We both slept in until just before 12 Noon. In my case, I got up to take a sleeping pill early in the AM to finally get some sleep. For Lana it was a good long sleep to fight the jet lag. Beautiful, sunny and warm day in Venice and we were out the door before 13:00. Using my iPhone Maps app to navigate to our first destination being the Biennale Arte 2017 in their Arsenale location. Along the way we stop for a pistachio gelato (Lana's pick) and that's our lunch today. What the heck--we're on holidays!!! Plus, for whatever reason we aren't too hungry.
Pomegranate tree located very close to where we are staying. First time we have ever seen this type of tree.
Homemade (store) pasta in the front window.
Same shop.
Another canal/another bridge/another boat...
Yes, some of the streets are indeed this narrow!
Chinese restaurant located in Venice. Plus a large group of Chinese tourists outside. Lots of spaghetti dishes. No General Tso's chicken on the menu!
We did eventually find the Arsenale location of Biennale Arte. They did not have signage providing directions. We had pre-paid for the tickets. The Arsenale art location is very long and located within what we think were warehouses. Great place for all this art. Apparently, this particular Biennale Arte has caused quite the stir given its political agenda.
At the end of the last building you head outside where there are some eateries, toilets and more exhibits except these are country sponsored. We ended up at the last exhibit being China. We had finished the art walk around 16:00 after one stop for a sandwich and something to drink. So beautiful and warm outside. Many art patrons were relaxing in the sun at various points where the international art exhibit was located. Also, there was actually green space! I think that is the first time we have seen a green space in Venice.
One of the first art exhibits at Biennale Arte 2017 "Viva Arte". We returned for a fellow to tell us about this exhibit on the wall with 400 strings attached from the clothing on the table to the wall. The art is the inspiration of a Chinese artist living in New York who lost 400 friends in 9/11. He missed dying himself as he was late that day and decided to go for a swim. During his grieving period he decided to darn clothes he had procrastinated on which became his healing process.
Another art exhibit with a tv screen showing footage while part of the picture. This Japanese artist decided to walk to the closest nuclear power plant from where he lived to experience just how close he was to a reactor. Google maps told him it would take 20 hours to walk but he said he did it over 4 days. This exhibit was a statement about how close nuclear power was to the artist even though the Fukushima meltdown had just happened.
Art exhibit of figures in various poses and clothing.
Very cool sculpture that is super tall made of discarded Korean pottery.
These are cassette cartridges.
From one of the country exhibits made up of traditional face masks.
Pretty much we have up to two hours of art or museum stimulation and then have to stop for the day. We are simply mentally tired from observing the art. We loved our day one. Some very interesting and though provoking and just plain weird art installations. We wish we possessed this creativity and different way of viewing our world/existence.
We are pretty close to Piazza San Marco so decided that was our second major destination of the day. When we got close to the harbour again and then walking towards the piazza the amount of fellow tourists/people were amazing. The whole area is packed with other tourists and so many different languages/accents. Very difficult to navigate around everyone for someone like me. The harbour is full of vessels and people lined up to get on various boats. When we arrive at the piazza it is packed with people as well. A very long queue for the Basilica di San Marco. We walk around the square and decide to get in the queue for the Campanile (tower).
The famous Piazza San Marco. This is the Campanile di San Marco tower that we stood in line for.
Facade of the Basilica di San Marco.
Another beautiful building in the gigantic San Marco Square area.
From the moment we stood at the back of the line until we had returned to street level after the view up top it was about an hour. Charge for the elevator ride to the top was 8Euro per person. The stairs are not an option. You can only take the elevator. The view from this extremely tall building was spectacular and well worth the wait and the money. Also, a great day to be taking in the views. Lana created some excellent panoramic pictures. Yes, all the roofs are red.
View from the northern side of the Campanile Basilica. We are up about nine stories via elevator.
View from the eastern side.
View from the southern side.
View from the western side.
OK, we took a selfie while on the tower overlooking the southern side. Yes, I complain about other tourists taking selfies so I am indeed a hypocrite. ;-)
Island on the southern side of Venice.
This is outside of the Campanile which provides information on the tower. Tallest building by far in Venice!
Our next adventure was trying to get to our restaurant destination located a bit of a distance away. Remember there are numerous canals and then there is the Grand Canal. There are not many bridges over this wide water expanse so you may need to grab a vaporetti (boat). Navigating using either my Maps app or Lana's Google Maps. We come to the Grand Canal and realize there is no way over the Grand Canal before us. We need to be careful to take a boat going in the correct direction and that will drop us on the other side of the canal. Eventually, Lana figures out a boat that is going in the correct direction and the fellow verifies their next stop is across the Canal. Yeh! We pay 10Euro for the two of us. I had phoned the restaurant a while back to say we could be there by 6:30. Big mistake.
We are on the correct side of the Grand Canal and using Lana's Google Maps to navigate. We arrive at the spot where the restaurant is supposed to be, but clearly this isn't the right place. I open my Maps app and voila we have more walking to do and it looks like the right position as it is located beside the Grand Canal and the San Vasilio stop. More walking down narrow streets and trying to follow the blue dot on the map. We get there about 18:50, but no worries as they are not too busy.
Lana read during our trip planning that within Venice, even navigating using your phone can be difficult as the buildings are so close together that sometimes the phone will not get GPS reception!! We discover this is truly the case since we've been here as sometimes the blue dot show you are nowhere close to where you actually are on the map. We note that making sure you stop and check when you come across an open space (canal bridge crossings are good) helps minimize this problem.
Trattoria San Basilio di Borghi Stefano. Anthony Bourdain (name drop) ate here on his last trip to Venice so I was keen to experience their food.
We decide to sit outside and beside the Grand Canal. Our table is very near the San Vasilio Grand Canal stop. I order an Aperol spritz and Lana orders a Prosecco. Very friendly and personable owner with decent English skills. Same guy from Bourdain's show. In addition, to my aperitif I order a glass of Piato Blanco white wine (local wine). Very tasty white wine that pairs perfectly with my seafood platter dish. Rough choppy water and a little bit of a breeze. I am warm the entire time, but Lana gets a little cold and wears my down vest. Sun sets behind us so it is getting late. We have a garden salad and a plate of Parmesan cheese (hard) with our entrée dishes. Plus, we order a bottle of sparkling water. Our total bill is 60Euro inclusive of tips and taxes. We both thoroughly enjoy our meals, our wine(s) and the ambience. Great way to finish the day.
Menu from Trattoria San Basilio Di Borghi Stefano.
Lana's dish of Spaghetti & clams. Lana says super fresh clams and the pasta was definitely cooked al dente.
Randy's dish of assorted fish appetizer; baccala (salted cod), shrimp, octopus, squid and sardine with onions.
Lana figures out we need to take the #2 boat and we will depart at Ponte di Rialto stop and then navigate ourselves back to our place. Fairly good sized boat where you can sit inside or stand out front or sit in the back outside. Green plastic seats on the inside. Many different age groups on the boat. We discover riding these public vessels that it is the honour system (nobody checks whether you have a ticket/pass). The boat moves pretty quickly! We pass two huge cruise ships docked at a pier.
Art work along the canal near Ponte di Rialto. Couple of gigantic hands holding up the corner of that building!
We arrive back at our place just after 21:00. Great night for a walk. Lana's cellphone indicates about 18,000 steps, but we both believe it is much more than that, again due to the problematic GPS connection within the crowded buildings. It is now after 23:00 so time to try and get some sleep. Pretty quiet in our building as we are not near any of the major tourist areas of Venice.
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