Wednesday dawned grey and wet again - but that wasn't going to stop us heading off to do more exploring! And what a full day we had!!
We had not had time to go to S Giorgio Maggiore - in part becase we couldn't find the 82 bus stop. When we realised that this was now the number 2 bus route we had it sussed and made our way across to the island on which the church is set.
It was a large tranquil church with large paintings of the Last Supper and Feeding of the Five Thousand by Tintoretto on the sanctuary. (Alas the pictures of the interior didn't come out all that well...) The highlight was probably going up the Campanile and to view Venice from there. This was stunning as you can see from this picture looking over to S Marco and the Doge's Palace and more photos will go up on our Panoramio site shortly.
We then got the bus that went around the "outside" of Venice - past the liner port - the car park where everyone has to leave their road vehicles as there is no possiblity of driving in the City - and the railway stations. The route then took us down the Grand Canal... where not only I got left in the bag but also the camera... d'oh! A bit like everything we did - we thought we'd have time to go back and take photos or buy bits and bobs!!
We made our way to the church of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari. This is a very simple church - on the outside - but very interesting inside. What was a surprise outside was the sound of music and to discover that it was coming from a very talented player of glasses who was playing well-know tunes just using wineglasses and water!Inside there are many memorials - one to Titian who is buried there - and a splendid carved rood screen. Behind the altar is Titian's the painting of the Assumption which is unusual in that Mary is shown wearing a red dress rather than the more usual blue or white.
We strolled around the corner and found somewhere to pick up a slice of pizza to stoke up for the rest of the day. After wandering round the Museum of Music, we crossed the street to the church of S Rocco. First impressions weren't great but it was raining so we paid the entrance fee and went in... The guidebook suggested that we went upstairs first - and what a feast for the eyes with rich paintings and carvings on the walls and ceilings! It made for a happy hour or so looking at the paintings - the ceiling ones made easier by using mirrors - and identifying the bible story each represented. (Which did pose the questions - how do "post Christian" Europeans make sense of the paintings as they lose the faith-stories on which they are based?)
Then it was back on the boat to Santa Maria della Salute where we were pleased to find that Mass was to be a short time after our arrival. We had time for a look round the church and into the sacristy which held more works of art before Mass and afterwards to light a candle for those we knew who are ill (the ability to light candles in just about all the churches we visited was one of the big differences between Venice and Rome that we particuarly liked). We decided to walk back to the Rialto bridge as this looked a lively part of the City and somewhere we might find a good place to eat. On the way we came across the Peggy Guggenheim museum of modern art - so decided to call in there too! It was an interesting visit but left us with questions about how people decide what is art and what isn't...
As we expected, we found several good restaurants and ate alongside the Grand Canal just about within sight of the famous Rialto Bridge. We got back to the hotel just in time as very soon after a storm brewed up with very strong winds.... it was good to be indoors but we did wonder how we might fare the next day when we had to set off for the airport... what would it be like on the water if we had to fight to close the window against the wind?!
However, the next day dawned bright and clear so the "outdoor" plan was put into effect.
The first stage was to go back to the beach and to see it properly. It was still very windy - but at least I got out of the bag and got to sit on a rock and listen to the sound of the waves of the Adriatic... even if I did have to have my paw held so I didn't fly away in the wind!
Then we went to take the waterbus and visit some of the other islands. We had read that if we only managed one, it should be Torcello so - after a bit of confusion about routes and so on (we discovered that we had to go to Burano first and change there for Torcello) - made our way there. The guidebook was right! As soon as you get off the boat you are aware of a very different environment - more greenery (including a pomegranage tree) for a start! It was, however, the cathedral that was breathtaking with sumptuous 11th century mosaics - and, for Kathryn, things like the apse with steps up to the cathedra and baptistry outside were really exciting for their links with her studies (each to their own!)
Back then to Burano - with its cheerfully painted buildings (pictured on the right) and then to Murano which is famous for its glass-making. Here we found the Museum of Glass and a few shops - to make up for all the ones we have been going to go back to and hadn't had time!Back to Venice where we decided to walk from Fondamente Nuove to S Marco - having a meal on the way... and savoured a last look at the Square - and the church - and the lagoon before heading back to the Lido to pack and prepare to depart the next morning.
Not much more to say really... We left the hotel soon after 3.30am and were again surprised by how many boats were docking and people wandering around! Our Alilaguna boat came a little late but got us back to the airport in good time to have a quick snack and then away back to England where we arrived to +2 degree temperatures! Brrrr!!
More photos on Panoramio here: http://www.panoramio.com/user/793436
