Things We Did In Venice

Hey all,

Caught up on sleep – on the third day I was confident I was actually better and would not need the super expensive back up antibiotics the doctor in Florence had given me a script for in case the second and third courses he had already prescribed failed to take.

Went to a chamber orchestra concert where we heard, amongst other things, Corelli, who I have always wanted to listen to live, and which included a cellist who had so much, um, brio, that he looked like he might be on crack and also broke a string, fortunately in the encore.  It was in a lovely old church and was really very good, despite us both nearly being turned off by the program for the evening: “the talent, creativity and genius of the artists united here forever by destiny … the soundtrack to the everyday life which proudly unfolded in a glorification of itself … a meeting between music and the other muses to successfully create that moment of perfection born from the symbiosis of two elements which seem made for each other.”  OMG.  Extraordinary.  I would be nervous to write all of that word for word even as satire.

Went to the Gallerie dell'Accademia di Venezia, which was close to our hotel.  Looked at lots of pictures.  Went to an exhibition of musical instruments.  Went to a special exhibition of Bosch at the Palazzo Grimani, after walking around most of the afternoon looking for the place and going to the wrong Grimani on the map – it was interesting, though only had three paintings and seemed put together by a wildly bitter curator who hated the world – see photo.  Also, K kept setting off the alarms by getting too close to the paintings, until she finally learned to keep her distance, at which point another couple set of an alarm, then scampered, and the security woman charged back in and looked at K in an accusing manner, standing there in her bright red coat looking sheepish, squealing, “It wasn't me this time, I promise!”  Security girl obliged us by turning alarm off for a few minutes so we could get right up close and personal with the paintings, which was nice of her.

Went for a long, very cold, but lovely round trip on the Line 1 waterbus along the grand canal – the cheapskates gondola ride.  Wisely asked for the sit down prices for coffee and tea in St. Marks square before sitting down and ordering them off the reasonably priced stand up menu, then decided that well north of 20 bucks was too much money for two hot drinks so went somewhere else.

Visited the hotel where K stayed with her parents when a teenager.  I realise that she is perhaps slumming it a little bit by travelling with me...

I hear Australian accents behind us and I nearly turn around to have a bullshit but don't – when I point this out to K she turns and has Vince Colosimo, Rebecca Hall and child sighting.

I have another dog turd moment that, according to K, “nearly pushed you over the edge,” which is a grossly slanderous exaggeration.

Went to the Doge's Palace.  Went to heaps of churches.  Wandered about a lot.  Had a lot of nice food.  Took a lot of photos.  Ate green biscuits which were awful.  Walked over lots of bridges.  Enjoyed each other's company very much.  It was snowing when we got to the airport to fly to London, which caused us a bit of panic, but fortunately it stopped.

Photos.  1.  The Grand Canal.  2.  A shot of a distant church at night.  3.  K, being what the Lonely Planet, attempting to be blasé but in fact just being odious, describes as an “art wonk.”  4.  Just in case you don't know what to do in the toilet.  5.  A chastity belt.  Click on it and have a close look, I dare you.  This will give you nightmares.  6.  The church in St Marks square is stunning inside.  7.  I looked closely – I am certain neither of these were fake.  8.  K, about to set off the alarm.  Again.  9.  Amazingly catty introduction to the Bosch exhibition.

Cheers, B.