Month: October 2017

Yesterday was just a recoup day – with a nice lunch thrown in for good behavior. Today we packed everything up and headed to Padua – about 40 minutes away from Venice but without all the water worlds apart. The main goal, of stopping in Padua, was to visit the Gardens.

“The botanical garden of Padua is at the origin of all botanical gardens in the world and represents the cradle of science, scientific exchanges and understanding of the relationship between nature and culture. It has largely contributed to the advancement of many modern scientific disciplines , in particular botany, medicine, chemistry, ecology and pharmacy.” UNESCO

Because of Janeen’s [who is writing todays blog] Huntington Herb Garden workshops and Herbals introductions, this garden has been on her radar for at least two years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Moorish” medicinal” which inspired the Italian drawings of Padua students under Francesco Bonafede, were taken from the actual plants grown in the university gardens starting in the 16^th century.

The garden had to be enclosed with walls to keep thieves out as the plants were so highly valued. There is still a Medicinals Quadrant to this day, but the garden expanded in the 18^th and 19^th centuries with the “collectors” of new world plants and flora. Many of these plants were “exchange” botanicals between students of the plant world. Janeen loved recognizing Huntington plants, and was in awe of the 1750 Ginkgo Biloba, a male specimen grafted with a female branch in 1850. The order and design of the garden is much like it was almost 200 years ago, with separate gardens outside the walls, planted around waterfalls, fountains and pools fed from underground springs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On a less academic note, I [Janeen} needed green relief, having had my fill of roundabout directions and diesel fumes (even in watery Venice). David has found new Mercedes to be a friendly steed, even amongst the narrow streets with Italian drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians.

 

 

 

Near the Botanical Gardens was our bonus of the day, Prato Della Valle, an elliptical square, the largest in all of Italy and one of the largest in Europe. A water feature divides its quadrants into green space, and statuary surround I’lsola Memmia. The bridge offers great photo ops.

 

 

On the way out of the garden we watched workers placing stones to make a new roadbed – lots of labor involved.

Today we split up – Jason and Terri went for a guided tour of Saint Mark’s Square and Janeen and I went to the Peggy Guggenheim Museum. Peggy is related to all the other Guggenheims around – but didn’t have all the money they did. Her father didn’t have enough time to score big points in the family as he died on the Titanic leaving the family without the vast sums of money the other Guggenheims received. However, we should not feel sorry for Peggy, she did get over $3 million (about 35 million today) so she did OK. She started out collecting art first in Paris and London then in the US and finally in Venice where she remained for over 20 years.

The Museum holds a portion of her collection in the Palazzo Venier dei Leoni where she lived and died. She had a fondness for collecting living artists and purchased works early on from a number of different artists– and married at least one (Max Ernst) having a couple of kids. When she died, the collection and the Palazzo were turned over to the Guggenheim Trust for management.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In walking around the place you really get a feeling it was a home and the artwork was displayed for her pleasure. One entire room is filled with Jackson Pollock’s works – I don’t recall ever seen so many in one spot. Other works by Salvador Dali, Marc Chagail, Alexander Calder, Max Ernst, Pablo Picasso and others make up the collection.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After we connected with Jason and Terri we had a quick bite to eat, a brief rest and got into a water taxi we had hired for a 2-hour water tour of Venice. Our driver was knowledgeable about all the various neighborhood buildings, the history of the area and how to get around. It was a wonderful tour, viewing at least five of the seven districts, including the Jewish Ghetto, Arsenal (still military), residential, rather than resort, canals, and views of church plazas and historic palaces.

Two recently renovated Palacios are available for an under market eleven million euros, but the resident ghost and bad luck of previous owners, keeps the money away.

 

Our taxi driver was a born in Venice waterman, who had crewed at the America’s Cup in 1991, and liked San Diego a lot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Early Tuesday, David and Janeen walked the Virginia Lees to a neighborhood water taxi pick-up for the rapid ride to Marco Polo Airport, then had a Café in a neighborhood shop, and reverently walked through .

St. Maria Gloriosa, to view the Michelangelo’s and impressive chapels.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The church bells were our sound track for our stay at this beautiful VRBO.

Not all of those who Wander are Lost!

Today, we wandered around a bit but were never lost. After a late start in the morning, we huffed it to the Rialto Bridge – which was CROWDED as to be expected being one of the main photo spots for the Grand Canal.

 

We crossed over, taking a picture or two of course, and walked around to see the sights.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Getting hungry, we crossed back over the and went to a nice restaurant for a lovely lunch – clams, soup, lasagna, salad, steak, lamp shank…all really lovely.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After lunch, we took the Vapareto along the Grand Canal to St. Marks Square for a walk around and to see where Jason and Terri are to meet up with their guide tomorrow.

We also walked past the Bridge of Sighs.

Of course we stopped for a espresso,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Janeen had Melon gelato (something she has been looking for since she had it in Provence 10 years ago!) and ultimately back over the Rialto Bridge (for the 3^rd time) heading back to our apartment and a coffee break and finally gelato stop along the way.

Generally a really nice day was had by all.

After checking out of our BW Travelers hotel, we went over to the Venice Marco Polo Airport and picked up Jason and Terri who arrived from Germany to spend a few days with us in Venice. After getting everyone in the NEW CAR we drove across

causeway to the City Of Venice! Needless to say there are very few parking areas but I had reserved a spot for our stay.

 

Once we navigated the parking structure

 

 

 

 

 

and purchased our vaporetto (water bus) tickets, we boarded Line #1 and motored down the Grand Canal to our stop S. Toma, where Greg, our host in the VRBO, was waiting.

 

 

After a short walk, we got to the apartment – overlooking Campo dei Frari, near Gloriosa dei Frari church.

 

 

 

 

 

We are on the second floor of a nice building next to a “rio”canal. This apartment has two bedrooms, a large living room, dining room, 2,5 baths a nice kitchen and LOTS of windows for light.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We got settled in a few minutes and then headed out to Antiche Carampane, a restaurant Janeen and I had visited during our first visit (15 months ago) to share lunch.

Well, the restaurant did NOT disappoint!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jason and Terri were a little tired after a very long day so they took a nap – and then they went out for pizza while Janeen and I stayed home. Tomorrow, even if it is calling for some rain, we will venture out and do some exploring and actually take more pictures!