Sestière di San Marco

First I have to mention the most amazing thing that happened last night…we were standing on a bridge outside our restaurant waiting to be called in, when a couple came up and she said “I don’t believe it….” I gazed at them blankly, who could know us in Venice?? Anyway it slowly dawned that is was Cassandra Farrell (my ex-niece!) with her husband Henrik who I had never met!!! Of course, they do live in Europe - in Denmark - but what a coincidence…they were in Venice for the weekend, but to be at the same spot in Venice on the same day!!! So that was exciting and fun, and we hope to see them when they come to Oz at Christmas.

This morning we got going leisurely as no time constraints. A beautiful day as promised - cool to start, and almost hot in the sun by afternoon. First we went to La Fenice to take a tour to see the whole building. Fabulous…you pay to enter and then download an audio guide on your phone (with their wifi) and we went right through the whole magnificent building. It is huge, and much larger then looks from the front, and in fact, if you walk round the little lanes to the canal at the back there is what was originally the main entrance as the nobility would always arrive by water (they would not walk!!)…the main concert hall is stunning…they were working on the stage, presumably setting up for Daughter of the Regiment which is on in about a week…we could view it from the boxes…very rococo and ornate, but somehow not overpowering. It has twice been destroyed by fire, but like its name, it has twice risen from the ashes. (I had not realised that Fenice means Phoenix).

After that we walked along the riva Schiavoni, through the slow-moving milling throngs, towards the park at the pointy end of the island. Paused for a juice, coffee and pizza slab to keep us going, and then sat in the park with kindles. That was the plan, but Amr decided to look at the Biennale exhibits which are right there. So he happily did that and I happily sat in the beautiful park. Amr says to report that the Australian exhibit had a welcome to country…Wandered back, absolutely stunning light on the sparkling water, and being Sunday it was difficult walking as everyone was out and there were people traffic jams in all the narrow streets.

Tonight we go to an opera in a palazzo! Meg and Stephen recommended it so that is good for us, and it will be fun…it is the Barber of Seville….what can go wrong! ….and it was fun! We are now back from the opera. Really intimate, about 70 or so people, and a piano, violin and cello provided the music…very spirited and funny. The barber of Seville is a comic opera so they spoofed it up and involved the audience in a fun way, and modified the story to accommodate fewer characters, but it is such a silly and complicated story that even a purist wouldn’t care, and they sang all the good bits!! A great evening. And it was lovely in the palazzo - each act we moved into another room…hard to describe the whole experience, but we are really happy that we went.

Now all packed up and ready for an early start to get the 9.42am train to Bologna.Read more