The Arsenale Biennale D9

I had breakfast at the hotel for the first time. It was quite nice for a change to have yogurt and a nectarine! Then I walked over the strangely grand wooden bridge and watched a boy with the family fox terrier biting his shoe. Then I walked across the grand area of St Mark's and thought of the Place de Concord in Paris. The sun was already beating down and I took refuge in a small park area with a water fountain. 

I met Laurens and her tall knowledgable husband Pierre and we went to see the first two pavillions together - Chile and the experience of tunneling down into wetlands, and the strange ghostly world of Italy with the arrival of Charon. I also enjoyed the whale song, the huge hands, the fire and water of Malta, the strange dreams of Slovenia, the textiles of the Phillipines, the laughter of New Zealand, the sadness of Albania, the endless surprises of Latvia and so on.

Then in the hot sun I made my way to Bar Colleoni Di Vianello G. & C. S.A.S. for cicchetti and a beer, and bought some presents, raced a guy carrying big bags of designer clothes over Accademia bridge and I won! Not sure why we ended up in a race.

Final presentations D8

After all my reading and note-taking, I finalised my ideas over the morning into a coherent whole. Then we started with the presentations - all fascinating and well thought-out. 

After lunch of chicchetti at a friendly place just off from the imposing palaces of the Grand Canal, I made my presentation which was very well received. Laurens asked if she could take a photo and said she would use it. Then we got our papers stamped and signed and got our certificates and toasted to our success with prosecco. 

I went home and had more cicchetti at my local and enjoyed the warm rain from the patio. A lovely day.

A productive day D7

I enjoyed our practical and creative activities as a group today. We also joined the Belgian group for lunch which was fun. In the afternoin we presented ideas for an art toolbox.

In  the evening I had a beer and chicchetti at my local and worked on my final project on the patio at the hotel. 

Working hard D6

We spent both morning and afternoon at the Palazzo Michiel. We presented our views on the visit yesterday. Everyone else had stayed at the Biennale much longer and it was interesting to see how we were all taken with different artworks. 

In the morning the artist Sophia Franzen gave us a talk about her art and ways of working.

For lunch I went to my breakfast cafe for salad and spaghetti vongole. 

In the evening I chatted with some Danish travellers on the roof terrace and enjoyed the cool breeze. 

Giardini Biennale D5

I walked to the Giardini Gardens and had time for a coffee with views of the lagoon. We had a great tour guide of the Biennale and the chosen pavillions - France, Uk, US, Nordic countries (the Sámi pavillion), and also of the central area. It was sweltering and I fermented rebellion in the toilets due to the long queue for the women, ate and drank something, left inspired and returned to the hotel to recover.

In the evening, I went to find a vegetarian cafe in the west, but following google instructions I suddenly saw I was at the Church of the Angel Raffael and there was a relief of the angel and Tobias. There was a small restaurant in the square getting ready to start serving and I had a truly nourishing meal there. Lovely to watch the people as the place filled up and enjoy the food.

Sunset on the eastern tip D4.2

On Monday afternoon, after the ice-breaking activities at Palazzo Michiel, I enjoyed some cicchetti at the Corner Pub and watch the sunset walking eastwards on the southern shore. Great views of St Mark's across the Grand Canal.

I also see the first and last cyclist in the city. He didn't look a happy bunny.

Starting the Course D4

Before starting the hard work of sitting up straight and trying to look engaged at the art course, first I had to solve the issue of dirty washing. I decided to visit the laundry services of Lavanderia Gabriella near San Marco Square and I set off at 7.30 over the peaceful Accademia bridge and through the city heading north. Google helped me find the place and I had a nice simple breakfast next door while waiting for them to open. 

I had plenty of time to get back, have a second shower and head out to the gallery to meet the group. 

We had a very interesting tour for an hour and a half with an excellent guide. The building itself was beautiful as well as the art. There was also an exhibition by Anish Kapoor which was grim in places and engaging in others.

Sunday evening in Venice D3.2

After viewing paintings of hell and paradise, I decided to take the vaparetto up the grand canal to the train station and visit the park there. It was lovely to escape the crowds, sit by the fountain, watch the birds and enjoy the shade of the trees for an hour. 

Then I walk back along the canals in a leisurely way. It was so easy to find my way, unlike the first evening. I had a great beer at the Accademia bar where a young busker was playing the bassoon with great elan, and there was a lovely view of the dome of the Santa Maria della Salute. 

I then felt peckish so I wandered to the Corner bar and had some chicchetti and another glass of beer by the canal. It was still hot when I made my way back to the hotel. I watched a family getting out of a water taxi at the Hotel American next door with an amazing number of huge suitcases. 

Then I enjoyed sitting outside on thw now cooler patio, reading and sipping the miracle of water.

A Venetian Sunday D3

I knew it would be hot, hot hot so I left the hotel very early and walked over the Accademia bridge and enjoyed the beautiful views of the grand canal. Then I walked to the northern edge and the vaparetto stop Fondamente nova.

 On the way I had a continental breakfast and a second coffee in a pizza place that was preparing to open. 

I took the vaparretto to Burano and changed to Torcello. The earliest church is there, the mysterious basilica with its glowing golden frescos: a hot, flaming vision of hell that reminded me of the last few days. A wonderful mosaic floor, cool interiors, pools, lizards and a hot dusty road to and from the vaporetto stop. 

The heat was now unbelievable. In the direct sunlight I felt like I was toiling under the pitiless eye of sauron, even the boat rides were hot and airless. A boy was crying. Old people looked on the point of collapse. I took 4 vaporettos to get to Accademia and then fell exhasted into a seat beside the canal at a nice restaurant by my hotel.

The waiter brought me a large bottle of water and I gulped nearly the whole bottle down before the starter arrived. 

 The seafood starter was lovely with a glass of wine, but the next course of fish was huge and in the hot weather I could hardly eat much of it. I was looking forward to a siesta in my room. 

When I got there, it now seemed a wonderful room. The view of the canal delightful, the cool air from the aircon miraculous and the crisp sheets inviting. 

Journey to Venice D2.2

It seems like I have a lot to be grateful for on this journey: my seat on the packed train, the helpful receptionist Kia at the Casa Accademia who was there to meet my late arrival, the helpful train conductor, the kind people who guided me and gave me info, the conductor who accepted my ticket for the previous month. I hadn't noticed and neither did he.  

We all had to get off the train and take a bus to Udine. Then I needed two more trains to Venice. It was 9.20 pm when we arrived at Santa Lucia instead of 19.50 and a vaporetto strike had started so the area in front of the train station was full of miserable arrivals like me with luggage. Luckily I was packed for the camino with a rucksack.

Kia had told me about the strike earlier so I was prepared for a 40min hike through the hot and humid city through dark narrow streets: murderer's alleys. Eventually thanks ti google maps and plenty of reroutes I got to the hotel at 10pm. I was absoltutely drenched in sweat, I looked like I had swum there in the canal, and exhausted. I couldn't even find my room on my floor until a mother and daughter helped me find it. I was disappointed at first. My room looked bare, the bed narrow and uncomfortable, the furniture old. It was hot and airless and I thought the aircon wasn't working.

Things were going to get better.

Morning in Vienna D2

Got up early and went straight out into the warm but more pleasant morning. It was a peaceful Saturday - not many people. I made my way towards the Belvedere Palace and glimpsed a fountain through trees that seemed like a kind of paradise in these hot days.

 I also spotted two police cars and the monument to the Soviet Army. 

I walked to the ringroad and the cafes were preparing to open but the only place actually open was MacD, so I got my first coffee and a chocolate croissant there. The server was nice and we had a chat. She said she didn't like the narrow streets in Venice.

Then I walked to the Belvedere Gardens and watched the joggers and peered into the botanical gardens. 

As I made my way back towards the hotel, I came across a proper traditional Viennese cafe - The Golden Egg. The waiters were fresh and energetic, the ceiling fans were cooling and the coffee and orange juice were refreshing. I felt I had finally enjoyed a little of the Viennese experience. 

I bought a most impractical second-hand rucksack, packed and went to the train station.

Vienna - Venice Adventure D1

Journey from Banska to Bratislava, Petrazalkova train station in a lovely air-conditioned car driven by a great driver. Travelled with Katka, grandson Max and son-in-law. Then I had coffee in Brat with Greta as well, who I finally met after sending her photos of her mother.

Then on to Vienna by train and a walk in the hot, hot sun along the right road for my hotel but the wrong direction. I realised when I saw the name of the tube station. So I hopped on the tube and the Hotel Josef Strauss was just by tube stop. 

After freshening up, I went out into the sweltering city. I walked to the Museums Quarter. It was hot in the shade and just unbearable in direct sunlight. 

I had a small meal in the Kantina and revived. 

I walked some more and saw the interesting Beethoven memorial. Enjoyed watching the scooters and cyclists whizzing around. But it really was scorching. In the end I had a beer at a small Austrian/Vietnamese bar near the hotel and watched the locals walking their dogs.

Afterwards I returned to the hotel exhausted. It was nice to revive with the aircon.