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Published: September 3rd 2009
August 23rd-30th - another sunny and warm week passes in Montegrotto Terme, and I feel like the phrase “every day you learn something new” couldn’t be truer! I constantly learn new Italian words and phrases, and things that were at first intimidating are improving. Plus, the so-called “work-life” has its daily rewards as well… like the other day I witnessed Gioia ride her bicycle without the trainer wheels for the first time ever, and I was sooo proud of her! I even happened to have my camera with me, to capture her giant smile as she did some shaky circles in the basketball court. Also Cecilia, Andrea and I sat down a couple nights to go over the details of the job and to just talk without Gabri or Gioia distracting us. They’re very approachable and direct. I’d rather people be direct with me than beat around the bush, and so do they. One night we were talking and it came up that my dad is a psychologist who primarily does divorce mediation and that my mom is a social worker specializing with families with children, and at the same time Andrea and Cecilia say, “Ah! That makes sense now.” Then,
Cecilia seeing that I didn’t know if that was a good or bad thing, she smiled and said, “No really, it’s a compliment”. Funny, it’s not the first time someone’s said that to me.
This past weekend I decided to step up the traveling since, after all, I’m in Italy and need to take advantage of it, even though I may feel like a mom 4 days a week when I am with the kids (and Gabri has mistakenly called me “Mama” on several occasions!). So, setting three different alarms on my radio and cell phone so that I’d eventually wake up on time, I stumbled to the train station at 6am on Saturday morning to catch the first train to Venice. I admit I was yawning until 10 o’clock, but I couldn’t make myself take a nap because the Venetian views were so beautiful. I checked into my hostel on the main Venetian island (there are about 117 tiny islands that make up Venice, did you know that?), which I was pleasantly surprised by the cleanliness and rather “hotel” feeling it had (good job, Hostelworld.com!). Even the innkeeper was pleasant, and claimed that since I was such a
nice person so early in the morning, he’d do me a favor and not charge for the use of internet and showers there (which would have only been about 5 more euros, but still). I’m sure my roommates will get a kick out of that and like me, won’t believe it, since I clearly am not a “morning” person most of the time :P.
Anyhow, gathering sources from Rick Steves’ website, the LP book and my brother Jeff, I organized a very full 2 days for the city of gondolas and late-night Vivaldi music. Going into this weekend trip, I made a list of things I really wanted to do, and more importantly, decided how I wanted to do them. First of all, the checklist:
-Walk over the Ponte di Rialto and the Ponte d’Accademia
-Listen to music and walk around the Piazza di San Marco (the biggest and most famous plaza where many people have coffee and listen to small Vivaldi orchestras perform outside of the infamous Café Florian)
-Tour the Basilica San Marco and then the Palazzo Ducale (popular castle)
-Tour the Correr Museo
-Ride on a gondola
-Have an aperitivo and spritz (pre-dinner Italian drink)
that would be the starting point for a classic Venetian “pub crawl” where you go to a few bars or Rosticcerias for dinner snacks.
-Get lost in the Cannaregio and Dorsoduro districts
-Tour the Peggy Guggenheim Collection
And secondly, the “how”. Don’t judge me; I’m going to put down a quote from Rick Steves (world traveler/guidebook writer) to explain what I mean, lol. He said, “One measure of a culture is its treatment of time. In the United States time is money: We save it, spend it, invest it, and waste it. Not so in traditional Italy. Here life is rich and savored slowly. In Italy- time is more like chewing gum. You munch on it and play with it… as if it will be there forever.” Granted, I don’t think I could always live a life where I move at a slower pace than what I’m used to in the States (what you’re raised with is hard to shake off after so many years), but I still like this outlook for my time here. Why not savor these moments, whether it means to enjoy two ice creams in one day, or to rediscover my interest in photography, or
to read a recommended book, or even to just stand on top of a bridge and watch boats going by, not really thinking about anything, simply content. Nothing like living in the now before I look back and realize time went by too fast.
Anyhow, I did manage to do all of those things on my checklist and, even though the crowds of people walking among those tiny streets was sometimes overwhelming, I had a great time in Venice. I was amazed by the 13th century construction of the Basilica San Marco’s gold mosaic ceiling and marble pillars. Plus there was a pianist quietly playing “Satie” in the front of the church that was beautiful. It was only after I got light-headed that I realized I’d been walking around staring upwards for the better part of an hour. Later I sat in a gondola (the classic Venetian rowboats) for crossing over the Grand Canal, but I found that I liked the Accademia bridge the most to cross the canal that winds through the whole city. I had the best intentions to do a mini pub crawl (recommended by Jeff), but I met a couple of Venetians in the first
Rosticceria that was in a backstreet off of the Campo San Bartolomeo. They were Vico and Katerina. Vico saw that I was having a spritz and gave me a thumbs up, asking in Italian if I liked it. We chatted in my broken Italian for a bit, and then he admitted that he spoke English from having lived in the States for a few years (in Seattle, Miami and NYC). I didn’t ask, but I’d guess he was around 35-40 years old. His wife was in a nearby Internet café but he wanted some snacks and a glass of wine, and happened to stumble in here. His story of his life was fascinating and we had a few things in common.. for instance after working in the fine restaurant industry in the States for awhile, he moved to South America and wandered in and out of jobs to fund his way through Chile, Peru, Ecuador and Argentina, and then, having no “real” career, he moved back to Italy for awhile until he got the travel urge again and bought a small place in Thailand. Now he and his wife move between there, Italy (to see family) and South America whenever
they have enough money to travel again. Katerina was our bartender and she was closer to my age. Having studied English in school, we could all keep up a conversation. Very cool people, and Vico did a toast to me when I said that I hold to the theory that everyone should work in a restaurant at some point to have a better appreciation for the service and work that goes into running one. I’ll definitely go back there to have the good spritz Katerina served and also to meet more people like Vico. Not to mention that the snacks of brioche, prosciutto on bread sticks and spicy tortilla chips were awesome.
The walk from the Rialto Bridge to the Dorsoduro district was interesting; a shopper’s paradise, whether you’re on a budget or looking for something pricey. Beautiful Murano glass, every size and shape of handwoven linens, toyshops specializing in Pinnochio puppets, intricate jeweled Carnavale masks, hand-made stationary, designer label purses and shoes, and bottegas that sell Absinthe and other classic liquors of Venice and Italy. Ah, and I shouldn’t fail to mention that the Peggy Guggenheim Collection at her old villa off of the Grand Canal was very
cool. Inside her villa you’ll find works by well known artists like Picasso, and other sculptures, glass works and paintings by more obscure artists. Then after walking around you’re free to enjoy a spritz and appetizers on her terrace that faces the Accademia Bridge. A perfect end to a stylish, Venetian weekend.
Not much else now, will keep you posted. I think a day trip to Verona might be in store for this weekend, and, oh praise the day, I just received my first package from the States- a bag of goodies from the parents. Thanks! Hope all is well across seas.
Ciao ciao,
Kat
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Rochelle Alpert
non-member comment
love the blogs
Dear Katrina, I love reading your blogs and it sounds like you are soaking up as much as you possibly can in your adventure. Love your fine pictures and all the details in your writing.........molto tutto bene..don't know what that means, but it sounds Italian! Love, Rochelle