Those Horses

It's bad enough that I haven't had time to write more but to just lose my whole post did not make me happy.  Yes...here I go again and hopefully that won't happen.

E. and I went on an additional tour upstairs and what a grand view from above the Piazza San Marco in both directions.  What grabbed me though was those horses.  Those incredibly beautiful horses that are huge!  I just wanted to climb up on one and sit astride as I looked out. 

E. took this photo as I just couldn't capture them the way I wanted to. 

E.'s photo

So what is the story of the horses?  First of all the ones outdoors are not the originals.  Those are inside which we saw as well.  They were plunder taken after the Fourth Crusade from Constantinople upon the order from Venice's Doge, Enrico Dandolo.  He had lost an eye in a scuffle in Byzantium and was wanting some revenge.  I'll say he did.  What a prize he brought back to Venice!  Can you imagine the boat ride home with those horses?  Quite a ruckus wild time that must have been.  Apparently they had to cut the horses heads off for shipment and then restored them by adding the collars they wear now.  They were placed over the main doors to the Basilica proudly looking out.

Then Napoleon stole them in 1797 and brought them triumphantly back to Paris and placed on the Arch of Triumph in the Place du Carrousel.  It was said "Rome is no longer Rome, it is Paris!".  I guess the Pope at that time was none to pleased.  They were returned back to Venice in 1815 by the Austrians.  

Here is a view out towards the Doge's Palace.....

One with E.....

Then E.'s special effect photo of the Piazza San Marco.....

E.'s photo

A corner statute on the Doge's Palace that is haunting but beautiful....

Detail of the front of the Basilica....so much to appreciate...the glass the marble, the colors.

Venice by night......

 


Ready for a ride down the Grand Canal at night with some music by Dean Martin....sit back and enjoy...

Click on the Vimeo logo and watch it there.

Bong, Bong, Bong!

Realizing that we should think about dinner we started looking for a place to eat.  We would walk up to the plentiful restaurants and read each menu.  What did we want to eat?  How much did this place charge?  Was it busy or empty?  

We sort of stumbled out a calle and found the Grand Canal in front of us and to our right the Rialto Bridge.  How did we wind up here?  We had no idea but it was a pleasant surprise.

We started walking up and down along the water checking out the restaurants there.  We thought it would be nice to eat along the water.  Then it was what side of the Canal should we eat on?  It didn't really matter as after reading two different menus of restaurants side by side, we ended up at Ristorante Omnibus.  We ordered a 1/2 liter of the house Vino (7  Euro),  E. ordered Lasagna (9 Euro) and I ordered a Pizza with Speck and Rocket greens (9 Euro) which to the US dollar was about $36.00 in total.  Both our entrees were terrific!  We sat and relaxed after the long day of travel, finding our hotel, our beginning sightseeing and what or where to go the next day.  

I love that in Europe that you are never hurried out of a restaurant.  You can linger all you wish.  When you are ready to leave you ask for the bill and even the process of paying is not in a hurry. 

Finding our way back to the hotel was no problem as we just followed any sign that said "San Marco".  We got back to our room after 10:00 and got ready for bed.  I opened the windows and the street noise below didn't seem too loud and decided to leave the windows open to the fresh air.  I felt with all the carrying of my bag up and down over the bridges and up the many stairs to our room that a Tylenol PM was in order.  This way I would also get a sound sleep in a new setting and be able to wake up fresh and well rested for our big day of touring.  Or so I thought.


I heard this Bong, bong, bong and woke with a start.  What was that?  I flopped back down on my pillow and fell to sleep.  The next time the sound seemed louder and I fully awoke.  Bells?  Oh good Lord bells!  Of course we were quite close to the bell on top of Torre dell'Orologio and that was what was ringing.  The midnight toll is what woke me this time.  I got up and sadly closed the windows.  It was quiet outside once the bell had done it's bonging.  Nonetheless I did want to sleep the rest of the night.  With the windows closed not a sound outside could be heard.


Morning came and I rose first, took my shower and then E. did the same.  We walked out into the mostly emptied calle and looked for our breakfast.  We looked in shop windows where an employee would be tiding up the store for the day ahead.  


We found a panifici in a quiet spot near a narrow canal with outside tables to sit at.  We ordered our first Venician cappuccino (E. at first wasn't going to get one but she did and that began her morning start of a cappuccino everyday), and picked out our breakfast treat that was so often referred to as brioche (it was not the brioche I was familiar with).  

E.'s photo ~ first morning in Venice ~ Breakfast

The foot traffic began to pick up.  It seemed like everyone was talking on a cell phone and it was really cute to hear Italian and no English.  Several dogs and their owners walked by, most common seemed to be French Bulldogs.  I wondered where in the world they would take them to go to the bathroom.  I hadn't seen any doggie poop anywhere.  


Out of that narrow canal a small skiff of a boat drew up and then two men with a cart came up to the boat and quickly unloaded supplies off the boat to the cart.  Strong, good looking Italian men, fit, not pudgy sloppy Americans.  Oh I know I am not in the USA!    The cart and men were gone within minutes.  


Our day begins and off we go.  First destination is to St. Mark's Basilica.  We wait in a line that moves along where we can look around at how beautiful this Piazza is.  It is not flooded with tourist and the weather is perfect.  Brilliant blue skies with not a cloud to be seen.

Doge's Palace ~ Porta della Carta

I look to the right of our line and see this gorgeous entry that is called the Porta della Carta.  It stands between the Basilica and the Doge's Palace.  This was the ceremonial entrance where permits were checked for entry into the Palace courtyard.  There is the winged lion that stands so majestically in front of the Doge Francisco Foscari.   

Inside the Basilica your eyes are drawn up to the gilded walls and ceiling that are all mosaics.  Where some churches feel cold because of the vast marble, I felt warmth inside here.  Rounded arches covered with saints, angels and other religious figures were surrounding us.

We walk in a horseshoe shape around the inside and marvel at the beauty of the mosaic tiled floors of different designs.

I am transfixed by the flickering candles, of how I may not understand the lighting of a candle with a prayer, I can be moved by the thoughts that went with their lighting.

Moments of Magic

I'm not sure what moved me most.  Looking out from the end of the Piazza San Marco near the Palazzo Ducale or seeing the look on my daughter's face as she viewed the grand scene on the water before us.  Gondola's were bouncing up and down from the wake water of the many boats going past us back and forth.  I looked at the Gondoliers in their snappy flat top, ribbon bedecked hats and striped shirts.  The ones near us seemed quite jaunty and relaxed.  Regardless of how touristy the idea of taking a gondola ride has become you can't help but want to see the canals and water by one.  

Across the water is the tiny island that has the church of San Giorgio Maggiore on it.  The light on the facade of the church casts lovely shadows this time of day.  From where we stand it looks like the water goes right to the front doors and I wonder if they too get flooded in a very high tide.  I would like to go visit here and explore what we can as well as take photos from there looking back towards Venice.  I hope we will be able to do this on our day that we buy our 24 hour Vaporetto passes.

Back to where we are.  E. looks out and a glimmering smile is on her face.  I know I should wish that my Love is here but to be here with E. is very special to my heart.  To have this special trip with her, to explore to our heart's content.  Let us say that in ones life if you have children, that once they leave the nest, time together becomes all that more precious.  Our children have a whole life away from us and often as parents we so miss the times together that they can't really understand.  At least that is how I feel.  Being with her right then was like the best Christmas and Birthday gift all wrapped up and each day is like reopening that gift.

I haven't been this happy in awhile.  So much has transpired in the last two years with the aging of our parents.  I let the sounds wash over me, fill my eyes with the view, and this is just day one. 

Standing in the Piazza San Marco

After some unpacking, a much needed shower and some rest E. and I are ready to have our first evening out in Venice.

I am delighted with our location for our first time here.  I know that I would call our area "ground zero" for the crowds but as a starting point we are close to the Piazza San Marco, St. Mark's Basilica, the Campanile, the Torre dell'Orologio or St. Mark's Clocktower, as well as what we know we can't see because of renovation, the Bridge of Sighs (it just recently has been finished and can now be seen).   

Coming through the narrow calle out into the Piazza was euphoric!  We're here!  My first thought was "thank goodness it is not crowded"!  So often I have been told not go to Venice because of the crowds and yet here we were with hardly a crowd at all.

St. Mark's Basilica

St. Mark's Basilica is incredibly beautiful.  And indeed it does remind me of a lavish wedding cake as I had read on a blog Venice for Vistors.  At once it feels light and airy compared to the Duomo in Florence.   Gold shone brightly on the mosaics we could see on the outside as the sun began it's late afternoon descent.  Domes, spires, ornate crosses, statues and those magnificent bronze horses gazed out on the Piazza.  The original horses are safely kept inside in the Museum of San Marco (I'll be writing about this later).

Mosaic over one of the doors to the Basilica

The Piazza is large with buildings framing three sides opposite the Basilica.  To the right is the  Torre dell'Orologio whose clock face is of the Zodiac signs of gilded gold with a deep royal blue background.  Atop the building above the clock is what we can see from our room, the bronze bell with two figures who ring the bell on the hour.  E. points out the lion above the clock face who reminds her of Aslan from the book the Chronicles of Narnia.  What I know now is this is the traditional symbol of Venice that stood for Mark the Evangelist who is the patron saint of Venice.  We will see many of these lions in Venice in days to come.

Torre dell'Orologio

We walk farther into the Piazza and I notice the restaurants opposite each other and side by side, that my friend K. had said do the dueling pianos in the evening.  

One of several restaurants in the Piazza that will be doing dueling pianos concerts in the evening.

Rising from the Piazza stands the St. Mark's Campanile.  It is surrounded by fencing as they are doing renovation here.  It is still open to take an elevator to the top for views but we have decided we will not do that.  We will take our views from the Basilica.  

St. Mark's Campanile

I'm a bit awe struck here in the Piazza because it is almost too much eye candy to see.  Every building is either with gilded gold upon them, deep hued colors of the mosaics, statues, ornate columns, the dramatic fabric awnings over the restaurants arched openings, elaborate marble designs, the many languages of the tourist around us and of course the ever moving street vendors trying quite hard to get you to buy their cheap toys while on the look out for the Polizia to shoo them away.  

Another view of the Basilica

We soak it in and I am once feeling how much history lies on this island.  How little I will fully learn while here for our short time and how I wish we were staying longer.  I remember my brother by marriage asking how long we were staying in Venice and told him four full days.  He said we should stay at least a week, maybe two and I told him that we only had so much time to see the other places we wanted to go to.  We couldn't fly all the way to Italy and only go to Venice!  Yet I was beginning to see what he might have meant and we had only been here but mere hours.

Long way around

Thank goodness for Google Earth as that virtual program has helped me follow our path via our photos of how we made it to our hotel.  Looking at our path we sure took the long way around and I can honestly say we crossed a lot of little bridges. 

I know this because every bridge had steps and I was lifting or dragging my rolling bag over ever last one....you know that sound?  Clunk, clunk, clunk....I am grateful I did pack light.  I am grateful I did not do two suitcases.  I saw a few of those folks attempting to drag two bags, their shoulders and arms bearing the weight, the expression of exhaustion on their faces.  I felt bad for them because they couldn't savor the sights that they walked by.  I might have been the same way but no, I was enthralled by all I saw!

  We started in the Santa Croce neighborhood crossing the Grand Canal over into the Cannaregio neighborhood, and on into the San Marco neighborhood where we were to stay.  We followed the plentiful signs that would say Piazza San Marco that were on buildings along our walk.  We didn't really need to use a map though I had bought one before our trip.

A Campo opened up and we passed the church Santa Maria Maddalena which caught my eye because of the Masonic symbol over the tall doors.

On we walked looking forward, looking left and right, looking up all the while going deeper into Venice and the immersion taking hold of us.  I wondered if we would pass this route again or how we might find it.  E. led on and I wondered what were her thoughts.  Suddenly we found ourselves looking out into the Piazza San Marco and if I had been a pilgrim I would have fallen to my knees for having found this spot!  To our left rose St. Mark's Basilica from the narrow calle we had been on. 

We wandered out and beheld the shear beauty and enormity of this Piazza.  The history that ran under my feet, up my legs, into my heart and lungs, through my eyes, the feel of old beneath my fingers, as I imagined the pageantry that had taken place here and I did feel overwhelmed.  Though we could have stood here gazing but it was time to find our hotel.  


I had an inkling of where it was in relation to the Piazza and pulled out the map for E. to read.  The Ai Do Mori is a mere one block off the Piazza.  I did mention that we had to go up  many stairs just to get to the main reception.  A small little office with very kind young woman checked us in.  Our room was another two flights up beyond that and no, there is no elevator.  Clunk, clunk, clunk my rolling bag went. At each step I lifted my bag to the next step.  How much did my bag weigh?  I should have done kettle bell lifts before this trip to prepare for this!  E. offered to help but I declined.  I needed to pull my weight on this journey.  I was dripping with sweat by the time we got to Room #6 and opened the door after much fumbling and giggling by the two of us.  I couldn't wait to unload, take a shower and of course let hubby know we had made it safe and sound.

Our room ~ E.'s photo

View into our room ~ E.'s photo

 Only one disappointment to our room was that the view was marred by scaffolding as they were working on the exterior of the building.  Just the same it was a welcome view of the Campanile of San Marco and the Clock Tower as well as part of the top of the Basilica.  Our room had two windows to look out from but this was the view that caught my eye when looking for hotels to stay at.  E. really wanted to climb out onto the scaffolding but the mommy in me was a bit scared over that!

First views, first bridge and first knocker

When I saw the view from this bridge and I knew that I was in love with Venice.  The light in the sky, the color of the buildings and the boats lined up on the side of the canal made me smile inside because this was a place like no other I had ever been to.  

E.'s photo with her "Miniature" special effect ~ I love this look!

E. and I walked without a true path but felt we would find our way ....eventually.  

I found my first door knocker and called out to E. to stop, reached in my bag to get my camera out and snapped this shot.  My family know how I feel about "knockers" from our previous trip to Italy.  I stop often (constantly) to admire and take photos of them.  E. was forewarned before this trip that I would be taking lots of photos.

I love this photo of E. as she looks like a conqueror, and in a way we both were prepared to conquer Venice, with amore for it's charm.

 

Here is a close up of the church Santa Maria de Nazaret which we walked by on the opposite side of the Grand Canal.

We passed by the church of San Geremia,  stopping long enough to take a photo then kept on with my rolling suitcase clunking along, weaving in and out of others walking along or against the flow of traffic.  So much to digest and feeling the tiredness of our flight and little to none of sleep.  

I have found out that San Geremia houses the remains of Saint Lucia of Syracuse who was a Christian martyr.  She refused to marry her "pagan" betrothed and chose to give her wedding dowry to the poor.  Her betrothed was none to happy about all this and told all that she was a Christian.  With that they tried to burn her and when that didn't work they took her eyes out with a fork!  I would have liked to have given my respects to this strong woman had I known.  Next time.....