Venice for a week

I am in Venice for a week.  Staying at a monastery (Casa Patronato Salesiano Leone XIII) in Calle San Domenica near Asenale. I arranged it all online with Monastery Stays.  Fairly reasonable for Venice.  I had thought it would be like Ampleforth where there are monks and you are able to take services and see a bit of the monastery.  However, it is very modern and we are confined to the guest house.  If you know the contact details of the monastery then booking direct will save you.  Their e mail is info@salesianivenezia.it

I was a little worried about finding it as it was dark when I arrived by Easyjet at 18.30.  However easy to catch the Aliluguna, line blue to Arsenale.  I did buy the wrong ticket though - bus ticket with 7 day pass so had to buy a single ticket - 15 Euros for the water bus!  I used my autobus bit for the return (local bus no. 5).  I sat next to a male passenger on the water bus.  When we started to talk he mentioned it was his first visit and he was hoping to take lots of photos.  He was a fellow photographer from Wiltshire.  He is staying in Arsenale too.  I parted company after we reached the Via Garibaldi and did not see him until the plane -(http://www.andyrosephoto.com).

Wandered up to the Jewish quarter on Monday and wandered a bit more.  Found a popular locals bar cafe where you had to wait for an outside table.  Quite a few smokers and a couple of young pipe smokers too.  Found the same cafe near San Marco later on where we had frequented a couple of times for coffee and breakfast a couple of years ago.  Toilet prices have gone up 50 cents to 1 Euro 50 so I paid 5 Euros for a glass of wine in the cafe and used their loo to avoid paying!  Dinner at a taverna near my guest house which was okay.

I took a lot of reflections.  

Not the greatest of photos but should please the cat lovers.

Working in Venice

Reflections and washing

One of many views from a bridge

This time in black and white

Another worker

Another cat in the window and a semi self portrait of me

In front of SS Giovanni e Paolo

Through the arch

On Tuesday I went over to the Lido to see the beaches.  However, the beaches were covered with beach huts and not how remembered them.   Had a coffee and returned.  It was a good opportunity to take a snap of the snow capped Alps.

Building more huts

Pattern of windows

Panorama

Explored the Arsenale and then back to Cannareggio sector to visit Madonna d’ Orta.  Beautiful sunset  on way back.  Had lunch at the same cafe as the wine from yesterday.  Bought a take away pizza and cake from Coop for supper.

More washing

At the Arsenale

The towers do lean

In the Cannareggio area

Madonna d' Orta

Worker

Resting

Canal scene

I can see you

Workshop

I couldn't manage to have the lamp in the middle of the circle and the lady without the pipe  coming out of her head.  Well I could fuss about with it but life is too short.

A few images from the vaparetto

San Marco

There was a beautiful light walking back

Return visit to Burano was called for on Wednesday and I stopped at Murano on the way back to see the church with the beautiful mosaic floor.  Took a circuitous route back finding some delightful campos to revisit.  I had an excellent lunch on Burano so stopped off at a cafe before Arsenale for hot chocolate and apple cake.

Work boats

Coloured houses on Burano

Leaning tower of Burano

Grasshopper or Cricket

I have an ordinary one of this man putting his washing out but I prefer the reflection

Looking up at lunch, spotted this little one.  

Murano glas sculpture

The mosaic pavement - read below

Walking back from F. Nove, I spotted this little dog and owner

One of the splendid buildings on a canal

Another sunset

I couldn't get into a good position to take this bride.  Will have to spend time cutting her out and putting her somewhere else.

Wandered to Accademia and visited the Peggy Guggenheim collection.  15 Euros well spent.  There was an exhibition of Tancredi which inspired me and I spent the afternoon taking photos with a modern art twist.  A lovely lunch nearby which was not a tourist cafe but found they only took cash which was annoying as I was relying on the credit card.  However, it was worth it.

Early morning Easy Jet arriving in Venice

Images on walls

Arty pic

Spotted the mime artist on a break

Enjoying the sunshine

Working

In camera movement

Woman with her dog

Carving wood

working in a boatyard

More reflections.

In camera movement

Made it to San Giorgio and up the bell tower (6 euros).  Beautiful views over Venice.  I was tempted to wait until sunset but decided to make my way back to my room.  A visit to Coop for food and some prosecco which I proceeded to knock most of it on to the floor!!!!!!

Views from the tower

My sixth visit to Venice and I finally made it to the Doge’s Palace on Friday.  19 Euros and not as good value as the Guggenheim.  I wouldn’t bother with the visit if it is your first time.  Then another wander but staying closer to St Mark’s Square.  Lovely meal at a restaurant that I think was called Da Mamo (Sestiere, San Marco 5251)- good pizzas and a reasonable price.

Doge's Palace

Part of the Golden Stairway

Some of the many paintings

The prisons

Gondolier reflection

Work going on

TV waiting for its transport

Photographing ice creams.  Shame I didn't get the other person

Sliver of a reflection

Cat in the window

Musicians from a poster blended with another poster

One of many windows I took

Would you like a beer

Sunset moments

The following is part of walk 1 from" Venice for Pleasure" which I did on Saturday.

From the Zattere vapparetto stop turn left off the boat and right into Rio de San Trovaso.  Over bridge and turn left and right at the canal.  Turn right opposite Calle Trevision.  Over bridge then left and straight on to Calle del Tragletto and turn right to campo Barnaba.  On the way you will pass Restaurant Locanda Manini which is recommended by Links but it was too early to stop.  I took the diversion off the Campo passing to the right of the church for a view of the Grand Canal.  Return to the Campo, I stopped for a coffee at Bar Canton. 
Take the bridge farthest from the Grand Canal of the two crossing the Rio di S. Barnaba.  The Ponti de Pugni, used for fist fights between the thirteenth and seventeenth centuries and there are four mars of feet on the bridge. 

I took these images from the bridge

Follow the Rio Tera canal turn left into Camp S. Margherita.  This would have been a nicer place for coffee as it is less touristy.  Another diverison from this Campo into Calle del Magazen into Campo dell Asen to see a garden wall built around a well at number 3368 - one of the oldest in the city.

 Return to the Campo and go over bridge into Campo S Pantalon. 

Shame about the contrasty light

Crossing over the bridge into Campo S Pantalon

In Campiello Del Angaren there is a figure of an Eastern Emperor, over a thousand years old. 

I took the diversion at the end of the Calle S Pantalon turned right and right again into Calle de la Sanneria back to the canal.  If you are careful you can see the back of the old house no 3368 and the remains of the Byzantine arches bricked up in the wall.  The house was built in the twelfth century. 

Return back and turn left on to the Calle Piovene and then right into the Calle de la Scuola.  You come into Campo S Rocco and then into the Friari, which I visited for 3 Euros.

Tempting wool to buy but I resisted

Blue reflection from a canopy opposite

Means to move goods from a boat perhaps

Singer in Campo S Rocco

 Had lunch in the cafe over the bridge in front of the Friari.  Just a bruschetta and a glass of wine then had to wait forever to get the attention of the waiter for a coffee.  I made my way to the S. Giovanni Evangelisa then on to Campo S.Polo and eventually back to Rialto Bridge and the Arsenale following the signs though I took several diversions down interesting streets on the way.

She didn't read the sign

Engrossed

Sunday morning, I took the 5.2 vaparretto to P. Roma and caught the bus to the airport.  Only 20 minutes or so. Back in UK in time to catch the 3 pm Falcon back to Taunton.

Next trip to Cork and a singing weekend with Yvette Staelens.