Works at Palanca

Last Sunday a board went up at the vaporetto stop to say it would be closed on Wednesday 18th February from 2pm to 4pm, or as long as it takes for repairs.  I went out at 09.15 & the boat was there with a crane putting in new broccoli - the wooden posts.  When I retuned at 12.30 work was finished & the stop never closed!  But hopefully work is going ahead to replace the second cabin.  There was an accident here last autumn between a motoscafi vaporetto and one of these boat/cranes & a broccoli post.  The post was swinging & went into the vaporetto, people hurt but not fatally.  So while the investigation has been ongoing one cabino has been removed.  hence with twice as many boats & people using the one cabino at times it's packed.

Protecting passengers is thin strip of red & white plastic tape!

Lastly on Vicenza.

When I came out of the exhibition, poster below called Tutankhamon, Caravaggio & Van Gogh - Into the night the market had been cleared away & there is a huge piazza.  Also there are two columns with a lion representing the Venetian Republic.  For one hundred years this was the only one until a second one was erected in honour of Vicenza & it's citizens. The final photo is from the Palladio museum with a model of the Basilica with the colonnade around the outside.

Better view of the Basilica once the market stalls have gone.

Poster for the exhibition I went to.  There was some wonderful paintings on show, many from galleries in Boston & Chicago so not likely to be seen otherwise.

Tops of the two columns.

Model of the colonnade built by Paladdio.

Vicenza part 2

The Basilica building in the Piazza della Signori.  It was not stable & Andrea Palladio built the colonnade around the outside & it's still here today!  The ceilings in the Gallerie d'Italia Palazzo Leone Montanari & the columns around the basilica.

Vicenza. Part 1.

Thursday I went to Vicenza.  I haven't been since my first long stay in Venice in 2009.  It's known as paladin's town as it's where Andrea Palladio's was born & he designed many of the buildings. My first stop was the market.  Mostly clothes & hardware, only a few few stalls.  But it's setting is amazing in the Piazza della Signori & Piazza della Erbe, around the Basilica.  These are a selection of the stalls on offer.

La Traviata at La Fenice

Finally a few photos from La Fenice.  The theatre before the audience had arrived & the lights around the side & the amazing central chandelier.  The original one before the theatre last burnt down was British made, but this one is from Murano.  Where else?  The orchestra we in high spirits.  Being the last night of Canevale some were in fancy dress.  When the conductor arrived on his podium the first violinist threw confetti over him.  For the third part he had balloons, a fritelle & plastic spider on his music stand.

The market at Padova.

Last week I went to Padova for the day.  It's a lovely town & I love to look around the market.  Here are some of the goodies I saw.  The cheese & meat shops are in the two arcades either side of the Palazzo della Ragione.  All around the Piazza della Erbe are the other stalls. 

Often the stalls just sell one colour of fruit or vegetables.

These are fondi - artichoke hearts.  Surprisingly they take quite a while to cook.  In a little oil & white wine then add parsley.  They're delicious.

Garlic

Stalls selling dried beans, rices also for risotto with flavourings & spices.

The thin, srawny chickens come with head & feet.

The butchers delicacies.

Baccalat - dried salt cod.

Hams & salami.

Huge meringues.  Sold by weight.

New reading glasses

Here is a selfie of me in my new, titanium reading glasses.

The Tiguan

In every vaporetto stop cabin is an advert for the VW Tiguan, like mine.  It seems incongurous when there are no cars join Venice & very few Venetians own one.

Tea with Dom Andrew & an amazing sunset

I went to San Giorgio with Elizabeth to have afternoon tea with Dom Andrew.  He was so pleased to see us & told us all about his recent stay in a monastery in Surrey.  He walked out to the vaporetto stop with us & the campo was mobbed with people in stupid costumes.  But there was this amazing sunset over Redentore. The vaporetto came & the cabin was full so we did a Giudeccini & entered via the off ramp.  The ramp was also full so the people exiting had a hard time getting out.  Then only Elizabeth & I actually got onto the boat!

And people ask me why I don't like Carnevale?  Roll on Wednesday, we get the city back.  I actually think where I'm going so that I can avoid the crowds.

Monday night I went to my friend Gaspare's book launch.  Il Signore Andy EI0.  It was in a tiny new museum in Cannareggio but there was a good turn out.  I was excited because I'm mentioned in the acknowledgements! WOW.

Here is my name in the acknowledgements of Gaspare's book.  Even though it has turned on it's side.
Wednesday Gaspare left for his new life & job in Wiltshire.  Here is the send off party.  Annie & Mike were on the same flight & drove him to his new home.  All the best.  I'll be down to see you during summer.

Gaspare signing my copy of his book.

Checking out the itinary for his first two weeks.  Think he'll need a shovel, as my dad would have said!

Annie & Mike on the fondamenta going for the vaporetto.

Gaspare.

Plus his mother, Antoinetta.

Plus me.

At the book launch on Monday.