And I Thought a Jump Drive Would Help!

Got up way early this morning, about 6 am. Went over to the Rialto Market but they were just setting up, so I went back home and wrote half a dozen long and detailed blog posts.



Both my friend Karen Nielsen and the Alberto here at my friendly Internet cafe/shoe store (go figure) said that a jump drive would be just the thing for transferring text and pictures to the blog. So I got one and put all the new stuff on it, but it doesn't seem to be working (how do all of you use these darned windows machines!?) so I'll fill you all in briefly here and tomorrow figure out what to do.



Had a great evening yesterday. A lovely dinner a casa cooked by Nicole and Ken, our new friends. Got to bed at a normal hour. Annie watched the Barber of Seville DVD for a while, then told herself stories in bed for nearly an hour, then off.



This morning after writing I went back to the Rialto market. Incredible display of fish in one market, fruits and vegetables in another. Surrounding storefronts are butcher shops: beef and veal, poultry, and .. um .. cavallo. Took lots of pictures.



Got back and gave Annie her breakfast and got her dressed, then a knock on the door. Our host, Carlo. Good news. Miriam's parents seem to have worked it out for Annie to go to school with Miriam for a few hours tomorrow afternoon. It will mean we'll miss the Villa Rotonda in Vicenza, but I think this is even better, certainly for Annie.



Off to the Accademia to meet up with Nicole, Ken et al. In line met a guy from Brescia who is also an art traveler. We discussed MoMA (he had flown to NYC for the opening), the Frick, and shows all over the world. Exchanged business cards.



Annie was looking worried and kept on glancing at my watch. Face lit up when she finally saw the group. Waited in line for a good 45 minutes, but then .. art heaven! I won't even start to describe the masterpieces in the Accademia, but I felt like I was floating on cloud nine. Huge paintings that never travel in their "home." Wonderful old unrenovated galleries, with a double row of black radiators down the center of the bigger galleries. I expected to run into Henry James, Baedecker in hand, at every turn.



The girls loved it too. Nicole, who is home-schooling Hannah (9) had put together a "quest" or treasure hunt through the galleries, leaving me to wander on my own. Mille grazie, Nicole!



A lovely civilized lunch, followed by a walk through Dursoduro. Several lovely churches and squares, charming canals, a light rain. At five we decided that Nicole and Ken and the girls would go back to their house for a playdate and I would meet them at 7:30 and take over, while Nicole and Ken had an hour or so on their own. (You should have seen their faces light up).



So wandered down the Zattere, had a capuccino, admired the view of the Palladian churches of the Redendore and San Giorgio Maggiore over on Giudecca, and wound up at the Salute. Onto the vaporetto and home, to grab the jump drive and ... well, you know that already.



Hard to believe that this is the end of our fifth day. So much for running out of things to do in Venice! We may never get to any of our excursions out of the lagoon. At this point, I'd be happy to get through our Venice list and hop over to Murano and Torcello.



More tomorrow ...