Le Colombelle Venice

... Ages through the Renaissance, and connects the works on canvas to the sculptural works that preceded them. We were glad that we visited here last , because it tied together everything that had come before. (The Rick Steeves audio guides helped tremendously!)

Tomorrow, we set out for our road trip through Tuscany and, hopefully, a couple of days at a less hectic pace, visiting the hill towns on our way back to Rome.

Can't believe we only have two days left!

... man in order to attempt to salvage his dead father’s soul. Regardless of the intent, it is an amazing site for both artistic and religious reasons.
The rest of the day was spent driving the Autostrada from Padua to Florence. Up and down mountain with gigantic trucks weaving across the lane lines, everyone at maximum speed and tailgaiting like nothing you would ever see in the U. S. And, yet,

Blog Day 5 (Venice 2), Wednesday, December 9
We rose well-rested and after enjoying the hotel’s breakfast buffet, set off for St. Mark’s Square, where we spent most of our day. With the national holiday crowds dispersed, it finally paid off to be here in the off season! There were no lines for the Basillica or any of the “extra” (“for a small fee”) attractions on the square. It is no longer allowed to feed the pigeons, with the positive result ...

... What a magical place this is: unique beyond description. Our first stop was the Accademia Museum, home to a nearly overwhelming array of Venetian Renaissance Art. Next, we headed to the Basilica Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari. This church, built over two centuries, is typically Gothic in architecture style, but inside the aisles and every nook and cranny hold a succession of art treasures, each more surprising than the last. It is one of the ...

... of fruit, and waited until we could check in.

When the owner got there, he informed us that the hostel had been shut down for winter, so he was housing us in hotel rooms. He gave a 3 person room to the girls, and Steve had to stay in a room with another guy, but he was only staying for one night so he didn’t really care. We were all very pleased with our rooms, but so tired from the ...

... beer, we asked if they had wine instead and they invited us into their cart where they opened a side compartment and fished out some nice Italian wine. It was the perfect accompaniment to the Roman sunset.
The sun finally finished setting (Summer sunsets take a lot longer up North) and Rome glittered with lights. As we walked back down through the dark park we discovered that the music in the plaza below was in aid of the Moon Festival. We didn’t know what it was ...

... into the city.        We disembarked at Piazalle Roma, the bus terminal in Venice, and dragged our luggage around for a bit looking for the nearest vaporetto station.  Vaporettos are the public water buses that transport people along the Grand Canal, Venice's main waterway.   If you can snag a seat outside in the front or rear of the boat, you've got the best view for gazing out into the magnificent facades ...

... actually opens (a rare thing), and he contributes to the education of this fellow's family. The mood he creates in the walkways around the station is greatly appreciated, and the couple in front of us break into what looks a bit like a cross between a Pride of Erin and a Tango. We try to follow their lead, but collapse in a tangle of legs and arms. Later on , another accordion player jumps into our train carriage, and we experience the other side ...

... nicknamed a Flion ha ha. The only thing which got on our wick was you had to pay a euro to use the bogs! (just like Helsinki) It must a Euro-pee-an thing! We had to resort to going to McDonalds for a McP, or if challenged by a member of staff a McP with lies. Just watching the gondolas cruising up ad down conjures up romatic images and of course that old advert for Justa one cornetto, give ita to me...... It also reminds me of the time Belfast council ...

... pass a flashy modern self-service restaurant. Miryam looks longingly at the array of food under the glass partitions. "Not here" I say, "Let's go native". The directions seem clear, but when you actually try to follow them at night, they seem to take you into Dante's Inferno. The alleys of Venice may seem charming by day, but by night they are ill lit, cold, twist and turn in all directions and look extremely dangerous. In fact, they are not ...