An even slower pace.......yesterday was a bit too fast!

Along with our pace of excitement and energy comes the inevitable recognition that it might be nice to slow down a bit.  We thought we were doing that yesterday, but at 9,505 steps and 3.89 miles of walking .......and 4 boat trips, reality presents a different picture!  We are seriously getting into the mode of relaxing.  Today's plan is for lunch in San Polo to be the only real adventure of the day........we will see. 

The day started with a meeting at the Foundation office.  I met with Marta (my primary contact) and she gave me a tour of the basic research facilities, focused almost entirely on the library and the historic archival collection of books, prints and drawings.  It was very impressive and I was given access to the Antonio Cetani Collection, with specific reference to the work of Annibale Carracci. I noted that I was particulary interested in prints and drawings exhibiting characteristics of 'quadratura' projections as the earliest form of spatial perspective in the trompe'oeil manner.......and was shown were they were kept........rather intimidating.

This is my 'working' space in the library

On the way to the library, two things to point out.......

Instead of grass, they use clover in the courtyards.  It is amazingly beautiful.......have to try this at home.

Second point is the beauty of the cloisters.  There is a sequence of two connected cortiles with cloistered passages connecting the spaces.......absoultey beautiful.  These are remnants from the time when this was a benedictine monastery. 

Look closely behind the well!

Our major excursion for the day was a reservation for lunch that Andrea had made months ago in the San Polo district, at a restaurant called Antiche Carampane.  We gave ourselves a little over an hour to get there, as we had to take two separate boats........and we were worried about the crowds on such a nice day.  The crowds did not disappoint! as Piazza San Marco was its normal hub of tourist craziness. We navigated through it all and found the second boat (linee #1) close by to where the #2 docked in the SM/Zattere.

This second part of the 'commute' gave us a great set of vistas down the Grand Canal, as we went from San Marco to Rialto. 

THE GRAND CANAL

SAN POLO SESTIERE

LUNCH AT ANTICHE CARAMPANE

WANDERING AROUND SAN POLO AND LOOKING FOR THE FRARI CHURCH

Formerly the red light district of Venice, the Ponte Tette was known as the Prostitute's Bridget

Titian (Tiziano) in the Frari

Giovanni Bellini at the Frari (Madonna and Child)

  BACK ON THE GRAND CANAL!

Approaching San Giorgio

a welcome rest and espresso at San Giorgio Cafe

Shifting into a Slower Gear........on a beautiful day!

 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!

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.