Florence, August 2023

It is only 2 1/2 hours between two very unique and different cities. It is not through the mountains and we had just finished a nice break from driving. We were soon to realize and remember that the roads get narrower the further south you go, and that this Mercedes is a huge car. We were entering another controlled city where cars are not permitted in some areas, and not at all in others. Our next room was in the middle of a no car zone (ZTL).

We were allowed to park long enough to unload luggage and then we moved it to a garage where we left it for duration of Florence (Firenze in Italian).

The Palazzo Mannaioni Suite was great and had air conditioning which was a huge bonus as it was very hot here. The lobby retained its renaissance brick wall and original doors. We were allowed into our room early which was also a bonus.

Here is a view of the room.

I opened the shutters and oh my, look at this view!

We're in the birthplace of my world of music; this area supported incredible artists, genius scientists, and innovative thinkers. I am looking forward to getting a history lesson. We took a rest and then went to a little market where we bought picnic supplies. We had the hotel get us a taxi to the Piazza Michelangelo, to watch the sunset. Guess what? We were not the only ones with this great idea.

This is the view in one direction. this famous statue was behind us. There are 3 Michelangelo statues in Florence. We saw all three. This first one was this bronze replica, I think it was made for this scenic overlook in the 1800s.

I also think you can see in our faces that we're getting a little vacation tired. We've been on the go for 10 days straight. We decided not to push it the next day. But we're in Florence!

Arrivederci, Venice

I had always said I wanted to see Venice before it "sank into the sea" and there was evidence that they are trying hard not to let that happen. For example, the Caffe Florian was highly touted as a tourist must stop. We walked by the Oldest Italian Coffeehouse, but we didn't actually go in. It's gorgeous even from the sidewalk. People from Charles Dickens, Nietzsche, Casanova, Ernest Hemingway, Charlie Chaplin, to Andy Warhol had drinks here. Rumor says that Claude Monet would charm the flock of pigeons to stand on his head.

Looking closer, there are supports and braces for the roof everywhere. After seeing all the platforms disruptions of the rain, I was concerned. But I also see construction and work being done everywhere. The art and the history are too important. I hope that it will survive forever. The contemporary art scene appears to thrive right next to the renaissance pieces.

It was a magical experience. I'm so lucky I got to go.

Venice Day 2, the rain continues

We watched it get dark in Venice, and then went back to Treviso exhausted and so happy. (The train is a great way to get back and forth and took about 25 minutes.) One moment to nod to the superb breakfasts at the Bed and Breakfast.

We sat across German cyclers who has ridden through the mountains (!) and were going as far as Venice, then taking the train home. There was a family from Croatia with a little one, a mother and daughter from San Francisco, and a couple who had already left to catch a plane. We all try to talk in our broken languages. It was great. The orange juice became a topic for the mom from San Fran and me. It's such an orange color. We had this juice in Lujen too and I didn't know why it was so bright. So the host went to the fridge and called it Vitamin Juice, like the host in Austria. Aaaah, it's mixed with carrot! Well, it was delicious.

We repeated the train, the train station, and were ready to hop on a different canal "bus" route. We waited almost an hour with more than 50 others, and it was finally translated that many of the tours, exhibits and even bus routes were canceled for the day because they were flooded. Overnight, they had positioned platforms and ramps across low areas of the city, including San Marco square. They were selling plastic bag/boot things to go over your shoes and pants, up to your knees. So we hailed a regular taxi, rather than wait for a bus. It was a beautiful boat.

The views from the taxi were equally wonderful. Who would like to paint a fresco on the OUTSIDE of the building??

We took an accidental wrong turn on foot, and poof, there was the Bridge of Sighs! The limestone windows are fitted with bars because this small tunnel took prisoners from the interrogation rooms on one side to their prison cells on the other. The windows were the last fleeting glimpse of their beloved Venice before a long prison term. Poetically, Lord Byron gave it the title, imagining the heaviness of the prisoner's last free breath. (Are there any real wrong turns in this city? A thought for another day)

The day seemed a little scattered since there were detours and unexpected delays. I had my first lasagna.

Water was served in Murano glass.

Here are some of my favorite photos of the gondolas.

We climbed back in the water bus, and the clouds parted.

Lions of Venice

There are lions all over Venice. It has come to symbolize the city. This is perhaps the most ancient of all the statues, it is made of bronze and on top of a very tall pillar in San Marco square. I think it was once a griffin, given that it has wings, and Google says it was erected in around 1177.

There is also a Lion of Saint Mark

When you start to look, you can see them everywhere. (If you can zoom in, they are under the cut-out crosses).

Last tidbit for this post, the rain water goes down slit-like holes, cut into the city square, the sidewalks and alleys. I made a video of the rain, which has the slit drain on the ground. It all goes into the canal. This will play a part in the next day's post. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/J1uPeUIgZX8

Day 1 in Venice, Continued

The pictures do not do this Water City justice. It's so magical. This is the view from the top of the Rialto bridge.

Here's more scenery. As I look back on these, I guess it did rain all day. But I was not focused on that at all. Look at this floor! Look at the art behind the altar. Every detail matters. I sometimes got overwhelmed thinking about how long it must have taken someone or a group of someones to create these masterpieces, and that they were made so divinely that I could still enjoy them hundreds of years later.

They do try to help the tourists, but you need to look up and know the signs are there.

In Italy in general, when you order drinks they bring snacks. I like this idea, grin. This drink is an italian favorite and almost every table had it, in every city we visited. They seem to order them around 4 pm as an apertivo. It's called an Aperol Spritz. It is made with prosecco, bitters, and soda water. When it started raining steadily we grabbed a table under a portico and listened to the live musicians until even they too, had a rain delay. They closed up the curtains but left the piano outside. Yikes!

Panorama of Seceda

Short panorama of the top of the Dolomite hike we took.

About 10 minutes after we arrived back at the chalet, the rain moved in and we could see NOTHING. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtuShfYt-hw

Speechless In Venice, Day 1, August, 2023

Today was the day. After years of pining and planning, we learned how to take the TrenItalia, bought the Venice City Pass, and went to the water city of my dreams. This is the view right off the station platform. I probably don't need to tell you my tearful reaction to the Grand Canal.

Train details elude me. I was so focused on the destination. Somehow we walked to the station, we read this train schedule, bought a ticket, found the right platform.

Included in the city pass was unlimited water "bus" rides around the city. My goal the first of these 3 days was simply to soak it all in. I needed no tours, I didn't want palaces or history details. I wanted to absorb it. We spent almost 2 hours simply riding in the back of the water taxi, just looking at, well, everything. All things are done on water and there are no cars. That means ambulances, taxis, police, fire, deliveries and all the workings of a city are done on and around the canal. Chuck got some great photos of DHL, Amazon, and all the infastructure moving around the water. I hope I didn't have my mouth hanging open as much as I think I did.

I was also taken by the shape of windows and details on the edges of buildings. On the 3rd full trip around this route, Chuck saw tables open for lunch near the Rialto bridge so we hopped off. It was drizzling, but there were patio umbrellas.

This was the actual name of the restaurant, but I think most people were looking out at the water. We had bruschetta, pasta, and tirimisu.

Chuck says I glowed for the whole day. I took this picture from his facebook page.