Not sure what I had, potatoes for sure, some kind of fried fish & maybe some kind of deep-fried liver ball. S. Polo sestiere
2741/A Calle dei Saoneri
Tues., Oct. 4 Got up late! 9:00 a.m.
Went to St. Mark's and went to the top of the bell tower. Thought we'd be climbing it, but there's an elevator.Takes you up 60 meters, the very top is 100 m.
In the afternoon, went to St. Mark's Basilica
From Wikipedia:
The Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark (officially known in Italian as the Basilica Cattedrale Patriachale di San Marco and commonly known as Saint Mark's Basilica) is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Venice. It is the most famous of the city's churches and one of the best known examples of Byzantine architecture. It lies on Piazza San Marco (in the San Marco sestiere or district) adjacent and connected to the Doge's Palace. Originally it was the "chapel" of the Venetian rulers, and not the city's cathedral. Since 1807 it has been the seat of the Patriarch of Venice, archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Venice. For its opulent design, gilded Byzantine mosaics, and its status as a symbol of Venetian wealth and power, from the 11th century on the building was known by the nickname Chiesa d'Oro (Church of gold).
Had the craziest vaporetto "gate keeper" on the ride back to the apt.. He would essentially be saying "Hurry up get on/off". A girl asked him if this was the vaporetto she should get on & he said no, the next one--in English. She was holding a city street map & he asked her why she was looking at it for the vaporetto, and by the way turn it right-side up. The Italians were cracking up!
Tues., Oct 5:
Went to Basilica San Giorgio Maggiore, across from St. Mark's Square this morning, primarily for the view of Venice from the bell tower. It did not disappoint.
After San Giorgio, we went back to the Venice side to visit the Museo Storico Navale. Among other things, they had a Chinese jacket, embroidered panels w/ war gods, Japanese banner, Swedish collection, sea shell exhibit--saw some little green shells--weren't specifically identified, and Peggy Guggenheim's personal gondola.
The women that were visiting the museum had that "what am I doing here?" look, the same look the men had when they were in Burano, lace-ville.
We also stumbled onto "Frogtopia" which was part of this year's la Biennale di Venezia.
From Wikipedia:
The Venice Biennale (Italian: Biennale di Venezia;also called in English the "Venice Biennial") is a major contemporary art exhibition that takes place once every two years (in odd years) in Venice, Italy. The Venice Film Festival is part of it, as is the Venice Biennale of Architecture, which is held in even years. A dance section, the "International Festival of Contemporary Dance", was established in 1999.
Oct 6
Last day in Venice. Rachel came by in the morning to do check out. Jeff talked to her supervisor to get a compromise on the late fee, ended up paying E30, rather than E 50. Went to the Scuola Grande di San Rocco heard a trio in the little square on the way "home".
Last day in Venice visited The Scuola Grande di San Rocco loaded w/work by Tintoretto, I mean loaded.
Later in the afternoon we went to Ca Pesaro Museum of Contemporary Art. They have stuff from the first Biennale and work by many contemporary Venetian artists. The highlight for me was the Oriental collection--really, they should call it the Japanese collection. I saw stuff I've never seen before. Lots of weaponry, samurai armor, sake cups, netsuke galore. It was amazing!
Oct. 7, Fri.:
Today we fly home. Walked from the apartment to P. Roma, better than taking the vaporetto. It's also raining cats & dogs! So far, our flight is delayed by 45 mins. We ended up missing our Denver connection. In Francoforte (Frankfurt) you have to go through 2 security checks, so you lose time. Anyway, Lufthansa put us up in a hotel, gave us vouchers for lunch, dinner and breakfast. We got to sleep in a bed, then travel home, one day later. Not bad at all.
Fine!
