Venice

I'm dreaming of Venice...

Love the light in this photo - wish I'd taken it. It's from the Italian Language gadget on Google - so are the ones below.

The Gritti Palace Hotel is my favorite place to people-watch...on the water. People act differently when they're in a boat. Go, have lunch on the terrace, check it out. 

Then, when the sun is going down, get in a boat yourself. Everyone should ride in a gondola once...then go for the water taxi - my preferred mode of travel. 

I wonder what Venice looks like today? Gray? Cloudy? Sunny and cold? Damp? Some day I want to see Venice dusted with snow. But today I have to settle for photos - and memories.

Sweating in Venice

Venice. The sauna. If you're on the Grand Canal you can breathe...

Notice how everyone is outside? So are we. The Gritti Palace Hotel has the best views in town. Breakfast on the terrace is delightful. Lunch is just bearable if there is a breeze. Forget cocktails - too hot.

Arrive by water taxi if you can - it's an e-ticket ride (okay of you remember e tickets you're older than you think).

The Biennalle four years ago changed the way I look at the world. This year it looked like a misogynistic high school art show. I kept thinking "Yuck!" and "I could do that" and "Seriously? More melted plastic?"

There were a few thought provoking pieces...

...and a few that looked straight out of a Manhattan gallery.

But it did not change my life. Darn.

There were gondola traffic jams on the Grand Canal...

...the poor sweltering tourists looked miserable. 

When you go eat at Al Paradiso. Inside. At midnight outside it was 90 degrees, But the owner is charming and the food was incredible. Have the Branzino Carpaccio and the Spaghetti Vongole. Try the risotto with shrimp. And the grilled whole sea bass. Yum.

Pigeon problems

My adored nephew has been in Venice, and I still think pigeons are rats with feathers. Squirrels are rats with good PR. Deer are just locusts. 

Hope he showers before he comes home...