A Penny for Annie's Thoughts: Venice in the Rain

We had a funny thing happen last night.... Our room is on the second floor, and has huge floor-to-ceiling windows on one wall that open onto a square area like a roof. Other rooms open off the other three sides of the square, and there is an access door from one of the corners, so it can be a fairly public place. When we were in the room and awake, we left the windows open and got a lovely cool breeze. But we closed them for security reasons when we went to bed, and during the night it got extremely warm in the room. Last night, before we turned in, I asked the man at the front desk if there was a way to turn on the AC, because our room had been really hot the night before. He looked at me like I was from another planet. "Open the windows!" he shouted in disbelief. David and I looked at him with saucer eyes, and I stammered something about wondering if it was safe to leave them open all night, and he exclaimed, "OF COURSE!" We couldn't run up the stairs fast enough, and collapsed into the room in hysterical laughter. He's going to think Americans are really, really stupid.

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We did it again this morning... No wake up call, NO WAKE UP. The maid knocked on our door and said it was our last chance to have our room cleaned. We thought that was rude, since we thought it was about 8 a.m. But it was 1 p.m.... The sleepy twins strike again.

Despite our late start, we made the most of a very rainy day in Venice.

Since we had missed breakfast at our hotel, we stopped at a cute little cafe near our hotel and had cappucino and tramezzini - little sandwiches. David had tuna and egg, and tuna and tomato, he said they were very salty ('in a different way, but good' - whatever that means). I had prosciuto and gorgonzola. Yum.

David had honed in on a bookstore near the Piazza San Marco, so we headed over there first. On the way, we passed a McDonald's (sacrilege!) But DW was still hungry, so he stopped and ordered a 'Big Tasty.' Oh ya, it was $6. And it wasn't that good. AND the $3 small coke was flat. I think the Gods of Venice were giving him a message - what the heck are you doing eating at McDonald's???

After that little 'snack-cident,' we headed on to the bookstore. David was in there for a LONGGGGGGGG time.

(David's comment: It would behoove one to know at least one other language than one's one, because I found books on architecture and art in Italian that I had never been aware of because they are not printed in English. I entered the "architectura" section, and I was overcome at the selection. Annie kept coming back to see if I was ready to go. She was nice about it, though.)

While waiting for David, I went in all the stores in a two-block area; I bought some jewelry. I had a sandwich and a cappuchino. I went in to check on him - he was still browsing.

I found the Basilica of Venice and spent some time in there (praying that David would come out of the bookstore. I lit a candle.)

I patted a wet doggie who was keeping company with his person, an artist, in the plaza.

I looked in all the restaurant windows at the interesting fish.

I watched a very cute little boy play with his father.

Still, no David.

Finally, I decided to go find him and suggest that since it was 3:30, and the bookstore was open til 8 but the churches closed at 5 or 6, that perhaps we should go see something and come back to the store. But David was just coming out as I was going back in. He did buy me a really nice book on labyrinths for my birthday, and a book on the Finnish architect Alvar Aalto for himself. He's a sweet boy.

And by the way, he's really coming along with his Italian - he says he uses sight, sound, and context to figure it out.

Off we went to find a vaparetto (canal crossing boat) because we wanted to go to a neighboring island to see Palladio's church, Il Redentore. Mind you, it was raining 'gatti e cani' (cats and dogs), and the canal was a bit rough. The boat was crowded and we had to stand up - we couldn't figure out how the Venetians keep from falling down - even while holding their little dogs - since we were like a couple of drunken sailors.

The church was beautiful. David says it was 'Palladial.' Can't argue there. Planned by Palladio, this church was built between 1570 and 1580. In 1576, a deadly plague spread among the population of Venice. The doge then dedicated this church to the Redeemer, in return for mercy on his people. A statue of 'Faith' rising above the façade can only be seen from the canals.

Inside, it was stark clean white, so unlike the elaborate decoration in St. Mark's or St. Peter's, it was startling. But incredibly calming and beautiful.

We thought we'd head toward the place I most wanted to see - the Frari. We took the boat back across, and kind of wandered a bit to find it, but finally did, at about 6:00, and I was sure it would be closed. But NO, the doors were open; again, God looking out for us.

The church was built by the Franciscan Friars in the 1300s - hence the Frari - and it was incredible in there. Titian was buried there, and his monument was, well, monumental.

David remarked, 'Titian's grave is separated from the rest of the church by a wrought iron par-Titian.' That boy is a laugh a minute.

There was a Titian painting, the Assumption of Mary, over the main altar that was breathtaking. It was painted in 1516 and is the piece that made Titian's reputation in Venice.

There is also a statue of John the Baptist by Donatello, carved in 1438, that I found really beautiful.

In the sacristy, there is a triptych by Bellini painted in 1488, and the light was exquisite. And the artist has my favorite drink named after him!!!!

The magnificent choir stalls were built in the 1400s.

I had not seen this place in earlier visits to Venice - so I was very thankful to see it now. It was truly a magnificent, sacred place.

We decided to head in the direction of our hotel and look for a place to eat dinner. We found a cute little place right next to a canal - it only had about 9 tables. David ordered his 'usual,' spaghetti pomodoro, and a steak. (He says it was "beddy, beddy goooooood." So much for getting better with his Italian....) I ordered gnocci with 4 cheeses, and it was really good. I didn't want an entree because the pasta was so good, so I defied Italian convention and ordered another dish of pasta - this one handmade papardelle with mushrooms. Yum.

We walked back via the Rialto Bridge, and met a family from New York's upper west side at a music store (David and the other man - both of whom were musicians - had a good talk about music.)

At the top of the bridge, a man was playing Hungarian renaissance folk tunes on the lute - right up our alley. We listened for a while - it was haunting on the dark bridge in the rain. David bought two CDs from the guy.