The last leg of our trip was setup for a reunion with Mr. E and Miss Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Now these two have been a part of our lives since our first weeks in Manchester and by now we have bonded across life events and countries. The four of us used to spend a lot of time together even after Husband and I changed the dynamic by starting a romantic relationship. Fast forward five years later, this group of four is richer with added partners to make a six people link. This was our first trip together and how better to test our chemistry than through the busy, colourful streets of Venice. All this happened before the Amalooney wedding. We missed that invitation but George, Amal we could have been your best Canadian Cousins. Remember that for the next family reunion. If you are not sure what I mean make sure you read the previous post. Georgey, Amal don’t pretend you are too busy. We all are.
San Giorgio Maggiore
Gorgeous wood carvings in the monastery and incredible view from the tower. Unfortunately I don’t know much about the history/art history of the place so I can’t whip out any impressive statements here.
La Fenice
Built and rebuilt multiple times it lives up to it’s name (the Phoenix). A staple example of opulent architecture and interior decorations reserved only for the privileged of the era. I find these places intriguing, stirring a wide range of emotions, one being appreciation of the amazing craftsmanship. All this luxury came at a high cost for the working class and most people who originally worked to create such beauty could never enjoy it for it’s purpose. So how lucky we are now to walk around and appreciate all this beautiful work and who knows even attend an event one day.
Piazza San Marco and Basilica Cattedrale Patriarcale di San Marco
Flooded by both tourists and water it is a hub for everything you can imagine. It is impressive to see the piazza flooded and yet there was no intention of stopping any activities from carrying on as if it was a normal day. Everyone in water boots, or bare feet, gave an extra kick to the whole experience. A bit of an empty canvas situation here with regards to the past of the place and the artists at work. It truly makes a world a difference when I have some historical link to build on. But nonetheless I enjoyed the beauty of it and the Basilica brought me straight to Hagia Sofia. The gold mosaics definitely helped make that connection. Even here, at the exit there was water coming in and they were all equipped with a temporary pass-way to keep the tourist flow active.
Food Cravings
Hard to follow up from the wedding debauchery but Mr. E found a memorable place to indulge in delicious gelato at Grom. And yes, we walked away from it just to return in 10 minutes and have a second serving.
Memento Hunting
Oh for the love of Murano glass. It was to be expected that you would find anything from cheesy souvenirs to high class expensive glass. So what do you think, as avid readers of our wanders did we buy or didn’t we buy glass? Comments anyone?
I will say we found some postcard gems in Libreria Acqua Alta where literary chaos exploded, with book stacks everywhere, cats, and smoke. Oddly enough as a non smoker, quit a few years ago, there are times, very specific scenarios when I enjoy the smell of it. This was one of those times. Another good find was the sweetest things for my beautiful nieces, little lace parasols and some lovely monogrammed handkerchiefs.
I was sad to leave but at least we did it in style: walk, bus boat, airport boat, airport bus, a security line at the airport that ran outside, OUTSIDE the airport, a slightly delayed flight. As for our friendship circle, so far we have yet to achieve a year without seeing each other since 2008. Stay tuned since upcoming celebrations may bring us together again in 2015.
