VENICE

The Last Blog

The pictures cover the trip to and in Venice.

Basically, there are three kinds, snaps for clarification, "National Geographic" for showing the city, and Fun for fun

Enjoy

Studying the geopgraphy to get ready to move around. San Marco Square is on the screen

We left at 9 at night to take the ferry to the mainland. From the mainland, we took an overnight ferry to Bari in Italy. It was big. Seven truck lanes wide with two full decks of vehicles. You can see Maria and Antonis the next morning getting things back into the car for the drive to Rome.

Going through the original wall from Roman times around the core of the city.

The plan was to stay overnight and I would go on by train to Venice the next day.

They had planned to stay in Rome to leave the car for registration renewal and repair.

From the train station in Venice, I took the "Vaporetto". That is Italian for Steamboat and remains the name from the old time when they were steamboats. They are the bus service. Think of every kind of vehicle you would see in a major city and you have that kind of boat plying the waters.

The light was just perfect on the church of San Giogio Maggiore

My first view of La Residencia, the hotel. Once a home for a family it is now a hotel with private families living on the top floor.

I was immediately taken with the ceiling light fixture

Breakfast the next morning in the second-floor living room. This is one half of it.

Out exploring. Some of the streets are really narrow.

I find shortcuts. Old streets that are marked, Otherwise I would never know.

 Looking for the Maritime Museum I come across an official boat leaving a military installation, very old

In the foreground an empty Vaporetto, behind it one of the bus stops, and in the distance the San Marco bell tower

I get on a Vaporetto for the Grand Canal

The variety is beautiful

And some, stunning

I would not mind this outside my front door

Approaching the Rialto Bridge

The bus comes to the end of it's "line" and I get on another bus to go back

Someone reading this blog will know I was thinking of them when I made this image

Leaving Rialto Bridge

In 1630 Venice had a severe plague epidemic. To celebrate recovery a Baroque Basilica, St Mary's of Health was built

Shooting San Marco and the Doge's Palace

The two celebratory columns and the Clocktower

It had gotten cloudy. On the left is a 500-year-old public library, the San Marco Bell Tower, and the Doge's Palace.

Back at the hotel I can not get over the light fixtures

The next day a dear friend, of Maria and Antonis walks me to Ariana's Master's recital.
She is an architect and historian of Venice. On the way, she shows me some examples of superior work.

Literally around the corner

We stop outside an exclusive handbag store. She explains that the architect designed the various colored stone to be installed in the floor to direct browsing.

An eyeglass store window. Over $600

Sophisticated design, over $850

At the music school that Napolean asked to have established when he was in Venice in the early 1800's.

It was originally a private family residence. This is the courtyard. The recital was in the room at the center top

Ready to begin

Performing

After the performance the committee questioned her on her 50 page written part of the degree requirements. She passed with an A.  Applause

Ariana wanted to listen to a friends recital so the group went for campai

Ariana's accompanist, Elena her sister, and a musical student friend

On the way back I explored

A canal restaurant

A tight corner, pun intended

Gondola photographers

We left the hotel at 6 for the Vaporetto, Tran, Bus, Airplane trip back to Corfu

Magical at that time of the day

On the way to the airport. Small car or small bike?

And on the plane, "Are you taking my picture?"

Arrivederci