Nono giorno (Day 9): Culture in the Sinking City
“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” -- Marcel Proust
K: Earthquake! Okay, truthfully, we didn’t feel the earthquake, but it did happen! We set out early to visit the Doges’ Palace near opening time. It was during our time there that we learned later the earthquake had struck. One of our group members was at the Palace the same time we were, and she set she had felt it there. Perhaps we were too awestruck by the building and its furnishings to notice. Or, maybe we were in the creepy dungeon at the time. Regardless, on to lunch at a tasty pizzeria! The young waiter flirted with Elizabeth, bringing her pizza to the table, then taking it away immediately. It was harmless fun!
St. Mark’s Basilica was next. We totally employed Rick’s tip to check our purses at the nearby church as a means to gaining immediate entry. I felt sorry for those who were standing in the long, hot line, but not sorry enough to join them! I was overwhelmed at the intricate Byzantine mosaics that extended throughout the church. How had the craftsmen even laid all of those tiny tiles, much less forming them into people and recognizable objects? Amazing! Of course, the bronze horses and their story were also incredible. Returning to the hotel, Margaret had posted earthquake-preparedness instructions, in case another quake struck while we were there. Is there nothing that Margaret doesn’t know? She is such an important part of our group, even if she is not leading us on daily tours.
E: We set out on our own for dinner this evening, selecting a small ristorante after wandering. My taste buds thanked us as our three course Italian meal arrived. And they thanked us again as we struck out for another round of gelato after dinner. At dark, we meandered into the glowing St. Mark’s Square to take in the music, the gadget vendors and the atmosphere. The gadget vendors we could have done without, but the rest was quintessential Venice. Thank goodness for our May travel dates, because most of the sites had not been too crowded, and Venice was no exception. After we retired for the night, there was a thunderstorm, but no more earthquakes. |
Our Favorites:
K: Hands down, my favorite today was the amazing mosaic work that lines the ceiling and walls of St. Mark's Basilica
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E: Those huge 6,000-yr-old bronze horses that have been carted all over the world as spoils of war
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