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Italy
  • Kelly Smith
  • Kelly Smith

Italy

Un’avventura di 23 giorni di Kelly Leggi altro
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  • Kelly SmithItalyViaggiatore

    Cena (Dinner)

    16 luglio 2017, Italia ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    We arrived back in Florence at 7:15 and made a quick stop at CarreFour to get a bit more pecorino as Brad was going to make cacio e pepe at home for supper. It was a bit more labour intensive than we assumed, but it turned out very well! We were pretty hungry and so we devoured it quickly!

    Everyone is off to bed as we have to get up early in the morning to go on our Chianti wine tour!    Leggi altro

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  • Kelly SmithItalyViaggiatore

    Siena Wine Tour

    17 luglio 2017, Italia ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    This morning we were out the door by 8:40. We had to walk about 25 minutes to get to our tour meeting point. Promptly at 9:30 we hopped on our Mercedes mini man and we were off to Chianti Classico country.

    Chianti Classico is a wine region of about 40 000 acres, only 20 000 dedicated to vines. There are 17 wine regions just in Tuscany and this is one of the most important. Most of the wineries are very small and family run.

    On our agenda, we had three family wineries of different sizes to visit. Our first stop was the largest vineyard as they produce about 100 000 bottles a year. It was called Montecchio. We got a tour of the cellars before sampling three wines: a young Chianti Classico, a reserva, and a super Tuscan. First we learned how to correctly smell and taste wine, which was really neat as our guide was a sommelier. We also got to sample the olive oil they make as well. It was so good that we bought a bottle of both the reserva and the olive oil. I'm sure the oil will make it home, but I'm not sure about the wine!

    Our next stop was the medium sized vineyard. Here we were greeted by a Vancouverite! We haven't encountered many Canadians, so this was a treat! He showed us the vines and the olive trees, as well as the French oak barrels (each barrel costs 1000€, about $1700 CAD) that the Sangiovese grapes are aged in. They can only use the barrels for four years and then they have to get rid of them. After the tour, we tasted three wines - all reds. We enjoyed these three and it was interesting to taste one that hadn't been in an oak barrel as opposed to one that had as you could really taste the difference.

    Our last stop was the smallest winery, Casa Emma. We didn't get a tour here, but as you drove up you could see the vines. It's incredible how rocky the soil is, which is apparently very important for growing vines. Anyway, here we had lunch with our wines. We started with both a white and a rose, which were paired with bruschetta, salamis, and cheese. We also got a Tuscan bread and tomato dish that Evan compared to mashed potatoes. With our third wine, a red, we had a pasta course. It was similar to a bucatini with tomato sauce. We have been told that Tuscan cooking always involves tomatoes.

    The wines and the views were both spectacular! Our drive back to Florence from Siena was beautiful and far more forested than one might assume. We learned about Chianti Classico and how it's not at all like Chianti, which we had not known. It was a pretty fantastic Mother's Day gift!    Leggi altro

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  • Kelly SmithItalyViaggiatore

    Apres Wine

    17 luglio 2017, Italia ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    We arrived home shortly after 3:30 and needless to say, Brad and I needed a nap. I blame it on getting up so early!

    After we awoke, we managed to get ourselves going so that we could go out for dinner. We decided to go to a place that was only 15 minutes away and highly recommended for its tripe. We didn't have a reservation, but seeing as it was a Monday night we got in right away.

    We began with tripe meatballs (polpette) which were deep fried and very rich and savoury! The tripe had been ground up, unlike previous versions of tripe we have tried. Then we had primi. Evan ordered tagatelle with a white ragu, which was so delicious! It tasted like butter! I had ravioli in a tomato and onion sauce stuffed with tripe, and Brad had rigatoni with a duck sauce. All the pasta dishes were outstanding and just what we wanted!

    Evan is not one to say no to dolci, so he had a warm chocolate flourless cake. It was almost like a slice of lava cake. He was pretty happy about the entire meal!

    After dinner, we walked home and got ready for bed. Tomorrow is a long day of art, art, climbing the Duomo, and more art!    Leggi altro

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  • Kelly SmithItalyViaggiatore

    Uffizi, Duomo, more Gelato

    18 luglio 2017, Italia ⋅ ☀️ 34 °C

    We had a 9 am booking for the Uffizi Gallery this morning, so we were up early once again. We had to wait in one line to pick up our reserve tickets, then wait in another line to enter, and then another line to actually get into the Gallery. And this was with a reserved time slot! Anyway, we made it through all the lines and got in.

    It's always a bonus to have someone with you who has study art history. Brad was able to explain the importance of many pieces to us, and he directed us to the really significant pieces so that we didn't get art overload. We got to see pieces by Giotto, Botticelli, da Vinci, and Caravaggio. The real standouts were Botticelli's "Birth of Venus"; da Vinci's "The Annunciation"; and Caravaggio's "Head of Medusa." The Gallery itself was an interesting building as well. I had no idea it'd be around since the 1500s!

    We spent two hours at the Uffizi before finding our way out. It was lunch time, so we got out of the tourist area and went to a pizza and beer joint we'd passed earlier called Fermento. We got to sit outside under a canopy, which was quite lovely. We all got our own pizzas, which were made with a sourdough crust. Our big pizzas were maybe not the fuel we needed for our next activity, but they were certainly delicious!

    Our reserved time to climb the 436 stairs to the top of the Duomo's cupola was at 2 pm. We walked over and eventually found the line, which moved quickly. Then it was time to climb! They have warnings before you go up that you shouldn't climb the stairs if you're claustrophobic and once we got going, I understood why. The stairs were winding and became increasingly narrower as you went up. You couldn't even pass anyone until you came to an alcove! However, the climb was worth the incredible view at the top! You could see all of Florence! It was beautiful.

    We probably hung out at the top for about half an hour before making our way down. Going down was tough because the stairs were so steep. However, we did it and Evan was happy to be back on the ground! Before leaving the area, we went to check out The baptistery doors that were done in bronze by Giberti.

    After all that, it was time for a quick stop at Perche No? (Why Not?) which is a gelateria I had read about. Evan had coffee crunch and stracitella, I had chocolate and fresh mint, and Brad had almond and pistachio. It was a refreshing treat after a hot climb!    Leggi altro

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  • Kelly SmithItalyViaggiatore

    David

    18 luglio 2017, Italia ⋅ 🌙 24 °C

    We had a 5:45 time slot booked to see David at the Galleria d'Academia. Today was a very scheduled day, but if you want to see the good stuff you need to book in advance (or stand in a hot line for hours).

    We arrived around 5:30 and had to wait in line to get our tickets. Every museum has you go through a metal detector. Brad said that previously a man had used a hammer to attach the statue of David, so I suppose these precautions are necessary.

    The Galleria is very small and everyone is basically there for one reason. We did see a number of unfinished sculptures that Michelangelo had started as well, which was neat to see because you could still see the chisel marks on them. David was much bigger in person than I had imagined! His hands were enormous and the definition in the legs and arms was impressive. He had all the veins and muscle structure of a real person! We were awed. Evan couldn't help but notice how big his "jigglys" were (Evan's seen a lot of jigglys on this trip).

    We took a few spins around David before checking out some other religious art as well as a room full of plaster casts.

    After exiting through the gift shop, we found ourselves out and about but too early to have dinner. We popped into a pub called Mostodolce so Evan could work on his journal while we had a quick pint. While Evan wrote, we decided that we'd head back to the Mercato Centrale for a quick supper. So, we packed up and walked over. We decided to try a few things for supper including a squid ink suppli (called arancini here); a mixed grilled seafood skewer with salad; a meatball sub (more like meatball in a pita); and some rigatoni with Bolognese. We even tried a cannoli for dessert!

    By this time it was 9:30 and we had a long walk home. I can't say we mind the walks though because everyone is out and about at night. It's so hot that the evening is the only cool part of the day and I think people take advantage of it.

    Tomorrow is our last full day in Florence and I know we are all going to miss this city!    Leggi altro

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  • Kelly SmithItalyViaggiatore

    Pitti Palace, SandwiChic, Shopping

    19 luglio 2017, Italia ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    This morning began very leisurely as we all had a chance to sleep in. When we finally got ourselves together, we walked over to the Pitti Palace, which houses all sorts of museums. We were most interested in their art collection, or the Palatine Galleries.

    When we walked into the gallery we were stunned by an incredible chandelier! I suppose that was to give us a small taste of the opulence of the palace itself. Every room is lined with Renaissance paintings and all the ceilings are painted with various motifs. Among the pieces we got to see were another Caravaggio, Visari, and a Reubens. The rooms were a bit of a labyrinth with offshoots here and there. Evan and I wandered off on our own for a bit, but then decided to stay put so Brad could find us!

    After the Palatine Galleries, we toured the apartments. They once housed some of the Medici family and then were inhabited by the Grand Duchess. We got to see the furniture and other decorative items from the bedroom and ballroom. In addition, we saw a bathroom that was designed for a visit from Napoleon. Lastly, we did a quick tour of the modern art collection. Brad was hoping to see work by an Italian "futurist" but 10 of the rooms were closed - that's Italy for you! We did, however, get to go down the huge staircase they refinished 10 years ago so that was a bonus!

    It was now past 2 and we needed lunch, so we walked a few blocks to SandwiChic. This place came highly recommended, and it deserves its accolades. The whole place is about the size of a walk in closet. You order at the counter (they have so many sandwiches to choose from) and then we ended up sitting on stools tucked into a corner. Once you had a bite, you didn't mind being totally squished and hot though - they were delicious! I had one with capocolla, smoked buffalo mozzarella and artichoke spread; Brad and Evan got sbriciolona (like a salami), pepper jam, and cheese.

    Completely stuffed, we spent the rest of the afternoon shopping. They have several high end streets with big designer names (Chanel, Gucci, Prada) so only window shopping happened there! Brad bought a cool new watch with an eye in the centre, but then we had to endure Evan making a lot of eye puns afterwards!

    We returned to our apartment to cool down and so I could finish the laundry. Later we will head out for our final meal in Firenze!    Leggi altro

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  • Kelly SmithItalyViaggiatore

    Our Hood

    19 luglio 2017, Italia ⋅ 🌙 24 °C

    It was our last night in Florence, so we decided to keep it local. We walked about a 100m to a restaurant that is on the Michelin Guide for 2017 called Alla Veccia Betolla. We pass it every day and every night, and in the evening it is always packed with people. So, it seemed like a sure bet.

    We went right at 7:30 because we didn't have a reservation. It is communal seating, and we were seated by a family of five from San Diego. They had just arrived in Florence via Rome. They were doing three weeks in Italy just like us!

    We ordered the primi course and each got our own pasta. Evan had lasagna, Brad had penne with a spicy tomato sauce, and I had a thin pasta with porcini mushrooms. Then we shared a secondi of veal steak and zucchini flowers. The steak was juicy and charred just right, and I've spoken previously about our love of fried zucchini flowers. The real bonus of the meal was the huge bottles of Chianti on the table. It was basically all you can drink house wine for 4€!

    The waiter didn't have to twist Evan's arm too hard to talk him into dolci. Evan got an apple tart (really a tart/ crepe hybrid) with vanilla gelato. I barely got a bite as I was chatting with the people from San Diego (who also ordered the tart after seeing ours). Luckily we had planned to go to the sorbettoeria just across the street.

    I'm not sure what the technical differences are between sorbet and gelato, but we had seen this sorbettoeria lined up most nights. Evan got the straticalla and caramel sorbet, while I got lemon-sage and ricotta with honey. I know those flavours sound bizarre, but they were delightfully refreshing! We ate our sorbet in the park while we watched a game of football (soccer). It was the perfect evening to cap off our time in Florence!    Leggi altro

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  • Kelly SmithItalyViaggiatore

    Full of Bologna

    20 luglio 2017, Italia ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    We cleaned up the apartment and meet up with Giorgio at 11 am. He kindly called us a cab (no hailing in Italy!) and saw us off. We made it to the train station with time to spare, and soon found our platform.

    The train ride was only 35 minutes and because we were on a high speed train, it mostly went through tunnels. This was a bit disappointing as we were hoping to see the view. Anyway, we arrived in Bologna at 12:35 and got a cab rather quickly. We were taken to our hotel, Porta San Mamolo and were, thankfully, allowed to check in early. Our hotel is quirky as it's a series of small buildings in one complex. Our room is very nice and had huge wood beams running through the ceiling.

    After settling in, we walked to the central market, which is way smaller than the one in Florence. We ate at a small restaurant that specialized in tartare. I had a tuna tartare burger; Brad had a salad with anchovies; and Evan chose the make your own sandwich option. Then we toured around the town square for a bit. Bologna is much different than Rome and Florence, the buildings seem more medieval and less Renaissance. There are 40 km of porticos to protect people from the heat as well, which is helpful! Also they don't have the super narrow sidewalks, which we are pleased about!

    We decided to book tickets to climb the 496 steps to the top of the Torre degli Asinelli. We could only get a 4:15 time slot, so we grabbed a quick coffee to pass 45 minutes. Then, it was climbing time! The Tower is 97.2 m high and that equals a lot of steps! We climbed and climbed and eventually reached the top platform where we had a lovely view of Bologna! It was pretty tight at the top, but we managed to see all the vantage points. Then we had to climb down, which was much more challenging than up because some of the staircases were so steep. Evan was not so keen on the heights and he said that his lunch might reach the bottom before he did! Hahaha! In the end, he was fine.

    It was getting late and we had to head back to the hotel in order to get ready for dinner, so we made our way back along the winding roads.    Leggi altro

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  • Kelly SmithItalyViaggiatore

    Danilo e Patrizia

    20 luglio 2017, Italia ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    We made a reservation for a highly rated restaurant called Danilo e Patrizia. If you think of Bologna as a circle, our hotel is at the bottom and the restaurant is in the top right quadrant. So, we had to take a bus for about half and hour, which worked out well because we got to see a lot of another area of the city.

    We ended up way in the suburbs and found the restaurant nestled in a park like setting. Danilo himself greeted us and seated us outside (al fresco!). He told us all the pastas were handmade. We began to look at the primi menu, which is always the pasta course, and there were at least 20 pastas! One even had donkey meat. We passed on the donkey, but instead tried the tagliatelle with ragu, tortellini in brodo (a meat broth), and ravioli stuffed with cheese and bacon and topped with white truffles. It was all absolutely stunning! There isn't too much that beats fresh pasta! Brad and I also tried a local wine called Lambrusco, which is a sparkling red wine. It is lovely on a hot summer's day.

    For the secondi, Danilo recommended the suckling pork with roasted potatoes. He added some fried zucchini and fried cream for us (as in, he didn't charge us for these). Yes, fried cream! Apparently it's tradition to eat it with meat, and it is amazing! It is sweet and salty and crunchy - to die for. The pork was succulent as well.

    We shared a dolci of creme caramel and Danilo also gave us little pieces of an almond and chocolate cake as well. By this time we were stuffed! We eventually got our bill and then Danilo insisted we have an apertif. He brought out two bottles and two shot glasses and just left them on our table. Brad chose limoncello and I had a liqueur called Corvino which seemed like sherry. We were treated like family and we had such a lovely meal!

    Afterwards, we caught the bus home. Well, truthfully I got us on the wrong bus, so we had to get off and Brad got us going back in the right direction. Nonetheless we made it back to our hotel!    Leggi altro

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  • Kelly SmithItalyViaggiatore

    Food and Ferraris

    21 luglio 2017, Italia ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    This morning we embarked on our much anticipated Food and Ferrari Tour. Our tour van met us two minutes from our hotel and off we went.

    Our first stop was a parmigiana regiano producer. The producer makes 100 000 wheels each year, so it's considered a large producer. We had to suit up in protective gear before entering the production facility.

    We first watched the cheese being cooked in large copper vats. Then we moved to the room where the cheese is first moulded in a plastic ring and then transferred to a metal ring. Once it maintains its shape, it's moved to a salt bath where it stays in the salted water for quite awhile. Finally we got to see the huge aging room where there was literally a library of cheese! We learned how they tap it to listen for bubbles and then how they flame stamp it to show that it's been approved.

    Finally, we got to taste both a 24 month old parmigiana and a 36 month old one. We expected the 36 month one to be quite sharp, but it was the opposite. The 36 month cheese was much milder than the 24. As a bonus, we got to wash it all down with a locally produced sparkling wine!

    The next stop was at a small prosciutto producer near Modena. They produce about 30-40 000 legs each year. Depending on the aging, each leg can go for €400-€700! We got to see the three cooling and salting stages of prosciutto. Then we saw where they hang the legs to age them, as well as how they run a lard and pepper combination on the legs to seal them. Legs can age anywhere from 2-5 years. At the end, we got to taste the prosciutto. It was so and velvety, unlike some of the more leather like prosciutto you sometimes gets at home. We also got a small glass of Lambrusco to go along with our tasting. It's never too early to drink here, apparently!

    Back on the bus, we drove to a balsamic vinegar producer. This family has been making balsamic vinegar for over 100 years! We got to see the room where the barrels of balsamic are kept and they explained how each year they harvest grapes, squeeze them, cook them, and then add liquid to the barrels. A young balsamic is aged for 12 years, but the longer it's aged the better it becomes. This is obviously a generational operation for good reason! We then tasted balsamic on cheese and on a vanilla gelato. It was interesting to try a 15 year old versus a 30 year old balsamic. Apparently it also has medicinal benefits as the wealthy used to have a teaspoon after dinner to ensure good digestion and good sleep.

    The fourth stop was Evan's most anticipated- the Ferrari Museum in Maranello. We got to tour the museum and explore the history of the Ferrari company and see many of the early Ferraris. Evan was quite excited by the newer Ferraris - the ones that look like race cars. He quite enjoyed taking pictures!

    It was 2:30 by this time and that meant it was time for lunch. We left Maranello and drove back towards Modena.

    We had a six course lunch at a place called Ca Bianca. Our first course was a puffed pastry with prosciutto on top. Then we had three pasta courses: tortellini filled with spinach and ricotta; tortellini filled with meat; and a tagliatelle with ragu. We were feeling quite full at this point, but the dishes kept coming. The fifth course with grilled vegetables (eggplant, endive, zucchini), roast potatoes, and steak (grilled just medium rare - just!). The final course was a glass of lemon sorbet and a glass of whipped marscepone. We finished with a shot of espresso and were back on the bus towards Bologna, completely stuffed and exhausted.    Leggi altro

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  • Kelly SmithItalyViaggiatore

    Al Sangiovese

    21 luglio 2017, Italia ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    We weren't especially hungry after such a full day of eating, so we just hung out in our room for a bit.

    Eventually we felt we should eat something or we'd be hungry at 10 pm when we needed to get ready for bed. So we ventured just down the street to Al Sangiovese. The owners were the ones serving tables, which is a practice we've come to enjoy here. They are the ones who are truly invested in the restaurant, so it seems like they take the time to ensure you are enjoying everything.

    Anyway, we shared two antipasti: a vegetable pie and a Bologna dish that's comprised of goat cheese with a porcini mushroom sauce. Then we each had a primi. Evan chose a dish that featured traditional handmade pasta in broth; Brad had lasagna; and I had a typical Bolognese dish of hand twisted pasta with peas, ham, and mushrooms. Brad and I also shared a bottle of organic red wine from the Emilia region, which was very nice!

    We had joked with the owner that we had been eating all day and simply could not have dolci, and she responded with, "I am from Bologna, I know! All we do is eat here!" Maybe that's why it's regarded as being a great food city!

    After finishing our wine and paying (we also enjoy the no tipping policy here!) we had a quick walk back to our hotel. Tomorrow we take the train to Venice for the last leg of our trip!    Leggi altro

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  • Kelly SmithItalyViaggiatore

    Venice is sinking!

    22 luglio 2017, Italia ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    We left our hotel at 11, and got a cab to take us to the train station. We could have walked 30 minutes to get there, but it was already 30c by 9 am, so cab it was!

    Our train ride to Venice was uneventful and only took about 90 minutes. We were on another high speed train, but luckily it didn't go through tunnels and were able to see the countryside. Evan watched episodes of the Simpsons as we traveled.

    Arriving in Venice was quite a shock! You stepped out of the train station and there was the Grand Canal! It was RIGHT there! Brad had to get us vaperetto passes, so Evan and I sat with our luggage and watched the water busses and water taxis go by. Once we had our tickets, we hopped on our first water bus (vaperetto). It moved much more slowly than I had anticipated, but it is a busy waterway and there are other water vehicles on it. Eventually we made it to our stop and we called our host. She met us in a square just beyond our stop and took us through winding streets and over bridges to get to our apartment.

    We got acquainted with the place and then had to hurry to get to Saint Mark's Square as we had timed entry into the Basilica. Another win for us because without the timed entry, we would have been waiting in a very long line. I don't have any pictures from the Basilica because you are not allowed to take any, but I can tell you that the ceilings were all mosaics, which is a pretty stunning sight! The mosaics were of many different Biblical stories and I could not believe how far they stretched on for. Even the underside of the arches were done in mosaic!

    After we were routed out of the Basilica (they want you there for 10 minutes only!) we walked around the Square for a bit. People seemed to be enamoured with feeding the pigeons, which is actually against the law here (and rightfully so).

    We finally meandered our way back to our area. The streets here are more like alleys and they go every which way! It is incredible how the waterways are ever present and take the place of streets here. You often read about it or see it on tv, but you can't really believe it until you see it - it almost doesn't seem possible.

    We bought a few groceries to serve as our last few breakfasts and then headed home. Evan was a sweaty mess and had to have a shower once we got there. The humidity is so high that it didn't take more than a few steps for him to become soaked.

    Before long we had to get going for dinner. This required a walk, a vaperetto, and another walk - taking about 35 minutes altogether. We chose to dine at CoVino, as we had read good reviews about their three course dinner.    Leggi altro

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  • Kelly SmithItalyViaggiatore

    CoVino

    22 luglio 2017, Italia ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    We arrived at CoVino after traversing many narrow and varied alleyways. It is a very small restaurant with only 16 seats.

    We started with glasses of organic prosecco while we perused the menu. It was a three course menu, so we each got to choose our courses. I began with sole and peaches to which they added chocolate shavings. Again, it sounds crazy, but it was perfect! Evan started with a pasta with ragu, which was really neat because it had a hint of curry. And Brad had an octopus and lentil salad. Brad and I had the wine pairings as well, while Evan enjoyed his bottled lemonade.

    The next course was considered a main course. Brad had a squid ink spaghetti with roe; Evan had eel (yes, eel! By choice!) with plums and a sesame and peanut sauce; and I had sea bream with roast vegetables and a fennel salad. Of course we all sampled one another's dishes, as usual, and everyone had made lovely choices!

    The last course was dessert. Evan chose a very decadent chocolate cake; Brad had the cheese course; and I had a buffalo ricotta with nuts and fruit. Everything from the food to the service to the wine pairings was absolutely top notch! It was a truly decadent meal to kick off our time in Venezia!

    Feeling quite satisfied, we headed off to catch the vaperetto. It was dark and all you could see where the lights of the hotels and restaurants along the canal. It was so incredibly beautiful that I almost couldn't believe I was seeing it! Venice is such an incredible city that I am almost kicking myself that it took me so long to see it. However, I am seeing it now and will certainly make the most of it!    Leggi altro

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  • Kelly SmithItalyViaggiatore

    Murano and Burano

    23 luglio 2017, Italia ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    Today we got up early so we could get to Murano and then Burano in good time. We hopped on the vaperetto and it took us away from Venice and on to the island of Murano which is famous for its glass. We had a quick cappuccino (standing, not sitting because it costs more to sit) and checked out two glass places.

    The first one had the most elaborate glass chandeliers you have ever seen! They were all different colours and designs, some had glass flowers, others looked more traditional. Evan spotted the menagerie of glass animals and picked out a colourful dolphin to buy as a souvenir. At the second shop we were able to see a bit of glass blowing in action. Considering how hot it is, I have a lot of respect for the people who are standing by a fire blowing glass!

    We only had 30 minutes in Murano before we needed to get back on the vaperetto and go to Burano. The vaperetto was packed and we had to stand for most of the 45-60 minute ride. Needless to say, we were able when it was time to get off the packed, sweaty water bus.

    Burano is a very small town that people mostly visit for the brightly coloured houses. There are all sorts of colours: blue, yellow, even purple. Apparently they are also known for their lace and we did pass many lace shops along the way. We spent some time taking photos and ducking into tourist shops before stoping for lunch. This region of Italy is known for its fish and seafood, so we found a place that only had an Italian menu and that was mostly fish based.

    Evan decided to have a mixed seafood linguini, Brad had a mixed seafood salad, and I had gnocchiletti with a zucchini cream and shrimp. The meal was pricey (it is a tourist town after all) but the food was excellent! Brad and I even got to try an Aperol Spritz, a drink that is very popular here. I can see why it's so popular as it was very cold and refreshing!

    After lunch, we caught the vaperetto back to Venice, although that ride took nearly 45 minutes. At least we got seats on our journey back though!    Leggi altro

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  • Kelly SmithItalyViaggiatore

    Biennale

    23 luglio 2017, Italia ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    When we arrived back on the mainland, we walked about 20 minutes to get to the Arsenale sight of the Biennale. The Biennale is a huge art exhibit that happens every two years, and there are pavilions where each country has an artist to represent his/her country. We have tickets to see both venues, but they are so big that we just went to one today.

    We spent about three hours touring the emerging artists' pavilion, which were all arranged thematically. There was a lot of contemporary pieces, which are not really my thing, but some were quite neat. There was a huge piece that featured strands of thread that connected to a table of clothes demonstrating the idea that we are connected by the clothes we wear and who fashions them. There was also a piece that had a wall of old running shoes that had been turned into pots to grow plants. Evan and I also found a tee pee made of yarn that you could go sit in.

    After a quick granita break, we began to explore some of the smaller countries' pavilions. The highlight may have been the huge horse sculpture in the Argentina pavilion! It completely dominated the space and was quite stunning to see. Brad and Evan also liked some work in the China pavilion, which featured huge cut outs and the use of silk embroidery.

    We were arted-out by now, so we used the golf cart shuttle service to take us back to the main entrance. Evan quite enjoyed our quick ride! Then we took the vaperetto back to our apartment.

    Evan had to have a shower when we got back as he'd been dripping in sweat since we set out this morning. We had wrongly assumed there'd be dinner options on Sunday night, so it was a bit challenging once we found out so many places were closed. Eventually we set out to find Al Nono Risorto.

    When we arrived, it was absolutely packed! We had to wait about half an hour to be seated, but it was nice to be out on the terrace to eat. Evan decided on a carbonara pizza, Brad started with a shellfish pasta and then had squids in ink with polenta, and I had an octopus and potato salad followed by polenta and baccala. The Venetians don't eat as much pasta as some of the other places we have been, which has probably been a good thing for our waist lines! It was a nice meal and honestly, we were just happy to find a place that was open!    Leggi altro

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  • Kelly SmithItalyViaggiatore

    Peggy Guggenheim

    24 luglio 2017, Italia ⋅ 🌧 21 °C

    It was a cool morning (26c, 29c with humidity) so walking about was actually quite pleasant. We strolled along the streets and popped into many different shops as we made our way to the Peggy Guggenheim Museum.

    The Guggenheim is housed in what was formerly Peggy's home situated right on the Grand Canal. The home itself is incredibly beautiful, and the art collection is quite impressive. It is basically Peggy's own collection, so Brad described it as "all thriller, no filler." In the collection, we saw some great pieces by Jackson Pollock (an entire room in fact), Mark Rothko, Max Ernest, Alexander Calder, and Picasso. There were a lot of works by Abstract Expressionist artists, which is one of my favourite art movements. We also got admission to a Mark Tobey show as part of our visit.

    After checking out the art, it was time for lunch. We stopped in at Cantinone gli Schiavi for a local food called cicchetti, which are small pieces of bread with assorted toppings. We tried six different ones that included: octopus; truffle and egg; shrimp; salmon. We ate standing next to the bridge just outside the restaurant while drinking a spritz. Evan was less keen on the ciccheti and more keen about eating pizza, so we stopped at a small stand so he could get his fix.

    We arrived back to our apartment for a bit of down time and it suddenly began to pour! The temperature also dropped dramatically and there was a lot of lightning! Luckily we had packed our raincoats and umbrella, so we set off to walk to the Damien Hirst show.    Leggi altro

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  • Kelly SmithItalyViaggiatore

    Damien Hirst

    24 luglio 2017, Italia ⋅ 🌙 19 °C

    The Wreck of the Unbelievable was the name of the show. It took place in two separate buildings that were about 15 minutes away from one another. The whole premise was that Hirst constructed this narrative about finding a shipwreck and all the lost treasures in it. The gallery spaces, which were enormous, housed the relics of the wreck. Now none of this is true, but the crazy part was that it all looked like something you'd see in a museum.

    For example, he created statues with sea debris and coral on them. He filmed a whole "documentary" about scuba divers retrieving the artefacts! And he constructed a model ship showing where all the artefacts would have been stored. But it was all fake! But you kind of thought it was real. And that was the whole point. The line that exists between what is real and what is presented as being real. Anyway, the show was really phenomenal!

    After the two galleries, we stopped to grab gelato. The rain had stopped and the skies were clearing as we ate. I had bonci just for Kathleen!

    We made it back to our apartment just long enough to make a dinner reservation and head out again. We walked into a part of the city we hadn't seen before, and we got to cross over the famous Rialto bridge. Dinner was at Restaurant Al Corner, which was not in a corner. We were too hungry to take pictures today! Evan had gnocchi, Brad had a seafood spaghetti, and I had ravioli carbonara. We all shared the mixed seafood grill which featured cuttlefish, shrimp, langoustines, and tuna.

    It was a cool evening, which we didn't mind at all during our walk back home. Tomorrow is our final day in Venice, which I can't hardly believe!    Leggi altro

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  • Kelly SmithItalyViaggiatore

    Last Day in Italy

    25 luglio 2017, Canada ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    Our last full day of travel started with a lengthy vaperetto ride to the Biennale Giardini site. This is the site where the major countries have their pavilions. We couldn't believe how enormous the space was! We began in Spain and started making our way through the various countries. It would be impossible to describe (or remember) all the works we saw, but I'll try to describe some of our favourites.

    The Canadian pavilion was manned by Geoffrey Farmer. He had created a water based installation that would spout in various ways. The water spout almost looked like it had destroyed the roof of the pavilion, which was purposeful.

    The United States chose Mark Bradford as their artist. His pavilion featured some abstract expressionist installation. He had really used the pavilion's space well. Apparently he had created the pavilion's dimensions in California, where he normally works.

    Another interesting pavilion was Russia's. The whole piece was focused around the idea of Dante's 9th level of hell. In it were plaster casts of hands and faces of people who had committed all sorts of cyber crime and it rated the severity of their offences on labels.

    We eventually stopped for lunch in the garden area where we had sandwiches while Evan had pizza and a lemon granita.

    In total, we spent about 3.5 hours checking out the pavilions and art. We didn't see all the pavilions, but we came pretty close!

    We took the water bus back towards a stop where I had seen Nico's Gelateria, which is famous for its gelato creations. It was getting late in the afternoon, so we opted to just have gelato. I tried a creation that included a block of hazelnut gelato topped with whipped cream, while Brad tried a tiramisu gelato and a rum based gelato. Evan, true to form, had straticalla and chocolate. The sky was darkening quickly and we saw all the restaurants start to pack up their patios, so we hurried home to grab our rain gear before going out shopping.

    After a bit of shopping, we went back to the apartment to get ready for dinner. Brad had made us a reservation at La Zucca, a restaurant that has continually been in the Michelin Guide. We arrived promptly at 7 and were seated in the back at a nice table. To start, we ordered a bottle of Venetian sparkling wine and Evan got a special Arancita pop. We all got pasta for our primi. Evan had tagliatelle with duck ragu; Brad had lasagna with asparagus; and I had tagliatelle with Gorgonzola, pears and walnuts. They were all so good! We will certainly miss all the freshly made pasta when we get home.

    For secondi, we shared osso bucco with rice. We also ordered contori which consisted of mushrooms stuffed with parmigiana and a pumpkin and potato "cake." Since it was our last night, we also got dolci. Evan decided he wanted to spend his own money and buy his own dessert, which was the same dessert Brad and I shared, a hazelnut semifreddo. The entire meal was luscious from start to finish and we couldn't have asked for anything more!

    Evan had become obsessed with the idea of going on a gondola ride, but they are insanely expensive (100€ for 20 minutes, nearly $175 CAD) and looked pretty cheesy, so we weren't keen. I eventually offered him a second dessert instead of the gondola and he was sold! So we stopped at Majer and he chose Nutella gelato and, you guessed it, straticalla.

    At home, it was time to get packing. We had to craft ways to get our wine, oils, and balsamic in our suitcases in a protected manner. Here's hoping they make it home! We have had an incredible adventure in Italy and it is sad to be saying goodbye, but I think we are all looking forward to seeing in our own beds tomorrow night!    Leggi altro

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  • Kelly SmithItalyViaggiatore

    Home!

    26 luglio 2017, Canada ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Our travel day was very long. We were out of our apartment by 9 and we walked to the bus station, which meant hauling our luggage over a lot of bridges! Whew. Anyway, we caught the bus to the Marco Polo Airport, which is very small. It was a bit trying to find where to check in and where to go through security, but we had arrived in plenty of time so we weren't worried.

    We had to board a bus to take asked to our plane which was on the tarmac. Then, due to a mechanical error we had to wait on the tarmac for an hour. We finally took off a bit later than we were supposed to but we were happy to be in the air. Our flight was about 8.5 hours and, besides the length, it was a fine flight.

    We arrived in Toronto just after 4 pm local time (10 pm Italian time!) and went through customs and security again. We grabbed a quick bite and then boarded our flight home. By the time we reached Winnipeg it was after 8, which was way past our Italian bedtime! We were all exhausted, but still had a taxi ride before we were completely done our traveling.

    It was so nice to walk into our house again! We successfully transported our olive oil, balsamic vinegar, two bottles of Chianti Classico, and a huge chunk of parmigiana regiano home! We all unpacked and took some time to look at our souvenirs before heading to bed. The trip went by so quickly, but we were so lucky to have had such an incredible trip with so many memories!    Leggi altro

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    Fine del viaggio
    27 luglio 2017