We decided that it might be a good idea to slow down a bit and enjoy a more leisurely pace. Our adventure today would be next door to the island of Giudecca and back a couple of times. The irony is that the separation between San Giorgio and Guidecca is only about 150 feet......but there is no bridge, so we rely on the vaporetto. That's actually not a problem as it comes by every 12 minutes.
We had breakfast in the apartment and headed out to another beautiful, sunny day. The first trip was primarily to do some basic grocery shopping. We stopped first at a local produce stand close to the vaporetto stop, then headed back to the Coop for more basics. In between, we couldn't resist a coffee and pastry at Majer, a well-known hangout in Venice.......5 shops, including one on Giudecca.
Every morning the campanile greets us as we leave the apartment
and every morning the water is our first adventure!
Back to La Residenza for some work and lunch. We have actually started to sketch and open up the water colors.......but have yet to gain much momentum! It is all about the rythm.
we have not had the energy to get into this rhythm yet! soon......the fitness area at La Reseidenza
Around mid-afternoon we decided to go up in the campanile at San Giorgio Maggiore. The afternoon was clear and the views were spectacular! Lots of good shots here!
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| This shot shows La Residena, where we are staying |
On the way back to the room we explored a bit more in the gardens, and took a quick look at the only other occupant on the island, a local yacht club.
We have developed a pattern here, where 6:00 (today 6:30) rings in the trip to the roof terrace for wine and snacks. It is so peaceful and quiet up there, a wonderful way to unwind in the evening. Tonight we had some entertainment, as there was a group of people trying to navigate their way through the maze.......with some frustration!
For dinner, we headed back to Guidecca. On the way, there were a bride and groom being photographed......quite an evening for pictures. We checked out a couple of places near the Zitelle vaporetto stop, but in the end decided to stop again at the 'nameless' pizzeria on the fondamenta (at least we can't find the name!). It is really comfortable because it is at a bend in the fondamenta where there is more space between the buildings and the water. It was very busy (also a good sign) with a combination of visitors like us and quite a few locals.....always a good sign. We initially had a table one row back from the water, but within 15 minutes a group moved out and we shifted over.......amazing location 3 feet from the water's edge.......actually something to be very careful about because this is not a place you want to fall in!
The sunset was truly remarkable! It looked like something out of a Turner painting.......absolutely captivating. The service was a bit slower due to the dining activity, but that allowed us to thoroughly enjoy the evening. At the end of the meal, we found a sea gull friend!
We don't have pictures here, but on the way back, there was a dramatic lightening show up in the Italian alps to the north.......we think in the Dolomites, but it is possible it was Austria. The lightening was very far away (as the starts were out overhead) but the frequency and illumination from that distance was startling.......a lot of fun to watch.