Venezia

Seafood risotto!

The name Venice comes from the Veneti, the people who lived here as of the 10th century BC. Can that be true? So long ago...

Bidet is a French word for pony.

The city stretches across 117 small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea in northeast Italy. The saltwater lagoon stretches along the shoreline between the mouths of the Po (south) and the Piave (north) Rivers.

Eva and Anne.

Mike and I went out for a walk our first night in the city and met this adorable woman as we were crossing a bridge and asked her to take our photograph.

Gift.

Thirty minutes later she had recounted her life story in Italian (which we don't speak and barely understand),  and apologized for not inviting us over to her house for dinner because her house was a disastro. Then as we were leaving she insisted on giving me this fuzzy frog key chain. It is one of my favorite things now.



Photo she took.



We understood enough to learn that she has been married for 63 years, her husband eats a lot and is very skinny, they have children, something about her daughter, Americani were involved somehow in her life. Meeting and chatting with Eva is another highlight of this adventure. The contrast between friendly Italian and friendly Brit is discussion worthy.

Mary, receiving the glorious news that
she is conceiving a child out of wedlock.
Museo dell'Accademia

The Republic of Venice was a major maritime power during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, and a staging area for the Crusades and the Battle of Lepanto, as well as a very important center of commerce (especially silk, grain and spice trade) and art in the 13th century up to the end of the 17th century. This made Venice a wealthy city throughout most of its history. It is also known for its several important artistic movements, especially the Renaissance period. Venice has played an important role in the history of symphonic and operatic music, and it is the birthplace of Antonio Vivaldi. (Wikiwhat?)

We traveled to Venice in early April to celebrate our 10th anniversary! And Lowell's birthday, and Karlin and Jesse's 10 year.

Ponte dell'Accademia

Mike organized everything. Babette provided the much needed childcare for our five night trip.

Oh no you di'int!

Oh yes I did!

He booked a room at a place that looked charming online, but not nearly so charming in person. The list was long. It was the dirty, stained blanket on the bed that bothered me the most. Not super conducive to epic romance. We ran away from our sad room and booked ourselves into the lovely Hotel Palazzo Stern.

Basilica Cattedrale Patriarcale di San Marco

In the treasury of St. Mark's there are over 100 relics including various arm bones, shin bones, hands, skulls, breast milk from the Virgin Mary, blood of Christ, nail from the crucifixion, a chip of the true cross and more. There is a small fee to get in, it is a very small room with very little signage explaining the items. We used an audio guide which I didn't think was informative, but all in all, entertaining. There is also a fee to see the tomb of St. Mark.


Gondola, gondola!

Eat pizza at Ai Sportivi, Campo Santa Margherita 3052, Dorsoduro. I thought it was scrumptious.

Pizza Formaggio e Fungi
Gnocchi Bolognese

And a big thank you to Melina, for making me buy those jeans!

Dinner at Ai Sportivi.

According to our guide book, Venetian must try foods are sardines al saor and baccala mantecato.  The baccala tastes like it is loaded with lard which sounds disgusting, but was actually super tasty, creamy delicious. I was sure it was lard, because manteca is lard in Spanish. But according to online recipes, it is just boiled cod beaten with olive oil.

Sardine al saor, Baccalà mantecato, spaghetti pomodoro, and two spritzs

Venetian Spritz
Ingredients
1.5 oz Aperol or Campari
3 oz Prosecco (dry sparkling wine)
Dash or two of Club Soda or Seltz
Orange Slice and Olives for garnish
Ice cubes

Method
Place ice cubes in a glass, then pour in Prosecco, dash of Club Soda or Seltz and lastly Aperol or Campari. Garnish with orange slice and olives. Enjoy!

The Spritzs were bright orange heaven! We grabbed a bottle of Aperol in the airport on our way home and mixed up a batch at home...but we don't have it down yet. Something is missing and I suspect it might be a charming square filled with wild children accompanied by cig smoking mamas, all watched by crowds of very old ladies enjoying a chat in the late afternoon.

Happy Birthday Lowell!

So on the day of, Mike chartered a gondola from our hotel to St. Mark's Square, where we jumped on a private water shuttle to Giudecca Island. But first we had a good brush with fame because who should get off the shuttle we were waiting to board but David Letterman! I was briefly terrified that Mike might embarrass me and say ANYTHING to him, but he didn't.

I would love to conquer whatever it is that makes me so easily embarrassed, but in the meantime, thank you God for my understanding husband.



Happy Anniversary Jesse and Karlin!

 Anyway, our anniversary date was lovely. After walking around the grounds of the hotel, we crashed a private party and sipped bellinis at the pool side bar. Sometimes when traveling it can be difficult to read social cues, because later, after finishing our drinks I realized that the bartenders really wanted us to leave. The bar was closed, but they were too polite. Next we went to the Fortuny Bar, on the same property.

Scala dei Giganti, overexposed Neptune and Mars,
Doge's Palace.

I had a perfectly perfect green tea martini at the Fortuny Bar and it was herbal heaven. As I write this my mouth is watering it was so good! And each drink is served with a selection of adorable bite size goodies. There was a guitar player and he played two of our songs, The Girl from Ipanema and Romanza. We also had another sighting of David Letterman, returning to his hotel for the night. Our dinner at Fortuny Restaurant was delicious, but the service was over the top. Later we debriefed and agreed that we prefer a more casual atmosphere. My recommendation would be to go to the hotel, have a drink at the bar and leave. Enjoy dinner elsewhere.

The very best of the best of our trip was kayaking for seven hours in the canals of Venice.

Venice is covered with barnacles!

Mike arranged for Giorgio Sartori, from Bibione Kayaks to take us out. Giorgio brought along Adriano and we spent an amazing, unforgettable day. I liked having a guide, at the very least to be charming and speak Italian to the somewhat annoyed but friendly gondolieros. Giorgio was a delightful, relaxed and knowledgeable guide.

I cannot express the enchantment we felt, going wherever we wanted. Mike paddled and I took hundreds of photos.

Mike and Anne in front of Hotel Palazzo Stern,
photo by Giorgio Sartori.

 It was one of the most exciting things I have ever done in my life. Up there with The BGTs, hiking Grand Canyon, sharing a meal with hindu priests in Batu Cave in Kuala Lumpur and giving birth to my four precious perfect babies.

Another fun thing to do in Venice,
photo by Giorgio Sartori.

 I wish that all of my loved ones may experience kayaking in Venice some day. Please add it to your list.


Ponte Rialto,
photo by Giorgio Sartori.

Giorgio recommends going on a weekend because there is less commercial traffic.

Photo by Giorgio Sartori.

He also suggests spring or fall for best weather and fresher smelling canal water...

Adriano with lion,
photo by Giorgio Sartori.

It was thrilling, fun, exciting and beautiful.



Graffiti on ruined house reminds us of William.



This also looks like fun!

Bridge near Arsenale, when the tide comes in it becomes unpassable.

Stopped for lunch, Adriano and I had the fresh asparagus with eggs.

Looking at photos of Venice before our visit, I was amazed at how the buildings could come straight out of the water. It boggled my mind, and I imagined that seeing it in person might make me feel uneasy, waterlogged.

I imagined that it would be bewildering to see it in person. But it wasn't. It felt so natural, a city that was meant to be just as it is. Nothing strange or out of place.

Bridge of Sighs

I don't know if others have had the same experience, but I felt nervous about reaching the 10 year mark. I felt a little awkward and shy around our anniversary. I don't know how to be married for 10 years.

Whenever we go on a vacation alone we always call a few people to share our excitement. Usually we drink a bottle of wine first. One person we always call is my best friend Kara, she had the idea for Mike and I to get together. In Venice I actually said to her, "Kara, it looks like he's in!" Even with a rock solid marriage, I don't think I will ever feel completely secure.

The next years of marriage seem like the uglier ones. Some couples lose respect for each other. They stop trying to be charming, quit caring about the happiness of their partner and start to show the disgust they feel. I am afraid of that. For a couple weeks after our anniversary we counted every day. "Day 13, going strong!" I never want to be complacent, I hope I will always have a sense of the tremendous gift I have been given.

We went ahead and arranged our childcare for our 20 year. William agreed to babysit his teenage brothers when he's 32, as long as Mike agrees to help him move furniture whenever he feels the need to rearrange the living room.

Here's to the next 10 years! Here's to trusses and straps!


St. Mark's Square,
photo by Giorgio Sartori.



For more info on kayaking in Venice, check out the following links.
http://www.bibionekayak.com/bibionekayak.asp?lingua=eng
http://www.vogalonga.com/