Everywhere you look...
...is another postcard view.
The first trip along the Canale Grande...
... feels like you are entering a fairy tale.
It is so spectacular... its almost unbelievable....
The hot chocolates are like eating pure melted chocolate...
In a Venice bar for breakfast.
Travelling along the canal.
Didn't realise how slow the No 1 Vaporetto line was and how many stops there were.
We nearly missed our tour of the Doge's palace - actually we did miss the start but they let us re-schedule to later in the day.
Hanging around in Piazza San Marco waiting for our 'Secret Itineraries' tour of the Palazzo Ducale. It got crowded pretty quickly.
The Palazzo Ducale (Doge's Palace) and San Marco (St Mark's).
The obligatory....
Inside the piazza of the Palazzo Ducale looking towards San Marco.
The golden staircase. You walk up this on the way into the palace - apparently its 22 carat gold.
San Marco - from inside the palazzo.
The heavy demands of so much Renaissance art and culture take their toll. We spent almost the whole day in the Palazzo Ducale. After the secret itineraries tour, which took us through the back spaces, Casanova's cell, the Bridge of Sighs and the ceiling areas, there was room after room after room of incredible paintings, unbelievably ornate ceilings, weapons, armour and more more more.
Looking across the piazza from one grand space to another.
Walking through the Bridge of Sighs.
Nice butt....
After a hard day at the palace we headed out into the streets and canals of San Marco.
We had a bout 15 minutes of rain in our otherwise 3 glorious days in Venice.
Venetian window - enchanting!
Afternoon in Cannaregio
It didn't take long to find the gelati and there is no shortage of places to sit and eat it while admiring the view.
The Grand Canal - magic at night too.
On our second day in Venice, Felicity stayed in bed with a headache, so the boys and I headed in and jumped on the Vaporetto to Murano. We were rounded up and taken to watch a bit of glassblowing when we arrived. Afterwards, we spent a few hours wandering around checking out the sights of Murano. As luck would have it, we found a nice park and not far down the alley a supermarket that happened to have roast chickens and roast potatoes on for lunch. So I proposed a picnic roast in the park - it didn't take much persuading!!
The streets and canals of Murano.
Church in Murano - can't remember the name.
Murano views.
Afternoon wander through San Polo & Santa Croce.
Back street bridge in Cannaregio - lovely and quiet.
Hating Venice !!
Afternoon sun on the canals - magical.
On the Vaporetto looking back into the sunset.
From this - up close...
...to this from a distance. The work of a Ukrainian artist on show in the Biennale. Using traditional, individually painted eggs to create a larger, more 'classical' image.
Rialto Mercato...fantastico!
This confectionary shop stopped us in our tracks.
Gelati rations, reduced to two double scoops a day - tough times !
On our third day in Venice we picked up our chocolate bread, fruit, cheeses and salamis at the market as usual and made our way to Fondamente Nuove to take the Vaporetto to Burano and Torcello.
These are reputed to be Venice's oldest buildings (639CE)
Interior of Santa Foscara Church.
Admiring the Venetian-Byzantine architecture.
We returned from Torcello and spent the afternoon wandering around the dazzling, technicolour streets of Burano.
Burano house.
The captivating streets and canals of Burano.
On our next three days in Italy, we hired a little fiat from San Marco airport and ventured out on a few excursions. The first was up to the Passo di Promolo on the Austrian border for a walk in the Carnic Alps.
It felt like Heidi country!
We got to the top, lost our way and had to return in the same direction. On the way down I rolled my ankle on a lose stone - so painfull. Had to walk-hobble all the way back to the car leaning on a pair of sticks the boys found along the road side.
The cabins we stayed in at Alba D'oro.
Not spectacular but they did the job - the air-con worked, the showers were hot and the price was very reasonable.
On the way up to the Dolomites we drove through Belluno. The old town was lovely - we picked up our supplies, including excellent maps at the Tourist Information Office and continued on to Parco Nazionale Dolomiti Bellunesci.
Views from the piazza in Belluno
Arriving at the Largo del Mis
We spent a few hours on little walks around the lake and up through the surrounding hills - very picture-skew
The mist began rolling in and it really was the Largo del Mis!!
The very friendly guy selling us more of that Italian ' pure melted chocolate' hot chocolate directed us across the bridge to explore 'I Cadini del Brenton' - a series of descending pools fed from a thundering waterfall. In true Aussie style we took a quick dip - momentary is probably a better word!
1..2...3...in! Actually it took quite a bit longer!
Relaxing after our visit to the Giotto frescoes in the Scrovengi Chapel in Padua.
Visiting the Giotto frescoes in Padua - first you sit in a sealed room with the rest of the group of 25 to stabilise your body temperature, then you get to go in for exactly 20 minutes. The frescoes are magnificient and you really can see the major thrust forward in Renaissance Art here.
Drinks in funky cafe in Padua.
Wandering around the old town of Padua.
Sitting on the steps of a piazza looking at...
...the Palazzo della Ragione. Great frescoes in here too.
Composition by Jordy.
Prato della Valle in Padua's old town had a market and community fun run on the Saturday we were there.
The gelati fest - not over yet!
Magnificent fruit at the Padua market. Bought a kilo of fresh figs for 1.5 euro - bargain!
Our last Sunday morning but we didn't waste it. Packed up our bags, stored them at the airport and had another pleasant amble around Venice.
Venetian window - so good!
Cannaregio Canal.
Chocolate meringue - he finally got one and doesn't he look pleased!
Traghetto crossing from to Ca' Doro to San Polo.
Stylistic interpretations...
Santa Croce
Eating bruschetta, warm bread and a range of salamis in a little bar in Calle del Tintor on the way back to Pizzale Roma. They had great coffee too, 'Cafe Americano', better than the lattes they served in other places.
No comments:
Post a Comment