the rest of Venice

Venice - more photos to round out our trip there- and wrap it up before we leave for Bologna...

the Teatro Gran Fenice--- opera lovers world wide know its reputation!

one evening we went back for at least my fifth time to Da Ivo- a restaurant long ago recommended by a travel friend of the family- sadly it has changed hands and is no longer the fabulous place we had loved before-  a lack-luster meal for far too much money... will not recommend it any longer....

stuffed zucchini flowers were prepared long before they were served only moderately warm- :-(

the ravioli pesto might have been good but who could tell drown in all that sauce? - I love pesto but this was way over the top- far too heavy handed...

should have probably gone to the self serve take away- LOL

masks - of course are a Venetian tradition and from the first trip I made there I have always had mine on display prominently in my home - she is much less scary looking than these from an artisan's shop window...

souvenir pins of various venetian masks- you can buy similar earrings etc....

along the way there is an abundance of architectural detail worth noting-

if you happen by in your water taxi or gondola you can stop and check out the menu for the restaurant and arrive in style via the canals-

one of my favorite shots from this visit-

this one looked even more atmospheric when I played around with my phone's photo settings-

along with masks the marionettes here are works of art- every trip I have made to Venice - the cat ones have called to me - but good ones are extremely expensive upwards from a thousand dollars - and I have no skill in operating a marionette nor a desire to learn - therefore I take their photos and move on ---

if you are tourist don't even think of sitting here- this seat is for Gondolieri!

on the evening of our disappointing dinner at Da Ivo, we assuaged our disappointment with drink in the bar on the Grand Canal in the moonlight- a nice recovery - LOL

the following night we had the meal we had wished for the night before- at Ai Mercanti (I think my fourth visit there- and still wonderful, sadly it was raining so we couldn't sit outside like I had every previous time... still my all time favorite meal of the trip with Jennifer - although it might have been colored by the two bottles of wine we waxed off over the course of many hours - or the lady who hung her laundry out over our heads in the campo and when it was dry (yes we stayed that long- LOL) took it in and closed her shutters... anyway- I recall the evening with great fondness...

I started with the salmon tartare- as did Aase and then went on to wonderful ravioli in a pesto that did not overwhelm the delicacy of the pasta. Phil had this very cute round lasagne- and that was fabulous - I could have eaten two of those... three of us had the chocolate assorted dessert plates- excellent all around! a fitting celebration for the actual evening of Phil's 60th birthday.

so every morning when I went to breakfast I took a photo of the canal right alongside the breakfast restaurant in our hotel... the fried eggs were very good - so I chose to order ala carte rather than the extensive and expensive buffet..... most mornings it was foggy and some the sun tried to break through but each day offered slightly different light--- (as well as a different seat- LOL)

the view looking directly across the canal from the breakfast porch...

life is good.... and so is Bologna's food! so stayed tuned...

the Grand Canal Venezia!

the easiest way to get a tour of the Grand Canal is to take the bus- yes that would be a boat but it is really a bus - a "water bus" or vaporetto (plural vaporetti) - there is one that goes from one end of the canal to the other - there used to be one that did the Gran Canal and then did the outside water along the commercial waterway (where the ships come and go, with stops at the car parking garage etc.) but they have apparently discontinued that one and now have made it into two journeys (more revenue? LOL)

so we walked to the nearest stop and obtained tickets by using the machine (a new thing since my last trip to Venice) and got on... the boat was packed (as they usually are) and so we made our way to the back and outside where at least a few shots could be had from the small area where I could stand-

this is a magnificent tour of the architecture of Venice- palazzos of all sizes line both sides of the canal... even if they look like  a palazzo they may be a gallery or a museum or a hotel or administrative government offices- not many can afford the upkeep of these canal side beauties in the 21st century...

I will start with a couple of closer in photos so you can see some things a bit more clearly-

then go to the actual bus ride photos in order- we went to the train station and back to San Marco- so you will see things from both sides of the canal as well as a few canal wide shots- and also all three bridges- Accademia, Rialto and the one at the Ferrovia...

our hotel- our room is located in the shortest building on the second of four floors overlooking the courtyard and a slice of the Grand Canal-

(our view)

detail of the front of perhaps the most beautiful palazzo on the canal-

Ai Gondoleri!

Accademia Bridge-

approaching the Rialto Bridge

a part of the Rialto Market- and the then the fish market (red awnings on arcaded building)

the third bridge (at the train station)

a patrol "car" Venetian style-

a beautiful view of the width of the Grand Canal-

one of the few green spaces you see along the Grand Canal- the gardens near the Arsenale where the Biennale is held are the largest green area in Venice's sestiere.

the Accademia Bridge - on the return trip-

so then to complete the topic- we had a few more shots from our taxi - on the way back to the train station when departing-

this was our farewell shot of the Grand Canal for this trip-

I have one more miscellaneous Venice post to go- and then Bologna- so stay tuned...