Hmmm??? Seems to be Venice heavy, this blog, yes? Venice is a sparkling memory, of course. However, I also did spend a number of extra days there in advance of joining the tour - in total I spend 7 days there, so half my time. Florence, Rome - much shorter. That will explain in part why it is Venice that is highlighted more. I only hope it's not boring 'ya all'....
This is a picture I captured of a young adolescent out on his boat. At the time I took it I thought it was absolutely enchanting to see him out and about in his city, enjoying his leisure time in his boat. I was struck by how very different his pass time was from what my friends and I would have been doing in Regina, in the Saskatchewan prairies at his age.
Later - many, many hours later - I saw him again. Alas, no picture. I was in the vaporetto on the Grand Canal but there he was steadily rowing right down the middle. He seemed like he was in a trance.
Hmmm? I wonder if he is practicing to be a gondolier? Alessandro said most gondoliers started young and that it took lots of practice! Good luck to him.
More pictures
The Scala Contarini del Bolovo
This unique building in Venice is a small palace hidden away in an obscure little campo. But it's worth the hunt! It is undergoing renovations but soon will be open to the public I think. (Hey! Another good reason to return to Venice!)
This
lovely, elegant spiral staircase is unlike anything you will see elsewhere in
Venice. The spiral is reminiscent of a snail's shell (Bolovo), hence
its name. (Earlier I had posted a picture of the roof tops of Venice from its bell tower... can you find this building in it? I bet you can!)
This posting may make you sigh - or roll your eyes - or giggle. Or, perhaps, do all three.
:)
You can imagine that in the labyrinth of calles, bridges and campos that make up the maze that is Venice, that there are a lot of dark, secluded corners. Venice is known as one of the safest cities in Italy, however it does have a few unexpected dangers. To whit, the danger of men relieving themselves in the aforementioned dark and isolated corners! (Could you just imagine the stench of urine that would pervade the city?)
Venice has recognized this danger and has taken steps to remedy matters. What Venice has done is filled in some of these corners with cement in such a way that should a man urinate on it, the wee would run down the edge and onto the shoes of the malefactor!
Good deterrent don't you think?
Bartolomeo Colleoni was a Venetian mercenary soldier who became immensely rich fighting for "La Serenissima". At his death in 1475 he stipulated in his will that all his fortune is to go to Venice provided it erect a statue of himself in "San Marco", his intention, of course, Piazza San Marco.
Now Piazza San Marco is just far, far, far too prominent a place and even Venice's Doges don't get honoured there. It was never, never, ever going to happen. Yet Venice still wanted his fortune and bequest. What to do? What to do?
Well those crafty, clever Venetians got around it by placing his statue in the campo around the Scuola Grande di San Marco.
Colleoni's will ought to have specified his location much more precisely I am thinking.
No worries, though. I think Bartolemeo Colleoni's fame is even greater given these circumstances and events!
More pictures of Venice including Colleoni's statue!
