Venice: August 21, 2006

Today was splendid! It was our last full day in Venice; we are coming home tomorrow.

We did not even get to breakfast until 9:30, which put us at the Doge's Palace at 10:00 (in the thick of the Japanese tour groups).

We wandered all over the pink and white Ventian Gothic palace by the water. It's large and ornate, a combination of richly decorated governmental chambers and private apartments for the Doge. The Doge was a ruler elected for life, and he had great power. There's a "Golden Stairway" leading up to the Senate rooms and the Doge's apartments, so called because the very fancy ceiling is decorated with 24 karat gold! The power of the position of Venice as "Queen of the Seas" during the 1400-1700's was truly amazing. We even walked over the "Bridge of Sighs" and down into the prisons.

Next we scooted into St. Mark's Basilica. It was built several times, the most recent being 800 years ago. Instead of paintings or frescoes, the whole interior is covered with mosaics made of 1\4 inch glass squares. The entire background is gold, which means each square (and there are millions) is 2 layers of glass with a thin layer of gold leaf sandwiched in between. We got there just before the lights turned on for half an hour. When it's lit, it glows with an amazing golden light. Fabulous! Plus Venice is sinking, so the floor of this church is therefore not at all level; it rolls up and down, almost a foot in some places!

We also got on top of the front facade where the 4 famous horses are, and wer able to look down on the square and take close-up pictures of the clock tower.

Since our hotel is just a block behind the cathedral, we were able to come home several times today to rest and drop our things. That was very convenient.

Later we decided to take a walk across the city, stopping to ride the 50 cent gondola across the Grand Canal. Everyone else is paying $80 to ride, except a few people who do the quick crossing for cheap, like us!

We also stopped into the Peggy Guggenheim Collection of modern art. It is in her old palace, right on the grand Canal where she lived her last years and collected really expensive wierd stuff by the likes of Picasso, Jackson Pollack, Gaugin, and other important modern artists. I did not like it at all, and sometimes I like modern art. Most of this was what I would call "truly awful." Heidi thought it was interesting, and a nice break from all the really old famous stuff we have been seeing in other European museums, like the Louvre, Orsay, and the Vatican. I can say I enjoyed the house.

We walked forever, and miracle of miracles, we did not get lost crossing Venice on foot. That's a first! Our goal was the station from where our bus will leave tomorrow. I wanted to buy our bus tickets to the airport, because I think we will be leaving in the morning before the office is open.

Eventually we got on the water bus and rode the whole length of the Grand Canal, back to San Marco. The sun came out and the air was warm and moist, and the light is always special in Venice. It was wonderful.

Later this evening we will go eat. Last night we went to dinner at 10:30. Tonight will be sooner.