Vaporetto

I wake to one of my shutters banging… a little cooler and cloudy as I look out, but am cheered as I notice in the little terracotta tiled window in the roof opposite, a large jar containing artists brushes. So I’m imagining an artist’s studio in the roof like mine….

Anyway, today I have just enjoyed my cafe latte and pain au chocolat for breakfast and now plan to buy a 3-day Vaporetto ticket, which I really should have done on that dark stormy night when I arrived. T’would’ve saved me a further 7 euros, Alex advised me. Actually no, when I went to buy it, it was €25 for three days. That will include my boat trip back to Piazza Roma to get the Camping Jolly Shuttle. If I’d bought it on Saturday it would not have lasted for the return journey unless I’d paid more for an extra day. Any way that is just some useful info for those of you visiting Venice!

My Vaporetto pass has definitely been good value today as I used it to get to the Peggy Guggenheim Collection first of all. I baulked a bit at the €16 to get in, but in fact it was well worth it. Firstly there was her own private collection of modern art which included works by Pollock, Picassi, Miro, Kadinsky, Dhali, Mondrian, Warhol, many others from that era. What a fantastic collection! These were exhibited in Peggy Guggenheim’s house which was left for exhibition purposes by the Guggenheim Trust after her death. In the garden, there are beautiful sculptures including some by Henry Moore. Besides these was a further exhibition entitled ‘Mannerism and Surrealism’. This subject matter doesn’t really appeal to me. Although the colours and detail of the pieces were quite extraordinary and were enhanced by an excellent exhibition space. The rooms were carpeted and painted in dark colours, each room different but with very good lighting on the works.

I then decided to take a ride on a gondola (as you do in Venice). There was a point nearby (one of 5), where you can cross the Grand Canal for only €2. I didn’t plan to pay the exhorbitant prices they were charging elsewhere as I had neither romantic lover nor cornetto!!

On the other side I looked around a couple more churches, including the Church of St Samuel… all incredibly ornate and with many altars. There was a basilica which looked similar in design to St Paul’s Cathedral and had six altars around the outside beneath the dome.

A welcome slice of pizza for lunch, then I thought it would be good to put the Vaporetto map I had printed to the test. Firstly by traveling up the whole length of the Grand Canal. I wasn’t sure where the line I was on was going next, but stayed on to find out and just followed the Map. Each line is colour coded and numbered according to its destination. It’s very easy really. I ended up going all the way to Tronchetto where I had began on my first day, then all the way round to Zaccarini, my guest house terminal, stopping at some Islands along the way. When I got back to the home terminal, I took a different line to the island of Murano, which is famous for it’s glassware and glass blowing factory.

It was again a beautiful afternoon to be exploring the much quieter Viennese island of Murano. As we approached the island, we were again presented with a very large piece of beautiful architecture. i took the time to look around yet another church and it will certainly be remembered for it’s incredible mosaic floors.

Most of the area of Murano I had time to see was taken up with either the production or sale of the most exquisite coloured glass – everything from ear rings to chandeliers!

During the return journey which took about half an hour I remembered marvelling to myself on the ease of getting around Venice. More fool me!! I arrived at the now familiar terminal Zaccarini at around 6pm knowing my guest house was just a few minutes walk up one or two alleyways. Two hours later I finally flopped on the bed! I know it’s near here somewhere’, I said to an Italian couple sitting next to me in exasperation, as I sipped a Spritz to calm myself. My GPS had been taking me in circles as it wasn’t updating my position quickly enough. I should have just stuck to my good human antennae system. But visitors to Venice, don’t be fooled that you know the way… all pathways lead to a piazza or a canal, all similar but different!!