James Hathaway – Page 46

Travel: Day 3, Venice Tidal Floods and Farewell

We were warned about potential flooding and we were able to circumnavigate the flood areas yesterday.

This morning was quite another matter. After breakfast we decided to take a walk to Saint Mark’s Square. The first surprise was the waterfront was hosting a marathon. It was quite the scene. The morning light was ideal. The wind and waves were spirited. The marathon was well attended with an enthusiastic audience.

What most observers did not see was San Marco square was slowly flooding from tidal waters. We soon realized so was much of Venice.

In an attempt to route ourselves around the flooding waters we realized we were slowly but surely running out of high ground.

Add day trippers and thousands of tour groups from newly arrived cruise ships and you can imagine the crowds, confusion and growing angst.

All that said, we managed to find our way back to our hotel, the courtyard also flooded. In the spirit of ‘when the going gets tough, the tough go to lunch’ and so we did. Two Aperol Spritz and a large Greek salad, please!

And now we are back at the hotel, planning our departure from Venice and the end of our incredible Italy adventure.

A big thanks to all our friends, old and new, and family for all the comments and good wishes.

Here are a few final pictures. If time permits we may also send a post with a few “goofy” shots we found funny!

Love to all,

J&J

Humm…no gondolas in service this morning!

A surprise discovery, the famous and hard to find Scala Contarini del Bovolo.

The magnificent St. Marks Square…note the water raising from the drains soon floods the square and beyond.

A beautiful morning with the San Giorgio Maggiore in the distance.

You cannot visit Venice without a view of the Bridge of Sighs.

The canal gates of the Greek Orthodox Church as the flood waters rise.

The courtyard in front of out hotel as the water rises. Note: the yellow building is La Fenice Opera House.

Travel: Venice, Italy Day 2

Today was a great day of exploration and quiet discoveries. Incredible art and sculptures on display for only a few Euros while other venues are sold out at outrageous prices.

On the down side, we experienced our first human gridlock. Hordes of visitors and tour groups overwhelmed many passages and narrow corridors along with smaller Compos, small squares.

On the upside…the food has been delicious, everywhere. Today’s lunch was a nice mixed salad and an off-the-charts spaghetti with baby clams in a light butter and olive oil with garlic and chopped chives. A chocolate tart and a tiramisu helped finish off the last hunger pangs…along with a 1/2 liter of white wine!

We won’t overwhelm you with pictures but here are some we liked from today along with a surprise.

Tomorrow is our last full day before we make our way to an airport hotel for our early flight home Tuesday and back to reality!

Love to all!

J&J

Waiting for customers near the Academia Bridge.

By mid day, many of the canals had no sidewalks that were not flooded. Foot traffic was “rerouted” causing crowding in many areas.

Frari Church (Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari) filled most of our afternoon. It is a massive church filled with artwork by artists like Donatello, Bellini, Titian and dozens more. It is like visiting several museums all at once.

Here are just a few of our favorites.

The Assumption 1516-1518, by Tiziano Vecellio.

Madonna with Child, 1339 by Paolo Veneziano.

Madonna with Child and Saints by Giovanni Bellini, 1488

Travel: Treviso and Venice, Italy

Hi all! Yesterday we made a quick visit to Treviso, Italy. It was our last stop on our organized travel. This morning our fellow travelers either began their homeward travels or extended their travels to destinations of their own.

We had planned three extra days in Venice before our homeward flights this coming Tuesday. So late this morning our guide, a driver and John and me drove to the Venice Airport and onward to the water bus station and the 90 minute ride to San Marco, Venice.

The weather has cooled with overcast skies but thankfully no rain. After a short walk to our hotel, we had a nice lunch in one of the nearby compo squares. We were immediately reminded that Venice is one of the most expensive cities in Europe right now.

Here are some photos from yesterday and today.

The last apples of the season were crisp, juicy and delicious.

Treviso greeted us with plenty of canals and a charming old town.

We said goodbye to Treviso and our travel mates and began our journeys home or somewhere onward.

The Grand Canal greeted us after the 90 minute waterbus ride from the airport.

The crowded Academia Bridge this afternoon.

Travel: Bolzano, Italy

We traveled to Bolzano by train this morning. We visited the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology to see Otzi the Iceman exhibit and his 5,300 year old remains.

It was interesting but underwhelming. We apologize but no photos were allowed.

On the other hand, the town was an excellent example of post World War I monuments, Fascist architecture and an interesting mix between Germanic and Italian worlds.

We had lunch and an afternoon visit at a traditional agratourism site nestled in the nearby countryside with Tyrollean cusine, plenty of wine and Grappa.

The town center and today’s farmers market.

Mussolini built this monument in 1927 when he claimed the South Tyrol area as part of Italy.

Travel: The Dolomites, Italy

We have spent the last couple of days in the Dolomites. A mountain range in Northern Italy that separates Austria and Italy.

While Italian is still the primary language along with German, Ladin, a very regional language, is still protected and spoken by about 45,000 inhabitants.

The area is enormously popular for its winter sports. It is also popular year round with hikers and bikers.

Food has been much more German than Italian, heavier and heartier than what we are used to. This is also serious wine country with excellent big reds and whites available at shockingly low prices.

Here are some photos we liked.

Four ranges of the Dolomites host hundreds of ski slopes, hiking trails, and countless recreational sites.

Travel: Trento and Bressanone, Italy

We enjoyed a full day of discovery yesterday, starting from Verona and driving into the mountains of Trentino and the Alto Adige, the South Tyrol region of the Dolomites. Our hotel is about 40 miles south of Innsbruck, Austria.

The weather has cooled significantly with temps in the low 30s at night rising to the mid 50s in the afternoons. The best news is the nice sunny Fall weather has followed us all week.

The Fall colors are popping out everywhere, especially as we explore higher elevations.

An ornate fountain in the center square of Trento.

The river and countryside just before sunset.

The view from our room in the late afternoon.

Travel: Mantua, Italy

Greetings everyone! It was another great day. We took the train to the city of Mantua and its 48,000 inhabitants. It is a UNESCO World Heritage City highlighted by the Duomo (Cathedral of San Pietro), the Basilica of Sant’ Andrea and the Palazzo Ducale.

This is only three of over 25 significant sights worthy of a visit. Mantua is easily reached in 45 minutes Southwest of Verona.

Here are some of our favorite pictures from the day.

The Main Street leads from the train station to the center of town. The buildings are from the late 15th century.

The Palazzo Ducale, part of a much larger museum complex.

Cherubs on the dome of the Basilica of Sant’ Andrea built in 1472.

The frescoes in the nave of the Basilica.

Travel: Verona, Italy

Today we traveled by coach to Verona, Italy. It was a quick trip on the A4 autostrada.

Verona enjoys its status as the crossroads of Northern Italy for over two thousand years. It’s home to the worlds third largest amphitheater built in 30 AD.

It has been overlooked by travelers for years until recently. Today thousands of visitors fill the streets, alleys and marketplaces.

We found the city to be relatively compact with an impressive Roman amphitheater, a vibrant city center including a Duomo, an ancient marketplace and excellent restaurants.

Here are a few pictures from our outing.

Church of Sant’Anastasia built in the late 13th century along the banks of the Adige River. The second longest river in Italy.

The 2000 year old Roman Bridge was bombed on the last day of World War II and rebuilt from the recovered marble.

The presumed balcony from the House of Juliet.

Travel: Lake Iseo, Italy

Caio! We arrived yesterday afternoon to Lake Iseo, Italy. It’s the fourth largest of the Italian lakes. We are staying in a great hotel overlooking the lake, Relais Mirabella. It’s well worth considering if you are in the area. Excellent service and an impressive dining room. Most rooms have a lake view.

There was time yesterday to squeeze in a visit to Ballducchi Winery, famous for Franciacorta, a sparking wine rivaling Champagne.

With sales of over 14 million bottles a year, this wine is worthy of consideration.

Today was a visit and lunch to Monte Isola, an island in the middle of Lake Isola. With two compact towns clinging to the hills it is famous for the art installation by Christo in 2016 that drew over 2 million visitors.

It was a pleasant way to spend a day.

There are plenty of waterfront cafes and restaurants.

A hike to the top of Martinengo Tower will reward you with great views.

This compact island is home to the Beretta (the Italian gun dynasty) family for summer visits.

Tomorrow, we are off to Verona!

J&J

Travel: Day in Switzerland

Good morning from Tirano, Italy.

Yesterday was a pure delight! We took the Bernina Express, a UNESCO World Heritage train from Tirano, Italy to Bernina Diavolezza in the Swiss Alps.

The train station was 7,000 feet above sea level. We then took the cable car up to 10,000 feet. The views were literally breathtaking. It was an exceptional experience and encourage all travelers in the area to experience it.

And here are some of our favorite pictures.