Everything looks better in sunlight, especially Venice. This morning when I peeked out of the window of my shoebox, there were blue spots in the sky, so I took a photograph of it. Having breakfasted, and back in my room, I looked out again, and lo! there is no blue sky to be seen.
I was prepared to stay in the miniature breakfast, room, but another couple came in and there were no tables free, so I gave them mine, and am now perched on the bed near the window, and while composing this, another essay is running in my head, which is a detailed catalogue of the manifold deficiencies of this hotel, along with a scathing analysis of my feeble character in not doing anything about it - either the room or the character. My excuse is that typing on the iPad gives me more than enough problems to be solved, such as removing the full stops which appear despite my finger having been nowhere near the fullstop key.
Yesterday we went to the Querini Stampalia museum, which was quite fascinating. The entry has been refurbished, the staff were very helpful, and even gave us stickrrs permitting us to take photographs of the artworks. However the very modern entry area, replete with lockers, bookshop (excellent) and cafe, cleverly obscured the how to get into the museum question. On our way we were confronted by a video of an Australian artist discussing aboriginal art.
The last member of the Querini Stampalia family bequeathed everything to Venice, and there are many portraits and paintings of Venice, including a whole room with floor to ceiling paintings placed right next to each other. The original furniture and furnishings are still there, all roped off so as not to allow anyone to rest their weary limbs and indulge in beautiful thoughts and artistic apprecistion, so that after a few rooms I was desperate to sit down.
After our visit we tried to find the hotel where my sister and I stayed many years ago, but to no avail. My map reading skills and lack of a sense of direction did not help.
However the first thing I did yesterday morning was to visit the Accademia. Nora had advised me to go early, before the crowds hit, and so I did, and managed to wander around for a couple of hours before being swamped by Other Tourists. I did ask the staff/watchdogs a couple of questions, but they were really very little help, quite inlike the staff at the Pitti Palace, who really knew their stuff and much more besides, and had great enthusiasm and courtesy.
The previous evening we went to a meeting of the Circolo, which seems to be a group of mostly British aficionados of Venice, and the UK ambassador gave a talk on EU, British and Italian issues, all very interesting despite the long walk there and back.
This morning we. Are going up tothe station to organise train tickets.
I was prepared to stay in the miniature breakfast, room, but another couple came in and there were no tables free, so I gave them mine, and am now perched on the bed near the window, and while composing this, another essay is running in my head, which is a detailed catalogue of the manifold deficiencies of this hotel, along with a scathing analysis of my feeble character in not doing anything about it - either the room or the character. My excuse is that typing on the iPad gives me more than enough problems to be solved, such as removing the full stops which appear despite my finger having been nowhere near the fullstop key.
Yesterday we went to the Querini Stampalia museum, which was quite fascinating. The entry has been refurbished, the staff were very helpful, and even gave us stickrrs permitting us to take photographs of the artworks. However the very modern entry area, replete with lockers, bookshop (excellent) and cafe, cleverly obscured the how to get into the museum question. On our way we were confronted by a video of an Australian artist discussing aboriginal art.
The last member of the Querini Stampalia family bequeathed everything to Venice, and there are many portraits and paintings of Venice, including a whole room with floor to ceiling paintings placed right next to each other. The original furniture and furnishings are still there, all roped off so as not to allow anyone to rest their weary limbs and indulge in beautiful thoughts and artistic apprecistion, so that after a few rooms I was desperate to sit down.
After our visit we tried to find the hotel where my sister and I stayed many years ago, but to no avail. My map reading skills and lack of a sense of direction did not help.
However the first thing I did yesterday morning was to visit the Accademia. Nora had advised me to go early, before the crowds hit, and so I did, and managed to wander around for a couple of hours before being swamped by Other Tourists. I did ask the staff/watchdogs a couple of questions, but they were really very little help, quite inlike the staff at the Pitti Palace, who really knew their stuff and much more besides, and had great enthusiasm and courtesy.
The previous evening we went to a meeting of the Circolo, which seems to be a group of mostly British aficionados of Venice, and the UK ambassador gave a talk on EU, British and Italian issues, all very interesting despite the long walk there and back.
This morning we. Are going up tothe station to organise train tickets.
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