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mcgiggers · 18 hours

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Venice - May 2024

Just back from the Floating City which served as a beautiful backdrop for the 60th edition of La Biennale di Venezia, the world’s longest running and most extravagant contemporary art festival. Thematically grouped under the banner Foreigners Everywhere – Stranieri Ovunque, the exhibit privileged lesser-known artists from the global south who are foreigners, immigrants, expatriates, diasporic, exiled or refugees, and it showcased craft, tradition and the handmade which often is considered outsider or strange in the world of fine arts. The result was a marvelous adventure where some initial trepidation was quickly assuaged by an explosion of colours and creative renderings. In addition to the Biennale, numerous other exhibits and museum shows were staged concurrently throughout the city and visiting many of these in the two and a half days at hand made the experience that much more memorable.

Training for the Venice marathon was held in the hilltop village of Petritoli in the Le Marche region of Italy, where swims in the Adriatic, biking between neighboring towns and hiking in the Sibillini Mountains prepared the mind, body and soul for the viewing experience to come. The prelude to Venice also included a short stop in Monza and Carlazzo where family and food were graciously celebrated. Fuel throughout was local fare and featured Il Grecale’s calamarata in San Benadetto del Tronto, Antonio’s wood fired margherita pizza in Carlazzo and Osteria Ai Do Farai’s carpaccio di Branzino in Venice.

This year’s Biennale presented the works of over 330 artists, mostly first-time participants, and over 85 countries were represented with their own national pavilions. The principal venues were the Arsenale, a former Venetian military dockyard, which housed themed exhibits as well as some national pavilions, and the Giardini, a lush garden area at the mouth of the Grand Canal that is home to 30 or so permanent national pavilions and a Central Pavilion that featured a curated selection of works by artists from Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. In addition, there were numerous other Biennale offsite locations scattered about town.

Among the national pavilions, the Australian entry featuring Archie Moore’s monumental family tree dating back 65,000 years took top prize among in-the-know jurors. Other standouts included: Canada with Kapwani Kiwanga’s sculptures and all-over bead work; Nigeria which featured the photography, sculpture and painting of eight artists; and Italy with Massimo Bartolini’s labyrinth of metal scaffolding and sound machines. The highlights in the themed sections included: Costantino Nivola’s “Bozzetto per lo show-room Olivetti a New York”, 1953, plaster casting on sand and polychromy; Dalton Paula’s “Chico Rei”, 2024, gold leaf and oil on canvas; Pacita Abad’s “You Have to Blend In, Before You Stand Out”, 1995, oil, painted cloth, sequins, buttons on stitched and padded canvas; Fanny Sanin’s ”Oil No. 7”, 1969, oil on canvas; and Kim Yun Shin’s “Add Two Add One, Divide Two Divide One”, 1979, Korean red pine wood.

Piggybacking on the Biennale fanfare, numerous museums and converted palazzos and churches also staged wonderful shows all over the city. Stops included: The Peggy Guggenheim Collection which displayed its permanent collection of 20th century masterworks by leading European and American artists; the “William de Kooning and Italy” exhibit at Galerie dell’Accademia di Venezia; Pierre Huyghe’s “Liminal” at Punta della Dogana; Julie Mehretu’s “Ensemble” at Palazzo Grassi; the “Beati Pacifici: The Disasters of War and the Hope for International Peace” from the Bailey Collection at Chiesa San Samuele; and Berlinde De Bruyckere’s “City of Refuge III” installation at the Abbazia di San Giorgio Maggiore. Particularly memorable were: Pierre Huyghe’s “Offspring”, 2018, sensor based self-generative system for sound and light; Julie Mehretu’s “Among the Multitude XIII”, 2021-2022, ink and acrylic on canvas (48 x 60 in.) and “Black City”, 2007, ink and acrylic on canvas ( 120 x 192 in.); and magnificent de Kooning statues, including “Cross-Legged Figure”, 1972, bronze (edition of 7 plus 3 AP) and “Clamdigger”, 1972, bronze (edition of 7 plus 3AP). As for the Bailey and De Bruyckere exhibits, both were eerie and beautiful and set in surreal repurposed church spaces which were worth seeing on their own.

Meanwhile, crunch time hoops were being played in the new world. Regrettably Crazy Eyes and his Pacers were efficiently ousted by the Celtics, and with that, Dino fans on the legacy bandwagon were left a bit short of reliving glory days through the success of former players. The show nonetheless must go on, and the finals will tip off featuring the dominant Celtics and the surprising Mavericks and arguably the best guard matchups in the game. As for the Dinos, the focus turns to the upcoming draft and planning for next season. As of yet, neither Crazy Eyes nor OG-Wan Kenobe have signed with the teams they were traded to, and, by now, they surely must realize that change is overrated. So maybe, just maybe, is a return to Jurassic Park a possibility? Highly unlikely. The Biennale runs through November 2024. With the next edition two years away, it would be great if the Dino rebuild was on the same timeline, but that’s probably being a bit too optimistic. The next few years will truly test the mettle of fans.

For more information on the Biennale, the other exhibits and the ongoing Raptor reset, “Just Google It”.

There you have it sportsfans,

MC Giggers

(https://mcgiggers.tumblr.com)

Reporter’s Certification

I, MC Giggers, hereby certify that the views expressed in this report accurately reflect my personal views and that no part of my compensation was or will be, directly or indirectly, related to the specific views expressed herein.

I also certify that I may or may not own, directly or indirectly, works of artists mentioned in this report and that I may or may not have a strong bias for such artists and, more generally, for “Pictures of Nothing”.

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tynatunis · 1 year

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La suite royale de l'hôtel Bauer Palazzo. Des lustres de Murano, des meubles rembourrés, des miroirs et des armoires seront mis aux enchères. Photo courtoisie Artcurial Roberto Gobbo La grande vente aux enchères Artcurial met aux enchères les meubles, miroirs, verres de Murano, lustres, vaisselle de l'emblématique hôtel du Grand Canal. Il était une fois l' Hôtel Bauer Palazzo à Venise , avec sa vue magnifique sur San Giorgio Maggiore, Punta della Dogana et Santa Maria della Salute. Il est toujours là, mais une nouvelle vie va bientôt commencer. En attendant, pour se préparer à sa nouvelle apparence, il se débarrasse de l'ancien, avec une grande vente aux enchères promue par Artcurial à Paris du 24 au 29 avril, avec une avant-première italienne à Milan du 2 au 31 mars (in corso Venezia 22) #repost @ad_italia #Repost @ad_italia C’era una volta l’Hotel Bauer Palazzo di Venezia, con la sua magnifica vista su San Giorgio Maggiore, Punta della Dogana e Santa Maria della Salute. C’è ancora, ma inizierà a breve una nuova vita. Nel frattempo, per prepararsi alla sua nuova veste, si libera di quella antica, con una grande asta promossa da @artcurial__ a Parigi. Link in bio 📸 Roberto Gobbo ✍️ @elena_dallorso Once upon a time there was the Bauer Palazzo Hotel in Venice, with its magnificent view of San Giorgio Maggiore, Punta della Dogana and Santa Maria della Salute. It is still there, but it will soon begin a new life. In the meantime, to prepare for its new guise, it is getting rid of its old one with a major auction sponsored by Artcurial in Paris. https://www.instagram.com/p/CpS8UvvtRjF/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#repost

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agatha1515 · 2 years

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#art #bernardo bellotto #paint #View of the Grand Canal and the Dogana #1743 #oil on canvas

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artthatgivesmefeelings · 4 years

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Canaletto (Giovanni Antonio Canal) [Italian. 1697 - 1768] View of the Grand Canal towards the Punta della Dogana from Campo San Vio. 1740 - 5

#Canaletto #Giovanni Antonio Canal #italian #art #classical #italy #pier #punta della dogana

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allnightdiscoparty · 5 years

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View of the Grand Canal: Santa Maria della Salute and the Dogana from Campo Santa Maria Zobenigo (1743), Bernardo Belloto

#art #bernardo belloto

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artsof · 5 years

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The Grand Canal from San Vio, Venice | Canaletto | 1724 | Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection, Madrid

“The subject of The Grand Canal from San Vio, Venice was depicted by the artist on a number of occasions. In the present case the view, looking towards San Marco, opens in the right foreground with the palazzo Barbarigo where we see a woman leaning out of one of the windows and a man cleaning one of the chimneys. The wall of the façade that gives onto the campo, in which the artist included a number of figures, is decorated with a drawing of a boat and an inscription. The line of buildings on the right bank of the canal leads the eye to the dome of the Salute and the Punta di Dogana. On the other side Canaletto depicts the palazzo Corner della Ca’Grande and ends at the Riva degli Schiavoni. Both the brushstroke and the treatment of light are similar in these two canvases, although The Grand Canal from San Vio, Venice perhaps reveals more interest in creating effects of chiaroscuro, which is particularly notable in the boats in the right foreground that help to lead the eye into the composition. Canaletto achieved fine effects of colour and its nuances, successfully conveying the tones of the water, whose greenish tint contrasts with the large area of blue sky. Both The Piazza San Marco in Venice and The Grand Canal from San Vio, Venice were part of a series that was formerly in the Liechtenstein collection, Vienna. Two canvases in the Ca’Rezzonico, Venice, were also part of that series.artist brought to this genre. ”

#canaletto

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mulberrytravels-blog · 5 years

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Experience Lavishing, Venetian-Styled History & Culture At Gritti Palace Hotel, Venice

Are you travelling to Venice?

Do you want to explore this North-Italian city from a lavishing point of view?

Come and experience Venice from the iconic, lavishing, and plush chain of a luxury hotel of the city - Gritti Palace Hotel, Venice!

Nestled overlooking the Grand Canal in the heart of Venice, the world-famous Gritti Palace boasts some of Venice’s most lavishing hotels and Inns in the city. With its magnificent position; the hotel offers guests the most overwhelming and enthralling views of this lagoon city!

Right from the desert island of San Giorgio Maggiore to the landmarks of Punta Della Dogana, from Peggy Guggenheim Collection to Santa Maria Della Salute Basilica; you can see most of the must-see views and breathtaking natural vistas of the city from this palace hotel.

Synopsis Of Gritti Palace Hotel’s History

Dates back to 1475, this ancient and dignified palace-turned-luxury hotel is one of the most expensive and grand hotels of Venice to stay in. Providing an exceptional art culture and elegance of the rich Italian history; this palace hotel has been reassuringly intimate, accessible, and familiar to the guests and holidaymakers coming to Venice.

If you’re planning a Venice trip; do add Gritti Palace Hotel to your accommodation list! It is a perfectly peaceful retreat for those looking for a romantic and luxurious holiday in Venice. World-class arts, splendid architecture, delectable cuisines, and loads of water views, The Gritti Palace Hotel undoubtedly boasts the heart of the city of Venice.

The hotel itself is as beautiful, as charming, and as romantic as Venice is. The George Clooney styled luxury, the original artworks in the interior, the sumptuous rooms and suites, and of course the most delicious locale cuisines – this luxurious palace hotel has an alluring hint of everything that a modern traveller can look forward to.

Why Should You Stay At the Gritti Palace Hotel?

1. The rooms here are elegantly beautiful and breathtakingly charming, boasting traditional Venetian decors, antique furnishings, and glass chandeliers.

2. Gritti Palace Hotel, Venice is located at the most dazzling and teeming stretch of the Grand Canal; overlooking Venice’s most beautiful church - Santa Maria Della Salute!

3. The hotel is home to hundreds of precious vintage paintings and priceless artefacts which altogether add to the beauty of this place.

4. The palace’s intimate, socially-rich, and historic character and appearances have been restored in the hotel for providing guests an illusion of 15th-century Venetian palazzo.

5. From the courteous and friendly staff to 24-hour room service, bar, delicious foods, golf course, restaurant, and much more – this lavishing palace hotel has plenty of modern and classic amenities for you.

6. Rooms and suites, retaining the Venetian period splendour alongside the marble-clad bathrooms are filled with vintage paintings, precious antiques, frescoes, and fine-looking fabrics.

#Orient Express Day Trips #London to Venice Train

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thewasteland2 · 3 years

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Venice (Veneto). St. Mark's square. Another landing in Venice, a magical city, beyond its exhausting consumerist exploitation. Fabulous arrival at the station, visit of the southern area (region, university, la Salute) and natural return (on foot) to San Marco. Let's see: a) east access to the Grand Canal with a view of the Dogana and the emblematic basilica of Santa Maria della Salute (1631, baroque); b) the Clock Tower (Renaissance, 1496), represents the entrance to piazza San Marco with its door. It is a particular watch that at certain times and periods shows its multiple magic. c) Basilica of San Marco (IX century), "golden church". I do not venture into further descriptions, long and superfluous; d) glimpse of the basilica of San Marco (828, 1063) and of the ducal palace (9th century, baroque); e) Lion of St. Mark on the Balbi Palace (XVI century); f) Column of San Marco (12th century) with the bell tower in the background, in a nebulous version. #fabulous #magical #arrival #beyond #another #square #southern #venice #venezia #veneto #sanmarco #landing #university #salute #canal #renaissance #magic #background #travel #traveling #visiting #instatravel #travelling #tourism #instatraveling #travelgram #travelingram #massimopistis #sovVERSIvi #estremisti Information for the purchase of my new book "Estremisti!": the book at a cost of 12.00 euros (120 pages), can be ordered in bookstores (ISBN 978-88-591-5719-9 - Publisher Aletti) or online on the page http://www.alettieditore.it/emersi/2019/pistis.html from the link below. https://www.instagram.com/p/CWoYrvQt3Zj/?utm_medium=tumblr

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hellovadimme · 3 years

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Лондонская Национальная галерея

#музеи #музеилондона

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rr153624 · 4 years

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Τουρισμός: Διακοπές στην Βενετία

Punta della Dogana: είναι μουσείο τέχνης που χωρίζει το Grand Canal και το Giudecca Canal.

Ponte dell Academia: είναι ξύλινη γέφυρα στο Grand Canal που κατασκευάστηκε το 1933 και προσφέρει όμορφη θέα της πόλης.

Rialto Bridge: είναι η παλαιότερη γέφυρα της πόλης που κτίστηκε το 1180 μ.Χ. και βρίσκεται στο Grant Canal. Χωρίζει δύο πλατείες της πόλης, την San Marco και την San Polo. Παλαιότερα…

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micaramel · 4 years

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Artists: Maria Bartuszová, Elaine Cameron-Weir, Lin May Saeed, Trevor Shimizu, Erika Verzutti

Venue: VIN VIN, Vienna as part of curated by, Vienna

Exhibition Title: Crumple

Date: September 8 – 26, 2020

Curated By: Emily Watlington

Click here to view slideshow

Full gallery of images, press release and link available after the jump.

Images:

Images courtesy of the artists; VIN VIN, Vienna; Alison Jacques, London; Jacky Strenz, Frankfurt, Hannah Hoffman, Los Angeles. Photos by Flavio Palasciano.

Press Release:

Crumple brings together art objects concerned with the hybrid space between fragility and permanence. The works mine humble materials, be they fragile, quotidian, or provisional. All exude a certain vulnerability, and even humility, yet nonetheless, all are material objects.

Likening the humbleness of their materials to that of their message, the works make principled points without preaching, or avoid grand statements altogether. Some of the artists—such as Elaine Cameron-Weir (b. 1985, Canadian) and Maria Bartuszová (1936–1996, Slovak)— emphasize their work’s materiality, without endeavoring to transcend it. In her 2019 wall piece, as elsewhere in her work, Cameron-Weir emphasizes the hybrid delicacy and durability of industrial and functional objects: in this case, laboratory lattices and parachute harnesses. Bartuszová sculpts using plaster: she favored the material’s provisional connotations. The stacked sections comprising Untitled (1968–9) exude simultaneous precarity and sturdiness.

On the other end of the spectrum, Lin May Saeed’s (b. 1973, Iraqi-German) sculpture and relief comment on human-animal relations. Bilal (Pyramid) (2014) is based on a visit to Egypt, where the artist saw many stray dogs. Saeed’s chosen material—styrofoam—is prone to crumbling, yet also rather permanent: it does not biodegrade. The twinned pitiful and attractive qualities of Saeed’s styrofoam mimic the way one often perceives stray dogs, for whom the artist seeks to evoke empathy. Her strategy differs starkly from that of wagging fingers at human perpetrators, yet the live plants placed atop the structure gently remind us that all species are part of one ecosystem and are interdependent. Similarly, her styrofoam relief Hammar Marshes (2015) reflects on the dehydration of Iraqi marshlands—likely the site of the Garden of Eden—due to climate change. Even this sacred site is vulnerable. Nature is also found in Erika Verzutti’s (b. 1971, Brazillian) wall relief and Trevor Shimizu’s (b. 1978, American) two paintings. Verzutti deeply reveres natural beauty, and her practice is driven by the question: why does nature make certain things beautiful, even when it serves no obvious evolutionary function? For Dieta (2018), she cast bananas—which are abundant in her native Brazil—using papier-mâché, creating one-to-one copies of nature rather than endeavoring to subsume or outdo it. Similarly, Shimizu paints animals and mushrooms, but eschews the trope of sublime beauty common to landscape painting. He also does not attempt to “master” his medium. In Pigs, Horses, Birds (2016), he leaves the canvas unstretched, while the canvas for Shrooms 1 (2017) is small and most of its surface unpainted.

It is a pleasant coincidence that crumple and humble rhyme imperfectly.

Mária Bartuszová (b. 1936 in Prague, Czechoslovakia – d. 1996 in Košice, Slovakia)

Upcoming solo exhibitions: Tate Modern, London, November 2020. Solo exhibitions include: Alison Jacques Gallery, London, UK, 2016; Museum of Modern Art, Warsaw, Poland, 2014; Slovak National Gallery Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia, 2005; Group exhibitions include, among others: Pinault Collection, Punta della Dogana, Palazzo Grassi, 2020; Museum Susch, Switzerland, 2018; Lévy Gorvy, New York, USA, 2018; Tate St Ives, UK; travelled to Pallant House Gallery, Chichester, UK; The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, UK, 2018; Whitechapel Gallery, London, UK, 2018; Hepworth Wakefield Gallery, West Yorkshire, UK, 2017; Kunstmuseum Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany, 2014; The Goetz Collection, Munich, Germany, 2013; Palazzo Reale, Milan, Italy, 2013.

Trevor Shimizu (b. 1978 in Santa Rosa, California, USA)

Trevor Shimizu had solo and two person exhibition at, among others: 47 Canal, New York, 2020; ICA Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 2020; Mendes Wood DM, São Paulo, Brazil, 2018; Galerie Christine Mayer, Munich, Germany, 2017; Magenta Plains, New York, NY, 2016; Misako & Rosen, Tokyo, Japan, 2015.

Lin May Saeed (b. 1973 in Würzburg, Germany)

Lin May Saeed had solo exhibitions among others, at: The Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, USA (June – October 2020); What Pipeline, Detroit, USA (September 2019); Jacky Strenz Galerie, Frankfurt am Main, Germany (May 2019); Studio Voltaire, London, UK, (June – August 2018). Group exhibitions include, among others: Ujazdowski Castle Centre for Contemporary Art Warsaw, PL (June – October 2020); Palais de Tokyo, Paris, FR (June – September 2019); Schirn Kunsthalle, Frankfurt am Main, DE (November 2018 / February 2019); MUMOK, museum moderner kunst stiftung ludwig, Vienna (June – November 2018); Museo Castello di Rivoli, Turin, IT (March – September 2018). Upcoming: Castello di Rivoli Museo d’Arte Contemporanea, RivoliTorino, IT (October 2021 – February 2022).

Erika Verzutti (b. 1971 in São Paulo, Brazil)

Erika Verzutti had solo exhibitions, among others, at: Aspen Art Museum, 2019; Centre Pompidou, 2019; Misako & Rosen, 2018; Andrew Kreps Gallery, 2018; Sculpture Center, New York, 2015; Alison Jacques Gallery, 2015. Group exhibitions include, among others: Pio Pico, Los Angeles, 2020; Peter Freeman Inc., New York, 2019; Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac, London, 2019. Group exhibitions include, among others: Mendes Wood, 2018; 57th La Biennale di Venezia, 2017; Galerie Neu, 2016; Guggenheim, New York (2014).

Elaine Cameron-Weir (b. in 1985 in Alberta, Canada)

Elaine Cameron-Weir had solo exhibitions among others, at: JTT, New York, 2019; Sadie Coles, London, 2019; Storm King Art Center, New York, NY USA, 2018; Dortmund Kunstverein, Dortmund, Germany, 2018; New Museum, New York, NY USA, 2017; Hannah Hoffman, Los Angeles, CA USA, 2017. Group exhibitions include, among others: Gió Marconi, Milan, Italy, 2019; Magenta Plains, New York, NY USA, 2019; Ramiken Crucible, New York, NY, USA, 2018; Simon Lee Gallery, Hong Kong, China, 2017; Luxembourg & Dayan, New York, USA, 2017; La Biennal de Montreal, Montreal, Canada, 2016.

Emily Watlington is a critic and curator of contemporary art. She is assistant editor at Art in America, and was previously the curatorial research assistant at the MIT List Visual Arts Center. She is a Fulbright Scholar and has taught in the Department of Architecture at MIT. Her work often focuses on video art through the lenses of feminism and disability studies. She holds a SMArchS in the History, Theory, and Criticism of Architecture and Art from MIT, and has given talks at numerous institutions including the University of California, Berkeley; Rhode Island School of Design; the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston; and Museo Reina Sofia, Madrid. Her writing has appeared in numerous publications including: Artforum, Mousse, Frieze, Another Gaze, Spike, and Art Review, and has been translated into German, French, and Croatian. Recently, she contributed to the exhibition catalogues Before Projection: Video Sculpture 1974-1995, Sheida Soleimani: Medium of Exchange, and An Inventory of Shimmers: Objects of Intimacy in Contemporary Art. She received the Vera List Writing Prize in the Visual Arts (2018) and the Theorist Award from C/O Berlin (2020).

Link: “Crumple” at VIN VIN

The post "Crumple" at VIN VIN first appeared on Contemporary Art Daily.

from Contemporary Art Daily https://bit.ly/2ZTzJcp

#micaramel

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sarashahzad99 · 4 years

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The Grand Canal looking East from Campo San Vio towards the Bacino

This is one of a series called “The Grand Canal looking East from Campo San Vio towards the Bacino” (c.1727-28, Oil on canvas) of twelve views by Canaletto of the Grand Canal which are all the same format. Canaletto captured moments of daily life and the picturesque beauty of his native city, imaginatively transforming them from prosaic transcriptions of reality into works of art. I chose this painting to study because I liked how Canaletto use atmospheric effects and strong local colours. there is less chaos compared to his other paintings. The Grand Canal from San Vio, the present case the view, looking towards San Marco, opens in the right foreground with the palazzo Barbarigo where we see a woman leaning out of one of the windows and bunch of guys on the ground having a good time. The wall of the façade that gives onto the campo, in which the artist included a number of figures, is decorated with a drawing of a boat and an inscription. The line of buildings on the right bank of the canal leads the eye to the dome of the Salute and the Punta di Dogana. On the other side Canaletto depicts the palazzo Corner della Ca’Grande and ends at the Riva degli Schiavoni. The the brushstroke and the treatment of light reveals more interest in creating effects of chiaroscuro, which is particularly notable in the boats in the right foreground that help to lead the eye into the composition. Canaletto achieved fine effects of colour and its nuances, successfully conveying the tones of the water, whose greenish tint contrasts with the large area of blue sky. I noticed that the oil -on-panel demonstrate Canaletto’s ability to create mythological worlds. The paint strokes suggest they were painted quickly, over skies already laid on the panel.

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jo-shanevenice18 · 5 years

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A Couple of Easy Ones Around the Town

4-5/05/2018: A couple of days to go and we've done what we wanted, Murano, Burano, Padova. We done plenty last time we were here but just looking around is what's best about this city. We have two days of exploring, go our separate ways and find stuff, whether planned or not.

Planning the day

Friday, we wandered out mid-morning after working out the garbage regime. Shane & Jo their direction, Cecilia hers and the boys theirs. We wanted another Venetian mask but could not remember where the shop that we got the last one was located. Knowing where the palazzo was where we stayed last time was a help and our memories and the shop's relation to it worked out fine.

We headed toward Saint Toma vaporetto stop and found the courtyard of the palazzo. From there it was easy, back along the alley where it met Calle Centani, turn left and there it was just a few metres away. An interesting aside was that we found a store with nice leather bags. We intended to return later on in the day to buy a handbag for Jo.

Calle Centani, the laneway to our last place

We looked at several masks and the one we liked most was nearly three hundred euro so we kept looking. Several masks resembled the mask that we bought from this shop the last time we were here but we weren't sure just what it looked like except that it was a female mask with musical notation as a theme. Jo got Mitch to send a photo of the mask to her phone and we ended up picking one similar, except male this time. This one cost one hundred and eighty Euros cash. We didn't want to carry it around all day so we gave the dude one hundred, said that we would collect it later and moved on.

Shop full of masks

The next task was to head to Stazione di Venezia Santa Lucia to buy the train tickets to Florence that we would need in a couple of days time, casually taking in the experience of walking the streets, tourists and all. We aimed to find somewhere for a tea and coffee and a snack on the way but came across a little hole in the wall bar on sun bathed Campo dei Tolentini, bounded by the sizable Chiesa di San Nicola da Tolentino with its Corinthian portico at the front and Rio del Tolentini directly opposite. Bacareto de Lele was packed with people queuing onto the fondamenta so something good was happening. People were hanging around eating and drinking where they stood so Shane joined the line to end up getting a couple of small wines and small bread rolls with porchetta.

Campo dei Tolentini

Standing room only

The wines came to one Euro sixty and the rolls the same. We had an excellent snack for just over three Euro and used the ornate balustrade of the steps leading to Ponte dei Tonentini as a table. Sometimes it’s the small things you experience that stick in your mind.

Enjoying the sunshine

Unlike our last train trip from Florence to Venice where we had to change trains at Bologna and carry all the bags from one platform, down and back upstairs to an adjacent platform, all the time looking for the first class carriages, this one was direct on the Frecciarossa so Aunty Cecilia wouldn't be a burden given her crook back, difficulty in keeping up and given the limited time available. Business class cost us about fifty seven euro (ninety dollars) each. We were to leave Venice at twelve thirty for a two hour and five minute journey.

Pietro Paleòcapa seated in Giardini Papadopoli, a leafy bit of green space near the station. We sat on a park bench enjoying the solitude and green space until gate crashed by twenty odd seven to ten year old school kids. We knew when we were defeated and gladly gave up our seat for them.

We then decided to catch the vaporetto to Saint Marco stop and walk back, so after purchasing seventy five minute tickets we waited patiently on Pontoon B to take the number two boat. A boat arrived as we hit the pontoon but there was so many people that we missed it. We did however manage to get on the next boat about fifteen minutes later but were packed in like sardines. Quite uncomfortable. No sight seeing on this trip but as people got off at Rialto more room became available. Upon disembarking at San Marco, although we were a part of the problem, we tried to get away from the tourists. There were thousands. We followed the throng through the streets back toward the Rialto Bridge window shopping as we went.

People queuing to get into Saint Mark's Basilica

A bit of room in the piazza today

When the bridge came into view to our left, we kept on straight ahead, moving away from it. Jo noticed an interesting bar on our right, Bacaro Jazz. We headed in for a drink. This place focused on jazz music and had it on the television non stop. It also had a ceiling totally covered in women's bras. It was quite interesting as was our conversation with other couples in there. One from Brittany who emphasised that Parisiennes were not indicative of people from other areas of France and some Canadians who we agreed to not call Americans if they didn't call us New Zealanders. It was all in jest and good fun.

Interesting ceiling

From there we headed back to the mask shop to complete our purchase as well as an Italian hand bag for Jo, returning our goodies to the apartment before hunting down Cecilia at her favourite haunt, sucking on a few vinos and her vaping stick. Another wine and we were off to freshen up for dinner.

Cecilia's locale

Since this would be our last restaurant dinner in Venice, we headed for a place where we had a good feed last time we were here, Ristorante Due Colonne near Campo San Agostin. The place was painted white this time and a lot brighter. After another enjoyable meal were retired back to the apartment for a failed attempt at Dictionary, another at Celebrity Heads but a successful game of Pass the Pigs before bed. Part of the entertainment was the drunken music session with Thomas blowing in a bottle, Beau popping his cheeks and Jo flicking her wine glass. Meanwhile Cecilia was filming and pissing herself laughing while Shane was standing behind Jo and unbeknownst to her, lowering his daks when in frame.

A good day exploring today. Tomorrow should be good as well.

Saturday was our last day in Venice which would be spent as was yesterday, taking it easy and looking around again. First things first though, the Jets played Victory in the A League Grand Final this morning our time. 7:50pm at home was ten to twelve here. We should have been able to lob on up to a bar and watch it. As luck would have it there was nowhere around that televised the match. What an insult, Italians not being interested in Australian football. The internet was too slow as well so we had to miss out.

Anyway, we just wandered around again, got lost and done our thing. Cecilia, Jo and Shane headed out leaving the boys to their own devices but within a hundred metres, Cecilia had dropped off leaving Jo and Shane remaining. We had only one thing to take care of today, namely another Italian leather bag from the Chinese shop nearby (unfortunately it’s a reality), but from a different tangent. We decided to look at the other side of the canal and end up, if we couldn't find any elsewhere to buy them, at the leather bag shop that was somewhere near the apartment.

With Cecilia doing her own thing we headed towards the market area at Rialto where the aftermath of the morning fish markets was underway.

Still plenty to choose from at lunch time

Seafood was still in some stalls but many were practically empty. Might reflect the price put on their product. Most stalls however were finished and packing up. The only winners at this stage were the huge gulls hanging around. As big as the Californian ones we experienced around Monterey a few years ago. They were particularly interesting as though very cautious if approached, were sifting through the wrapping and containers for a morsel of leftovers. They needn't have been bothered too much as they were big enough to take a finger off if they wanted. One product that was still plentiful was bags of mussels for a couple of Euro each. We didn't bother but should have taken a couple of bags home for an easy dinner.

They're all winners here

Fish Market price list

Following an interesting look at the Rialto seafood goodies, we jumped on the vaporetto and headed to the Salute stop, just across from San Marco. Disembarking in beautiful sunshine, we were greeted by another minor basilica, this time Santa Maria della Salute. We were now on Fondamenta Salute and Punta della Dogana, the triangular peninsula nestled between the Grand and Giudecca Canals. The location of the contemporary art gallery, also called Punta della Dogana and the Dogana da Mar, one of Venice's old customs buildings, right at the tip. There were plenty of young couples taking it easy around the area giving at a romantic feel.

Santa Maria della Salute

San Marco from Dogana da Mar

Fondamenta Zattere Ai Saloni was the path facing Giudecca, the island across the way. This is where we headed and for the next ten minutes there were bugger all tourists. We weren't sure of the area though and were keen to get back to the Grand Canal, get our bearings and make sure we were going the right way. More photos of an area that seemed that it may have been an upper class spot saw us back with the tourists.

Rio de la Fornace. Nice spot

At this time Jo needed to go to the loo so we walked back look for a restaurant as it was also time to eat. Jo's bladder had led us to Al Gondolieri, where we could sit down and have a break, a feed and a wee. Her bladder had also led us to a Michelin Star restaurant where surprisingly, although things were pretty ritzy, like two hundred plus euro bottle of wine, had cheaper options for the plebs, which we took.

The entrée, chosen by Jo was deep fried zucchini flowers with our mains being half serves of a beef dish for Jo and calves' liver for Shane. We also managed to find a twenty seven euro bottle of Pino Grigio (which surprisingly in Italian is Pinot Grigio), relaxed for an hour and can report that the meal was excellent. Something to chew on besides spaghetti or pizza. The half portions were very generous and tasted delicious. The whole meal was good. Half size aside, lunch still cost one hundred and ten euro.

Excellent feed at Al Gondolieri

We then kept pushing (literally) towards our apartment, navigating the laneways and bridges until we again arrived at our front door, an hour late for our wine tasting at Vineria all'Amarone. Our only two stops on our return leg was a visit to a Leonardo da Vinci exhibition at Chiesa di San Barnaba which held had a display of the contraptions that Leonardo invented, perfected, stole or otherwise and the Chinese Italian shop where we bought a leather bag for overnight trips. One hundred and ninety nine Euro reduced to one sixty six cash for the bag and a lot less for the Homer Simpson Vitruvian Man tee shirt.

Leonardo's contraptions

As we arrived back at the Flamini joint, Cecilia was getting up from her Nanna nap and the boys were just hanging around the apartment. Jo stayed outside, sniffing around a pending wedding, whilst everyone else mustered for the wine tasting. Flowery decorations adorned the stair rails of the adjacent church and a young bloke in wedding garb was hanging around the front. Something was going on.

Love is in the air

Once arrived at Vineria all'Amarone, we chose to sit outside, five tasting glasses each, half a glass in each. Jo took white wines and the rest of us took Italian regional reds. An interesting experience but after tasting all of the reds for a bit under forty Euro, the wines back at the apartment that cost five to six euro a bottle tasted pretty similar. Soon after, every one retired back to have a rest while Shane picked up some pasta and sauces for dinner and stopped at the bottl'o on the way back.

The owner was upset that we didn't take the better (more expensive) option. Amarone wine

When he arrived back at the apartment, he was surprised that the Nannas were out on the balcony sipping on meloncello rather than having their afternoon ritual, the Nanna nap. The church across the road was hosting a big fat Italian wedding and there was plenty of entertainment (and waiting) to be had. Plenty of music and singing was coming from inside where eventually after all the wedding guests had exited the church, out come the bride and groom. Quite an occasion.

Big fat Italian wedding

Family photo

It was at this point that we thought that we would settle in for the night. Our last night in Venice would be a quiet one. Then all hell broke loose around the corner in Campo Silvestro. We went about our business for a while but the commotion got the better of us. The hard surfaces of the square echoed loudly down the narrow laneways, so much so that we headed over for a look at what was going on. The answer was simple, the local bar, Altrove 360⁰ Bar had a band on. Sort of like an Italian Blues Brothers and they were pretty good. The crowd stood around in a large ring, surrounding the entertainment that was perched up against the wall of the bar. We joined a scant crowd, but it wasn't too long before the word (or racket) had got around and the crowd swelled as darkness approached. Back to the A League Final being played in our home town. Our team, Newcastle Jets were robbed by poor refereeing. An early and blatant offside goal by Melbourne Victory was given the all clear by a linesman who obviously wasn't up to the task. The joke and obvious embarrassment to the FFA was that the VAR wasn't working at the time. Television picked it up okay but not the experts. At the music, across from us was some Melbourne Victory supporters in their jerseys. A bit of friendly banter, acknowledgement from the Victory fans that we were robbed and it was back to the entertainment, complete with Cecilia, Jo and Beau getting on the dance moves.

Great entertainment at Altrove 360⁰ Bar

Strange thing. Out of nowhere came a bunch of youngens and started a tug-o-war. They disappeared as quickly as they came.

We spent the rest of the night in the square, enjoying the music and the antics of the muso's.

When in Venice, do what the Venetians do (or the tourists)

Plenty of entertainment, plenty of beer and no packing for our departure tomorrow as we depart for Florence on one of the fast trains.

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