Italy 34 - Venice and Klimt

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How can you go to Italy and not call in on the most romantic city in the world - Venice. We have both been many times, in Spring, Summer and Autumn and in good and bad weather. It always looks inviting and beautiful and this visit was going to be no exception. We had planned to stay at Camping Fusina. This is a large camping village on the mouth of the Brenta River and faces Venice. It is connected to Venice by a regular ferry service to Zattere and it takes only 20 minutes to get to the city. At a cost of 12 euros it is a reasonably cheap way of getting to Venice.

On site is a restaurant although we didnt frequent it. There is a shop with basic stock and the usual toilet blocks. The site is large and has good facilities with views of Venice to one side. Today though it was shrouded in mist due to the heavy rain which was falling. When the mist cleared we could see St Marks Square and the campanile in the distance. The view to the other side was not so pretty. Old abandoned factories and industrial buildings. Rusting and dirty. An industrial side of Venice most people never see or even realise exists.

Our plot backed on to the lagoon and it was with great interest that we watched the boats plying their trade on the lagoon together with the tiny tug boats which seemed to be busy all day up and down the waterway. They hauled in the Dinah Buchard from St Johns, Newfoundland the Crillon, registered in Panama , the Ganda from Napoli , the Indiana from Singapore and finally the Rega from Valetta,. It was a wonder how there was enough draught of water for them to float into Venice as they were only 100 yards from our motorhomes.

The heavens opened again today pounding on the roof like a steel band but we braved a trip in to the city. The boat turned up on time and was heaving with people on the way in. Mostly East Europeans very loud and noisy as they talked amongst themselves, laughing as they smoked and took pictures and movie camera footage. Most women appear to have long hair either tied back or left loose. I felt odd with my short cropped hair style. We were glad to arrive in the city and walked quickly away to the back streets of Venice. It is still possible even in such a busy place to find a quiet backwater without tourists. I would have loved to have visited the cemetery or one of the islands but time was not on our side and the rain poured down. The last boat home ran back at 8 which didnt leave much time for going out to the islands this time. It is said that you should always leave something so that you can go back again.

We walked into St Marks Square and bought a highly coloured glass perfume bottle for a present for the mother in law and I looked at pretty green pouch bags. I resisted the temptation to purchase one. The square was heaving around the basilica and the campanile. As usual tourists thronged into the arcades around St Marks Square and climbed the Campanile and the basilica. This still does not spoil the allure of Venice .

Purely by accident we happened upon a Klimt exhibition being held at the Correr Museum. We had been watching a programme a few weeks ago about the artist Gustav Klimt and the Secession movement. The exhibition with the long winded title of Gustav Klimt in the Sign of Hofmann and the Secession was being held in the museum. Klimt is described as one of the most important representatives of the Art Nouveau movement and this exhibition celebrated his life and work. Entrance fee cost 11 euros each. There was a loarge queue waiting to go in and it seemed that the exhibition was being held in relatively small rooms which meant only a few people could get in at any one time.

There were a number of paintings that we recognised from the TV programme namely The Kiss which was painted between 1907 and 1908 during what was apparently his Golden Period where most of his paintings were gilded. Such intricate work with the elaborate robes were particularly beautiful and thoroughily modern in design.Geometric designs filled the whole space The second famous painting was finished in 1902 and was the Beethoven Frieze. A large frieze set high up on the exhibition walls as Klimt intended it to be seen. And finally Judith an erotic gilded painting. We were surprised how small the painting was and had expected something much larger. An interesting exhibition and unexpected.

After our visit we travelled back to Camping Fusina. This time the boat was fairly empty. Would we go again to this site? Yes and hopefully the weather would be better. Of all the sites this one seemed ideal for a day trip to Venice.

Goodbye Venice – see you again soon

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Photos

Venice
yes Venice can be empty