Busy, busy day today. The day always starts with a cappuccino and a ‘dolce’ of some sort. I’ve become totally dysfunctional without my coffee (often=2) in the morning. My first cappuccino in the morning and my first glass of wine in the afternoon are invariably highlights of my day and never, ever to be gone without (if anybody even suggests that is bad English I’ll be mortified).
Then we set out for Murano, the third Island that we decided not to see yesterday. This entails getting a Vaporretto to cross the Grand Canal, a walk across to the other side and then another Vaporretto to Murano (or yesterday Torcello and Burano). The vaporetto rides are great but at the moment, with Carnevale in full swing, it’s a wonder they don’t tip over (I’ve touched wood!!) they are so full of tourists. Mainly European tourists, the French seem to have entirely abandoned France and headed for Venice, the Germans and the English follow suit. Then there’s the odd few thousand of Chinese, Japanese and Korean. So the Italians on the vaporettos who are trying to go about their business are often very grumpy.
Anyway we got to Murano and it was lovely. It was nice and quiet off the main drag and a lot less tourists than were in Burano yesterday. We went to the glass museum which was interesting, then to a church whose name escapes me(something Donato) but with wonderful mosaic floors and a wonderful mosaic dome. Anyone reading this will know how I love a good mosaic. Then we walked from the side of the island where we got off the vap. to the other side to get back to the mainland. As if that wasn’t enough, we had planned to go to the Peggy Guggenheim Art Museum and we stuck to the plan even though I was having second thoughts about tackling such an important collection already feeling tired.
Having said that as soon as I got in amongst it any thoughts of being tired vanished; it is such a truly amazing collection of art. I was just gobsmacked by the representation of all the most amazing talent pulled together by this woman..Picasso, Dali, Ernst, Klee, Miro, Pollock, Mirando to name but a few. I was truly in awe.
Finished the excitement of this gallery with an Aperol Spritz and came home. 3 more days in Venice which is a city bursting at the seams and full of excitement which is a good thing and in some ways it brings a few trials.
Having my pre-dinner vino and before you know it it will be time to go out foraging for a meal again.
Lots of love to everyone who reads this, all of whom I miss greatly.