40th Anniversary Trip Day 16 and after

40^th Anniversary Trip Day 16 – Tuesday in Rome

After a peaceful night’s sleep we had down for breakfast in the hotel – included as always!  Although it didn’t include pannacotta we will both agree that this is the best breakfast spreads we had on the whole trip.   It includes a chef who makes omelets to your order – no need for me to choose ingredients I can just say “everything”.  There are sausages, bacon, hash brown and tomatoes to go with it, along with the usual selection of breads, cheese, cold meats and fruit.  But what makes this really special – and it takes Vicky to find it – is a counter with local specialty pastries.  Over the next 2 days we try several of them. 

Although the dining room is large, we’re given a table by the window where we can watch people and traffic on the Via Veneto.  Vicky does an unscientific count and we conclude that over one third of the private cars in Rome are “Smart Cars”.  As we walk around the streets later, we find many of these little cars parked at 90 degrees to the curb – a great solution to the limited parking in the center of Rome!

The concierge has booked us on an afternoon tour, so we decide to explore the local area.  Right across the street is a cashmere shop –  I don’t need another cashmere sweater and of course Vicky got her new shawl in Murano, so we simply “just look”.  Further up the street is a store that modestly advertises itself as “the finest menswear in the world”.  I find a shirt I really like and ask to see it.  The friendly sales clerk takes it off the shelf and holds it where I can see not only the shirt but the $750 price tag.  I play the game by telling her on reflection it’s not what I want.

At the top of the street is the entrance to Villa Borghesi, an impressive palace that is now an art gallery with extensive park-like grounds. 

The gallery itself is closed for renovation but we spend a delightful hour or two exploring the gardens (the 3^rd largest public park in the city) and trying to identify trees and birds.  There’s a zoo (Bioparco di Roma) on the grounds, which we consider, but settle for more strolling.  This statue may prove that selfies are older than you thought!

Since the afternoon tour is on foot, we stroll back to the hotel and rest for a while.

The tour company is to pick us up at the hotel and drive us to the starting point of the tour.  WE arrive early and sit in the lobby, eventually getting worried since they haven’t arrived, but the concierge checks and they’re on the way.  Eventually they arrive and we’re driven through the narrow streets, meeting our guide and fellow travelers just across the road from the Colosseum.

The next 3 hours are fascinating.  Although we’ve visited the Colosseum (officially the Flavian Amphitheatre after the family name of Emperor Vespasian who had it built) and the Forum Romanum before, we learn a huge amount of history, including the debunking of several myths.  Although Ancient Rome did stage “fights” between wild animals and hapless prisoners (mostly early Christians) these were not held in the Colosseum.  What happened there were gladiator fights and the vanquished were rarely killed (forget the “thumbs up – thumbs down” bit).  This was for economic reasons.  The gladiators were highly trained fighters who were treated very well by their employers and to kill them wouldn’t make much sense.  But they did provide (free) entertainment for the masses.

There are, as promised, huge lines to get in but our guide gets us past them, and we have the choice of walking up to the interior of the amphitheater as the Romans did, or taking an elevator.  I take the ancient route while Vicky saves her knees.  The Colosseum is under construction but we still get a feeling of how it must have been, with different levels for the different classes of society.  We get enough time to circumambulate the arena on the Senatorial level, then back down the stairs (or elevator), through the crowds and across the street to the more peaceful climb of the Palatine Hill.

Site of the hill where the she-wolf raised the orphans Romulus and Remus, so the legends say.   Our guide tells us there’s no evidence of any truth to the rumor – the people of Rome defeated the Etruscans who ruled here under their kings, and se up the Republic.  But it was the site of the modest home of Octavian Caesar, who continued to live in it after he became the first Emperor.  It’s still there, and we see the ruin from afar.  We’d need a separate tour to see more but that will have to wait for our next visit to Rome.

We do see the opulent palace known as Domus Augustana, the opulent palace used by emperors for over 300 years.  It had nothing to do with Octavian, being built by Domitian, the not too pleasant younger son of Vespasian (of Colosseum fame).   Maybe Domitian wanted to have only a short walk to the gladiatorial contests?  Whatever its beginnings, it’s still possible to get a feeling of what the place was like in its heyday.  We see a peristyle (courtyard) with the remains of a huge fountain, as well as many of the walls. 

The guide shows us how to distinguish the age of the walls.  During the Republic and earlier, stones were used.  After the founding of the empire they turned to brick.  We spend a happy hour immersed in details like this, imagining how it must have looked all those years ago.  Eventually we reach an overlook where we (and the senators before us) can look over the Forum, the center of business and life during both the Empire and the Republic.

We walk down into the (familiar to us) Forum where you can still see many of the temples and the Senate House.  The guide points out the spot where Gaius Julius Caesar was murdered (that, at least, is not a myth!) and then leaves us to our own devices.  A great afternoon!  The tour doesn’t include transportation back to the hotel so now we have to find either a bus or subway.  The latter isn’t really an option since the subway station nearest the hotel is closed.

After a lot of wandering and asking of random policemen and women, we fins a tobacconist where we can buy bus tickets.  The woman who sells them to us tells us where to find the bus, but her directions bear little relation to the streets.  Eventually another policeman shows us to the bus stop and suggests an additional bus that will get us even closed to the hotel.  After watching several of the buses we were going to take go by with no sign of the new one, we do get one of our original choices, which gets us home, although it’s a short walk since we get off one stop too soon!

The bus is crowded but Vicky finds a seat.  I have to struggle to the front to validate the tickets.  As I’m returning to stand by Vicky a young man takes pity on me and gives up his seat.  We have some time to rest in the room.

For our last dinner in Italy we head just around the corner to a place we found yesterday after we’d already eaten.  We have a nice corner table and start with a “Primi Platti”.  I opt for a risotto which is flavorful but would make a meal in itself.  Vicky’s pasta is much lighter.  For the main course we both choose veal.  Vicky has Saltimbocca, a thin slice of tender veal cooked with ham.  I’ve had this in restaurants in the US and enjoy it, but today Ii opt for something new – pork shoulder servce with potatoes, a Rima dish, so I’m told.  While not as flavorful as Vicky’s the veal is tender and delicious.  I also order a side dish of cooked chicory – another experiment!  It’s rather bitter but it does complement the veal and potatoes.  The only downside is after two large dishes I can’t face dessert.  Nevertheless, a few spoonfuls of Vicky’s dessert somehow find their way into my stomach.

That’s it for the trip.  Wednesday we take a taxi to the airport.  A word of warning.  Every taxi in Rome has a sign on the side promising a trip to the airport for 48 euro for up to 4 people in including luggage.  Comparing this to the cost of a taxi to the station plus train fare, we decide to do it.  The hotel calls the taxi and we’re no sooner inside than he turns on the meter.  The driver tries to tell me that traffic is heavy so he has to use the meter.  After some discussion I tell him to just take us to the train station, at which point he turns off the meter and we get the published rate.

There is heavy traffic around the hotel due to a special event, but once we turn the corner it’s no worse than usual and we make it to FCO airport in the promised 45 minutes.  Hence the warning.  If you do this, watch to make sure the meter isn’t running!

The flight is fine except it’s very cold, and when I ask for a blanket I’m told I have to pay for it!  So much for low fares!  We get in late and overnight near LAX and arrive home to our wonderful Quill on Thursday afternoon.

Italy is as wonderful as ever.  Great memories, but I wish it weren’t over.

40th Anniversay Trip Day 15

40^th Anniversary Trip Day 15 – Monday

Sadly we leave Venice today, but take with us wonderful memories I’ve enjoyed reliving as I share them with you.  But we still have more time in Italy.

We enjoy one last breakfast of pannacotta with all the trimmings, say goodbye (and huge thanks) to Ivan, then head for the station.  It’s cloudy and threatening rain, but we get the vaporetto behind the church and arrive with over 30 minutes to spare. The journey to Rome retraces our steps through Padua and Florence, and passes without incident.  I wish the US hadn’t all but abandoned passenger rail.  Here's my final photo from the room.  More snow on the hills!

The original plan had been to spend the last 2 nights at a spa hotel close to Fiumicino airport that I found online.  We actually drove past the entrance on our way to the B&B hotel on our first night, and it looks tranquil.  However, on Saturday I went onto their website to check details of how to get there, and discovered that recent reviews have been scathing.  Apparently their spa is open to the public, not just  guests.  It’s always crowded and difficult to get appointments, or so the reviews said.  Fortunately I was able to cancel the reservation and instead we’re staying at the Westin Excelsior, a venerable “Grand Dame” in the city, on the elegant Via Vittorio Veneto.

We take a taxi from the station and find it is indeed a traditional old-style hotel, though the facilities are completely modernized.  Many years ago, we stayed at Claridge’s in London and the Excelsior shares with it a feeling of tradition and also a certain stuffiness among the staff.  We’re using Marriott points for a free stay and chose this rather than the Marriott property up the street since we’ve never tried Westin and the brand was recently added to our options.  The usual friendly welcome is missing here.

I really can’t complain, though.  We have a nice, well equipped room, albeit with no view.  This may not be a bad thing since the outside rooms look out on a very busy street and could be noisy, while ours is very quiet.  The concierge desk is a big disappointment though.  Maybe Ivan has spoiled us, but while these people will do anything you ask, they’re not at all proactive with suggestions and only answer your specific questions.  Not what I would expect from a concierge, especially in a 5-star hotel.

We ask for a dinner suggestion and what is described sounds like it would break the bank.  We also ask about getting to the Palatine, the residence of emperors and senators in ancient Rome.  We’ve been to Rome before and seen most of the sights, but missed the Palatine.  We’re told we could walk (40 minutes) or take a taxi.  When I ask about public transportation it’s like pulling teeth to get info. 

We decide to go out for dinner.  It’s raining so we don’t want to go far.  We find an inexpensive place and Vicky orders a salad while I try a hamburger, mainly because it’s made of veal!  I have to send it back as it’s overcooked but they cheerfully replace it, and the meal is light and just what we wanted.  We return to the hotel and have gelato in the bar for dessert.  The hotel is beginning to grow on me.

We picked up some brochures and I do some online research, discovering that you can only visit the Palatine with a ticket that also includes the Colosseum and the Forum, and these are time specific.  However, we find a small group walking tour that will pick us up from the hotel and take us to all 3, skipping the ticket lines and including a commentary in English.  We decide to try for this tomorrow, and settle in for a very comfortable night’s sleep.

I love Rome so I’m happy we’re in the city for a couple of days, and the forecast for tomorrow is sunny.

40th Anniversary Trip Day 14 – The BIG DAY

40^th Anniversary Trip Day 14 – The BIG DAY

Today’s our anniversary, and it dawns (and will stay) rainy, but that won’t stop us.  The usual hearty breakfast including you-know-what-by-now is followed by relaxation time in the room.  There’s been snow on the hills in the mainland.  I get some photos through the window, as well as photos around the hotel.

The hotel spa has ben closed for months due to flooding when the water was high.  It will open the day we leave (go figure!).  However, they’re offering a treatment in one of the rooms and we decide to start our celebration with this.  We get a skin treatment (body and face) with wonderfully soothing oils, followed by a massage.  Vicky goes first and looks relaxed afterwards.  I soon find out why!  A great start to the day.

We decide to take the hotel shuttle boat to St. Mark’s Square.  Unfortunately, it’s low tide, plus it’s quite windy over the lagoon so we have to step down into a rocking boat.  Vicky’s vertigo can’t handle this, so we have to use Plan B.  Fortunately we allowed plenty of time.  Nevertheless, by the time we’ve walked over to the vaporetto dock, changed boats at the railroad station and arrived at the San Marco landing it’s only about 20 minutes before the opera starts.

Glad we checked out the location on Friday, we hurry through the narrow streets in the rain.  Of course nobody else is in a hurry so I hope I’m polite.  We arrive at the Gran Teatro La Fenice (Venice’s opera house, named for the phoenix after it burned down early in its life.  It had another major fire in 1996, living up to its name, and was completely redone to the original design).  Since we’re attending an opera (Puccini’s Turandot) I didn’t bring the camera, but you have to see this place.  Check out their website:

www.teatrolafenice.it

We splurge on a box, in the first tier.  The more central boxes are prohibitively expensive so I chose one on the side. We have no problem seeing the stage and we’re close enough to see the expressions on the characters and the orchestra.  Plus there’s a place to hang our wet jackets and umbrellas.  We’ve just settled in when the lights dim.  Vicky and I love opera and we know this one well, but it comes with surtitles in Italian and English.  The English ones are on the right and our box is on the left, so we don’t even have to stretch to see them.

We’ve seen international opera stars in London, New York and Buenos Aires as well as in our annual visit to Santa Fe.  This time there are no names I recognize but everything – singing, music, sets (minimal but very effective), costuming and direction - is superb.  It’s in modern dress (hardly realistic in ancient China!) but through amazing use of color it really works.  Everybody except the princess and the 3 court officials (bright red!) is in black, changing to white for the “happy ending”.

Later, over dinner, we discuss the production and also the plot, and come to the conclusion the “hero” (Prince Calaf) and “heroine” (Princess Turandot) deserve each other.  She has presided over the execution of dozens of suitors who couldn’t answer her 3 riddles and when Calaf does answer them she gets all whiny and won’t marry him, which was the reason for the riddles in the first place.  Calaf gives her an “out”.  If she can find out his name (he’s just “the stranger” to her) by dawn he’ll go to the executioner’s block.

This sets up a night when nobody’s allowed to sleep (cue “Nessun Dorma”, one of the most thrilling tenor arias in the whole opera repertoire).  Calaf stands by and watches his father’s maid Liu (who’s in love with him because he once smiled at her) tortured to death because she won’t reveal his name.  (What a rat he is!)  He then tells the princess his name but she marries him anyway. 

Nobody goes to operas because of the plot, but this one is acted out so well that you can share the emotions of the characters, especially poor Liu.  It’s by far the best production of Turandot we’ve ever seen, and the wonderful theater makes it even more special.  We take a little time after the show to look around the building and the gift shop, especially since we have plenty of time before dinner.

The rain has stopped although it’s still cloudy for our leisurely stroll to the Bistrot de Venise.  I found the restaurant online as a great place for a romantic dinner.  When we mentioned it to Ivan the concierge, he applauded the choice and promised to call his friend there and get us a romantic ta.vble in one of the smaller rooms – and he certainly did!

We’re welcomed warmly, given a delightful corner table and we’re no sooner settled than the maitre’d comes over with a magnificent rose for Vicky!  The décor is rich, with deep red trim and paintings, mostly of food, on the walls.  Their website www.bistrotdevenise.com, has a photo the room. It’s the one with marble torso of a woman on the back wall, and our table is the one on the left of the lady.     They specialize in traditional (back to the 14^th Century) Venetian recipes and after perusing the extensive menu we both settle on the “Menu degustazione”.  (Sounds much more exotic than “set menu”, doesn’t it?

It’s supposed to be 4 courses but it’s actually 6 because it starts with a complimentary “amuse bouche”.  I don’t make notes and now we can’t remember what it was but I do remember we both loved it!  I also see just about everybody else taking photos of the meals, but my English upbringing makes me feel that’s not appropriate!

For the first course we both pass on an intriguing sounding “Slow cooked egg with asparagus, leeks a d marjoram”, settling instead on melt in the mouth scallops cooked with fennel and accompanied with baked cardoons (a vegetable in the artichoke family, but very tender here), agretti (a tart herb that is apparently very rare, but contrasted well with the fennel) and colorful and crispy tapioca flavored with turmeric…..and this amazing combination of textures and flavors, described (as was every course) in detail by the waiter, was just the start!

After a nice break so we can discuss the opera and enjoy the atmosphere, it’s time for the pasta course.  Since neither of us raves about fish, we pass on the spaghetti with cuttlefish, but the alternative couldn’t be better – home cooked ravioli stuffed with veal, covered with Bechamel sauce and gratineed with Parmesan cheese. Again, Italian Parmesan bears little resemblance to the powdered stuff you buy in the US – its robust flavor comes through in tin slices and blends perfectly with the veal.

For the “secondi” or main course, we both choose duck – for Vicky a no-brainer as it’s one of her favorite meats, but in my case it’s a better alternative to the fish.  I needn’t worry, this 16^th Century recipe pairs tender, non-greasy duck breast with a chutney made of apple and red onions, and “Sauce Peverada”, made with chicken livers, salami, anchovies and sausage meat.  Again, it’s to die for!

Another break and it’s time for dessert.  My first mistake.  I choose tiramisu.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s their own recipe and as good as any I had in Italy.  But Vicky takes the other alternative - an orange crème brulee.  Anywhere else this would have been my choice, and when Vicky gives me a taste, I know I should have chosen it too.  Oh well, even the “wrong” choice in this restaurant is still delicious.

This completes the tasting menu but we stay for coffee, which is served with chocolate truffles as  decadent as everything else on the menu.  One of the best meals I can remember anywhere, and a perfect ending to a perfect day.  The rain has even stopped when we head back to the hotel!

40th Annniversary Trip Day 13

40^th Anniversary Trip Day 13 – Saturday in Venice – A Hidden Gem

After a lie-in and another breakfast highlighted by pannacotta we head over to the lagoon for the trip to Burano and beyond.  Burano was famous for its lace making, and although the skill almost died out, it’s being revived.  But the island’s other claim to fame is alive and well – brightly painted houses.

Ivan gave us contacts for 2 restaurants where he knows the owners, but having just had breakfast we’re not hungry.   Instead of following the crowds down the main street from the ferry we veer one street to our left and saunter alongside a canal taking in the architecture, the boats and the bright colors.  The island isn’t large so we’re soon on the main street – a pedestrian area with lots of cafes (including the recommended one) and little shops with their wares displayed outside and in.

Vicky finds a “poncho” made of cashmere and after thinking briefly, adds it to her wardrobe.  It’s beautiful and looks good on her.  We explore the island for a while, stop for gelato and then return to the vaporetto for the short trip to Torcello.

A small island, almost devoid of permanent residents these days, Torcello was the first place settled in the Venetian lagoon.  It’s tranquil and not overflowing with tourists, and as we walk along the (inevitable) canal we feel a sense of peace.  The weather is pleasant – finally warm enough to enjoy the outdoors without being bundled up. We come upon a little restaurant in a garden that could be in a small English village, and stop for cappuccino and a very creamy cheesecake, and taking in the joys of the garden, the birds, and the views of the water.

Torcello’s main claim to fame is its two churches.  One is used for weddings and as we visit, women are decorating the pews with flowers for one later today.  The older church, which boasts a multilingual self guided tour, dates back to 639AD, making it one of the oldest Christian churches still standing anywhere. Its claim to fame is its highly detailed mosaic frescoes, particularly on its rear wall.  This is an 11^th Century mosaic of the Virgin Mary with many saints above her.  It takes our breath away. There’s a lot of renovation work going on inside but that doesn’t stop us marveling at the art work, and the labor that must have gone into making these detailed paintings high on the wall.

We wander around the grounds enjoying the peace, before visiting the small museum.  This features archeological discoveries from the mainland, dating back to Roman times– coins, jewelry and more, including details of where the artifacts were found.  The people originally moved here due to persecution by invaders during late Roman times. We have the place to ourselves and spend an hour or so immersing ourselves in this ancient culture.

As we’re waiting for the vaporetto back to Venice, a boat pulls in and spills out elegantly dressed men and women – the bride, groom and guests for the wedding we saw being prepared for.  A nice touch to end our visit to this delightfully peaceful island.

Dinner tonight is at Osteria al Cantinon, recommended and booked for us by Ivan.  It’s a rambling old building with many small rooms, and a table is reserved for us.  As usual, we’re the first diners.  I enjoy spaghetti with olive oil, garlic, chili and prawns.  I love these tender Venetian prawns.   

Vicky savors duck tagliatelle - home made pasta and the duck meat is not at all greasy.   We'll miss real Italian food when we get home!

As we’re still in Cannaregio, it’s an easy walk to and from the hotel.  Time for an early night since we have a busy day planned for tomorrow.

40th Anniversary Trip Day 12

40^th Anniversary Trip Day 12 – Friday in Venice

The hotel offers 2 free shuttles by water taxi – one to St. Mark’s Square and one to the island of Murano including a tour of a glass factory.  Today we’ve decided to take the latter.

After breakfast (more pannacotta and lots of other stuff) we head out the front door to the canal and board the launch, along with an Italian couple.  It’s only a 15-minute trip across the lagoon to Murano where we’re greeted by Peter, a young man who’s part of the family that owns the factory.  The Italians get their own guide.

We’re all taken into the workshop and Peter explains the process.  The fires are kept going 24-6 (rest on Sunday).  When a piece is blown and finished it’s put into a furnace to cool down!  The furnace is at a lower temperature than the glass piece.  If the piece were left out in the air, it would shatter as it cooled.  Despite this, there’s still about a 30% breakage rate.  This explains the high price of Murano glass, and also why the glassware at the inexpensive souvenir shops is probably from overseas.

We learn about how pieces are shaped, and how colors are added (none of which I remember!) and finally the master glassmaker crafts a Ferrari logo horse in 60 seconds.  This is when I discover I never learned how to use the movie function on my camera!

En route to the showroom we meet the “owner”, a very complacent cat who we’ll later see sprawled out on the shipping crates. 

Peter explains that he’s not on commission (Peter, not the cat) and won’t pressure us, but will be there to answer any questions.  We see some exquisite pieces and learn that all of the chandeliers in our hotel were made in this factory.  I worry about accidentally breaking something but Peter tells us it’s OK if I do, because they’re insured.  In contrast, the “trinket” shops around the city are replete with signs telling you if you break something, you’ve bought it.

We don’t ask prices of any of the items - bringing fragile glassware into an RV would be a sure way to break it – but judging from the prices in the factory’s gift shop (100 euro or more for small glass boxes) the large items would be out of our (and most people’s) budget anyway.  Peter is true to his word and doesn’t pressure us (nor does the cat) and the whole experience is fascinating.

We walk through the quiet streets of Murano, eventually finding the anything but quiet main tourist area.  Our plan is to take the vaporetto over to the other large island of Burano, but when we see the queue we decide we’ll head back to the hotel and leave Burano for tomorrow since we have plans for tonight.

We make it back to the main Island and while we could change vaporetti and end up close to the hotel (behind the Madonna del Orto church) we decide to walk back.  I would have got lost, but Vicky has no problem.  We see more of the quiet residential area, and more small canals, and arrive back in time for a rest.  Here are the Murano chandeliers in the lobby and our (part of) our room.

Dinner tonight is a short walk to a little wine bar we noticed before.  It serves finger food but also small plates, so we have a “light” Italian dinner.   We did see a place offering Oriental food, but we never tire of La Cucina Italiana.

Tonight we attend a Vivaldi concert in the center city.  We arrive early so we explore and find the Opera House and the Bistrot (sic) di Venice, both of which are on our itinerary for Sunday.  We even find our way back to the concert hall (a school) for the Vivaldi concert. The first half consists of short pieces by the composer, none of which I’ve heard before, plus Pachelbel’s Canon.  After the break we’re treated to the whole of the Four Seasons.  It’s performed on period instruments by performers in period costume, and the hall also dates back to that era, so apart from the “subdued” electric lights, the whole experience is just as people would have experienced it in Vivaldi’s time.  While it’s not an intimate drawing room experience, the hall is small enough that we can see the artists clearly. This was something on Vicky’s bucket list, and last time we were in Venice it was sold out, so I agreed to it.  I’m glad I did, as it’s a delightful experience.

We get back to the hotel by a combination of vaporetti, the “Line 1” to the train station and then the 4.2 to the Madonna del Orto stop.  Despite the change of boats, this would have been an easier way to get to the hotel than the one we used on Wednesday in the rain, as there are no canals (and hence bridges) to negotiate.  We know better for next time!

40th Anniversary Trip Day 11

40^th Anniversary Trip Day 11 – Thursday in Venice

We awake to discover the rain has stopped and it’s sunny.  We also discover that there’s still water coming into the sunroom, and when I open the drapes I find that the “garden view” is blocked off by a temporary wall and all we’re looking for is a pile of dirt!  Vicky’s not happy that the bathroom is downstairs from the bedroom but is willing to live with it.  However, we discover other problems such as non-working taps so we decide to go talk to someone after breakfast.

Now the rain has stopped we discover the garden (the only one of its type in a Venice hotel) is delightful.  It includes fake ruins (!) caves, quiet stops to sit, and even a cat.  ((We never did discover whether he belonged there, but he obviously though he did.)

We head into the lobby and discover that breakfast is a huge buffet. set up in the lobby, with tables available there and in the restaurant.  I didn’t mention the breakfast buffet at the Renaissance Tuscany.  It was substantial, but apart from the wonderful breads and cheeses, not much different from what you would find at a luxury hotel in the US.  This one, however, is special.  Bacon, sausage (including a black pudding type sausage), eggs, cooked tomatoes, croissants of various types including chocolate and whole wheat (healthy or not!), cold meats and cheeses, cereals, fresh fruit, other breads, fresh juices and some sweet cakes.  But the piece de resistance is small glasses of something that looks and tastes like cream, topped with a fruit puree.  I inquire and discovered it’s pannacotta, which translates as cooked cream.  It becomes a “sine qua non” for breakfast for the next 5 days, and we look for it on dessert menus.  I manage to find an online recipe, too!  I could make a breakfast of just pannacotta and be in heaven!

We’re at the front desk explaining the problems with the suite when a manager overhears us and takes over.  He tells us that the 4^th (top) floor of the main building has just been renovated and offers to move us to a suite there “with a view over the lagoon”.  We’ll be the first guests in the room (important to make sure we don’t break anything!) but it won’t be ready till 3pm.  All we have to do is pack.  So we do that, and meet with Ivan, the concierge, who will be an amazing asset to us during our stay.

 We visit the church of the Madonna del Orto, almost next door to the hotel.  It’s famous for the frescoes of Tintoretto, who lived across the canal, especially his “Last Judgement”.  It’s a little disappointing after seeing the Giotto in Padua since, unlike the latter, the Tintoretto masterpiece has faded over the years and hasn’t been restored.  But the great joy here is the cloister next to the church, where there’s an exhibition of very realistic horses’ head in metal, part of a charitable fundraising project.

We’re in the Cannaregio region of Venice, away from the tourists in St. Mark’s Square, one of the reasons we chose this hotel.  Also in Cannaregio is the Jewish ghetto, which includes a museum detailing not only the history of the ghetto but Jewish religious traditions.  We spend a lot of time reviewing the displays, thankfully with English descriptions, and also see into the synagogue on the 3^rd floor.  I hadn’t realized that synagogues are very plain, following the prohibition in Mosaic law against graven images.

There are a couple of school groups touring the museum – sitting on the floor being lectured in Italian.  I get a kick out of watching their body language.  A few of the girls are clearly interested, but the rest look totally bored, a fact which may be lost on the lecturer.  I guess teenagers are the same the world over!

With a little time still left before our room will be ready, we visit one of the many gelato stores on the island.  Vicky is especially fascinated by some of the unusual flavors available and tries licorice and dulce de leche at various times.  I’m equally adventurous but since they always have delicious lampone (raspberry), that’s always one of my choices.

Our new “suite” is actually a very large room (same total size as the former suite) but it has large windows overlooking the now sunny garden, and as promised, the lagoon.  It also has an impressive chandelier but no tea/coffee making facilities or carpet on the floor – they obviously got it ready for us quickly.  Nevertheless we love it, so unpack and settle in.  For the second day there’s a welcome gift in the room.

For dinner tonight we’re trying an inexpensive place we saw, which has Ivan’s stamp of approval.  We share a pasta, then enjoy simple meat “secondi”.  Later we walk around the business section of the island, where the shops are still open.  We find shops selling “Murano” glass (I’ll explain the quote marks tomorrow) and a patisserie where we pick up decadent tarts filled with something suspiciously like pannacotta.

Venice without rain is wonderful!

40th Anniversary Trip Day 10

40^th Anniversary Trip Day 10 – Tuesday – on the Brenta Canal

Today we head for Venice.  It’s only 30 minutes by train or an hour by bus but we’re doing it the old fashioned way - by canal boat.

The Brenta Canal was built in the 16^th Century to  divert the flow of water that was silting up the Venice lagoon.  Soon, rich Venetians built villas along the canal and traveled to them by flat bottomed boats called Burchiellos.  We’ll be taking a modern boat called – logically – Il Burchiello.

The day doesn’t start off too well.  Our hostess had told us the best way to get to the dock would be by taxi, and there’s a taxi rank in the square next to the one where we’re staying.  We checked it out yesterday.  The boat leaves at 8am so we’re up early.  After 10 minutes or so at the taxi stand with none in sight, we’re getting worried.  After hurried consultation we schlep our bags to the street with the tram line and wait, with kids on their way to school.  The tram eventually arrives and soon deposits us at the railroad station, where there are plenty of taxis waiting.  With only 10 minutes before the boat leaves, we hope the taxi driver is honest.  Fortunately he is, and he quickly gets us to the dock where there’s a crowd of people but no boat!

 A young lady comes over and asks if I’m Philip.  We must be the last to arrive!  It turns out that due to the recent rain the river is high and the boat can’t get to Padua.  It’s waiting for us a few miles down the canal and they’ve laid on a bus to get us there.  So we miss the first couple of locks on the canal (there’ll be more!) but get to see more of Padua.  Away from the old center it’s an uninspiring modern city but we’re soon in beautiful countryside with quaint villages and cows.

I mentioned the villas, and the boat fare includes tours of 3 of them.  Our vessel is tied up outside the Villa Pisani at Stra. 

This was built in the early 18^th Century for Alvise Pisani, the 114^th Doge of Venice, and (what a coincidence!) has 114 rooms.  We don’t get to see them all, but we’re in a neo-Baroque castle that’s seen a lot of history.  In 1807 Napoleon bought it from the now impoverished Pisani family and we get to see his very impressive bed. 

Of course, only 7 years after that Napoleon was in exile and the Hapsburgs acquired it (and lost it a couple of times).  It was used as a retreat for wealthy European aristocracy.

Later, Victor Emmanuel, the first king of a united Italy, lived here.  He was a man of simple tastes, as evidenced by his bedroom.

Finally, it was restored and witnessed the first meeting of Hitler and Mussolini!  Now it’s open to people like us.  There are 5 English speaking people on the boat, and we have our own guide at this and the other villas we’ll visit.

The tour over, we settle down for the cruise.  There’s an upper observation deck where I spend some time, taking pictures of the locks we pass through, as well as other villas and small towns.  There’s a continuous commentary as we travel – in 4 languages, and a place to get good coffee on board.

Next stop is Villa Widman, one of the earliest residences built along the canal.  In contrast to the ornate Villa Pisani, this is more livable, and the grounds include stables.  Take a look!

Not long after, we stop for lunch.  You had the option of buying lunch at a restaurant right by the canal, and we did.  (The alternative was to bring a packed lunch).  We had a choice of regular or vegetarian and if you know me you may be surprised to hear we both went for vegetarian.  It started with a large plate of cheeses (great) and a basket of bread that was replaced when we emptied it.  The main course was an omelet with lots of vegetables – not bad but the blandest meal we had in Italy.  To finish, canned fruit salad and cream.  Next time I’d go for packing bread and cheese!

Back on the boat, we continue downstream thru more locks.  The weather is getting cloudier, but it’s a really relaxing day and we’re getting to enjoy the deep green Veneto countryside.  We arrive at our last villa.  This one was built by Palladio and has his trademark columns.  (If you know London, think of the Palladium theater!)  

It’s under construction and the only entrance is up a wide set of stone steps with no handrail.  Vicky isn’t comfortable with having to come down the steps afterwards so I do the tour alone.  It’s also just started to rain and since we can’t get back on the boat, she waits in the small gift shop.

The inside of the villa has 6 large rooms surrounding a high-ceilinged loggia.  A spiral staircase goes up to what were the servants’ rooms (the family didn’t want them intruding!).  The staircase is closed off but we can see the bottom of it.  Despite the large rooms, the other English speakers and I decide we could enjoy living here.

The rest of the trip, down to the mouth of the canal and across the Venice lagoon, takes place in rain, so the lower deck is crowded.  Now I’m glad Vicky chose seats up front, and apart from one large couple who hog the front window, blocking the straight-ahead view, we’re able to see all around.  The boat ties up on the Grand Canal, just downstream from San Marco.

Our hotel gave us 2 alternatives to get there – a (very expensive) water taxi or the public boat (vaporetto) followed by a 7-minute walk.  We have umbrellas and pull behind bags, and the rain isn’t too hard, so we choose the latter.  We’ll find out later there was actually an easier way.  The walk is straight across the island, with 3 bridges across small canals, but there are several small alleys so it takes us a while and I ask for directions twice, but we eventually arrive at the Grand Hotel Dei Dogi, a 14^th Century palace that has served as the French embassy and is now a luxury hotel.  We have a free stay and they’ve upgraded us to a suite.

The suite in question is in the building next to the lagoon, which means we have to cross the 2-acre garden.  This will be great when the weather improves but it’s not impressive in the rain.  The suite itself has 2 levels.  The entrance room has a sofa, a chandelier and closets, and leads into a large sunroom with loungers and a view over the garden.  There’s also a small, but luxurious bathroom.  A staircase leads to the upstairs bedroom, which also has a chandelier and is cozy.  We discover that water is leaking into the sunroom but call the front desk and they bring towels to soak it up.

We eat in the hotel dining room tonight.  Not cheap, but great service in a refined atmosphere.  Vicky describes it as one of the 3 best meals we had in Italy.  Tables and chairs draped in spotless white linen all the way to the floor.   Everything we’re served looks like a work of art.  Vicky chooses lighter options than I, so when it’s time for dessert she wants some and I don’t.  Fortunately, they bring two spoons!  But I’m getting ahead of myself.  This meal is worth describing in detail.

Vicky starts with a light and flavorful melon gazpacho, while I can’t resist beef tartare (again!) with a salad of asparagus (which I love, and this was young and tender) and chicory (new to me and a little bitter, but it complemented the seasoned beef well), goat cheese and a quail egg.

For her main, Vicky chooses tender scallops wrapped in bacon, with a cream and rosemary sauce and lentils.  I get to try a little and it’s sublime.  For me, pasta – but not what you’re thinking!  Home made linguine in a sauce of garlic and olive oil, served with tender turnip greens and the piece de resistance – red shrimp tartare.  I brave the shrimp and it turns out not to be raw but lightly cooked.  It’s juicy and melts in my mouth.  And unlike in the US, they’ve removed the tails so I don’t have to mess with them.  We’re both glad we didn’t eat all the bread, since we can now use it to mop up the last of those wonderful sauces.

After Vicky’s shared dessert – I mostly remember the cream – we end with chocolate truffles and coffee, then head back through the garden to our suite.