Category: Adventures

My adventures abroad and at home

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In fair Verona where we lay our scene

So as indicated, today I spent doing the tourist thing in Verona. Some may be disappointed but I did not visit “Juliet’s balcony” (which is not really Juliet’s balcony at all).

I started with Giardini Giusti which is a fantastic and famous renaissance garden created towards the end of the 15th century and starting on the flat, go up a hill giving amazing views over Verona. I seriuosly could have sat there all day and just enjoyed the beautiful vistas through the garden.

Moving on, however, I went to the Arena – a Roman amphitheatre built in the 1st century BCE, famous for the season of opera performances held there every year, but interesting on many levels (see what I did there?).

Next stop was Castelvecchio, the old castle of Verona constructed in the late 14th century (but probably on the site of a Roman fort), which now houses a museum and art gallery focussing on Veronese sculpture and painting through the ages. It was really good (and another excellent audio guide) and I spent several hours there, coming out to find the sun had set and so I headed back to the accommodation for my final night in Italy.

 (note moat – without water – and drawbridge)

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Caffe e altro bevande

Coffee and other drinks: on the subject of drinks in Italy (well, the bits I’ve been in anyway).

Being from Melbourne, and Melbourne having an Italian-derived, acknowledged coffee culture, I was expecting to enjoy the coffee here. The only coffees I haven’t enjoyed were the caffe freddo (see previous post) and a couple that were made with a high-fat milk. Even so, they were fine. So the quality of the coffee has been no surprise. What has surprised me is the price. I am routinely able to buy a cappuccino and pastry (danish or croissant) for brekkie for E2.30-E2.70.

I was also surprised at the glass school in Murano to follow the staff’s example and get coffee from the vending machine. It was pretty good and only cost E0.50. I’ve paid $4 or more in Australia for far worse (especially in Sydney).

Bottled water is ubiquitous. In Venice, people seemed not to drink anything else (water-wise). I did fill up my bottle from the tap and, while it did have a taste and a slight smell that were not beautiful, it was fine to drink. A small note that on the furnace course they supplied bottled water which was very welcome as I reckon we each drank 3 or 4 bottles in the four hours each day. everywhere else the water from the tap has been just water from a tap. Someone did tell me (can’t remember who) that the Italians have the highest per capita consumption of bottled water but I have no idea if that is true.

In terms of alcohol, my experience is fairly limited (read limited to prosecco) in both type and place. Having said that, I was getting a generous glass of prosecco for E3-E4 and the quality was pretty good. I was really surprised to find that at the wineries I was buying premium waines from DOCG wineries for E10-E12 per bottle! I wish we could get this quality for this price in Australia.

 

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Gorging on beauty

Today I left my lovely stay in Falze di Piave. The host, Ivan, dropped in last night to say goodbye (as he wouldn’t see me this morning) and give me a bottle of Prosecco – such lovely, lovely people. Unfortunately, I can’t bring that bottle home (customs limitations, etc.) so I felt compelled to drink it tonight and it was very enjoyable 😉 .

This morning was sunny, but another of those days with a strong haze and relatively low visability, so not great for photos, but who can complain?

I drove first to Conegliano to see the old part of the town. Another market day with people everywhere and a million stall holders selling the same stuff (see comments on a previous post).

Next stop was the small town of Possagnano which was the birth place and home town of the sculptor Canova. They have built an amazing museum there (thanks to his brother, amongst others), with all the plaster casts and clay models and drawings from Canova’s workshop in Rome. It is a pretty amazing place.

It is hard to convey the impression that so many amazing works can make when they are all display together in beautiful natural light (especially as you weren’t allowed to take photos) but here is a sneaky photo of one of the main halls plus some reproductions of some postcards that I bought of my fav pieces.

The last two in particular were amazing for their capture of intense emotion and movement.

Moving on, the next stop was Villa Barbaro in Maser which is one of a number of impressive houses in this region designed by the famous architect, Palladio. This one is also impressive for its numerous rooms that are completely covered in frescoes by Veronese, lots of them in the trompe l’oeil style. Again, no pics allowed inside, but here is an external of the Villa.

Final cultural stop for the day was in the extremely charming village of Asolo, described as “The City of a Hundred Horizons” because of its beautiful vistas in all directions. Sadly, because of the haze, that wasn’t the case today, but it was very lovely and I sat and enjoyed a coffee in the sunshine at the Caffe Centrale which has a very long history as a meeting place for the community and the literati (Hemingway, Browning, Henry James, etc etc).

I was hoping to scoot across to Lake Garda before finding my accommodation in Verona but a combination of road works everywhere and the strong haze (causing the light to dim to dusk by about 4pm) meant that I gave up on that idea and headed stright to Verona, making it to the BnB right on peak hour. As it is in one of the main thoroughfares, it was very tricky getting into the property (car, gates, codes, traffic, etc) but the hosts very kindly assisted and all was well. It is another very pleasant space with a private bathroom which wins the prize for the smallest ensuite ever.

(yes, the loo is in the shower cubicle – total ensuite space approx 1.5m x 1.2m)

Looking forward to renaissance gardens, roman arenas and Shakespearean balconies tomorrow.

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Two special roads

Yesterday I left Cortina d’Ampezzo and drove part of the Grande Strada della Dolomiti (Great Dolomite Road) heading east through more of the beautiful mountains, past the highest peak in the region (Marmolada) and over another fairly high pass (Passo Pordoi, 2239m, 33 tornato!). And then drove south out of the mountains. The day, while not quite as spectacular as the previous, was also quite beautiful.

As I crossed the final southern part of the mountains, I went over the Passo San Boldo (only 706m). This road was built in the last stages of WWI by the local women (pressed into service) in just 100 days, including blasting five tunnels into the rock and building six bridges. Pretty amazing (and pretty amazing driving, too).

I reached my next accommodation in the small town of Falze di Piave at about 5pm and was greeted by my host, Ivan and his adult son and the son’s partner. They invited me into their living room where they had prepared a welcome with prosecco and red wine and  cheese and bread and etc. It was lovely. Then they took me to the next house which is where I am staying.

This morning I was picked up by Oriana who is a private tour operator. She took me on the Strada di Prosecco (Prosecco Road). We went to two wineries: Marchiori and Col Vetoraz. Both were fairly amazing – the wines were yummy,  yummy, the prices incredibly reasonable and the views were amazing, too.  What a sad thing that I can only bring a couple home. Fortunately I got the details of their Australian distributors.

(at the first winery, three glasses at once!)

(at the second winery I met three other Australian women – from Brisbane, never mind – pictured here with the lady from the winery in the middle)

Only three sleeps left in Italy.

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A Tough Life

Ah, if only life could be this glorious every day. Would I get sick of it? I can’t think so but I suppose like anything, after a time you would forget to look at the amazingness and it would all become just the way the world is. I reckon it would take a while, though.

This morning I drove to a little village called Misurina which is beside a lake of the same name.  Iwalked around the lake which took an hour or so and then sat on the lakeside and had a cappuccino and just enjoyed being there. The sun was gorgeous and although it was cool, I was comfortable enough in a long-sleeved T with a fleecy vest.

(The deck outside the building in this last photo was where I sat having coffee)

For the rest of the day I took a drive around the Dolomites on a route recommended by the guide book which was certainly off the beaten track. Although the roads were in excellent condition, I certainly wouldn’t have wanted to be driving it in snow or wet weather or after dark. As it was, the day was perfect and the views amazing. The biggest problems I had were finding places to stop to take photos as oftentimes there was only rock or trees on either side, one going up and the other down. Most of the roads had ample room for two cars to pass each other although a few bits were a little snug. The only really squishy one was passing a bus and then I just stopped and thought skinny thoughts and let him manoeuvre past me.

The final pass through the mountains that I traversed was Passo di Giau at 2233m and had 29 hairpin bends on the way up. I know this interesting fact not because I counted them, but because there are signs that say “1o tornate”, “2o tornate”, etc. and, even better, at the start there is a sign that effectively says, “this is a 10 tornati hill”. And it seems they only count if they are real hairpins, the full 180o, otherwise they are just bends.

Anyway, I will let the pics speak for themselves – the last three were taken from Passo di Giau.

  the next pic is taken from the church in the middle of this pic

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A Glorious Drive

So today I thumbed my nose at Padova and drove north. I stopped at the pretty town of Cittadella which has a moated city wall still largely intact. It was market day today and it took me quite a bit of time to find a parking spot. I wandered through the market which was cool looking at the cheeses and preserved meats. I read somewhere that the markets of the world are becoming more alike and sadly, I think that is true. Apart from the above, the rest of it could have been almost anywhere: there were lots of stalls of cheap clothing and manchester items and shoes that weren’t much different from what you might see at the Vic market. But it was fun all the same – and inside the city walls of a pretty town.

I left there and headed on further north. My destination was Cortina d’Ampezzo which is a town in the Dolomite Mountains and a very popular ski resort in winter. The drive was really lovely with the trees in autumn colours and a beautiful day.

There wasn’t too much traffic either, I only got beeped half a dozen times and was impatiently overtaken a few. Not too bad considering I am driving an unfamiliar car on unfamiliar roads, driving on the wrong side of the road, dealing with traffic signs in Italian and a GPS that only speaks German.

Anyway, I have arrived at my destination which is an agri-tourism place just out of Cortina which has a herd of dairy cows and a small restaurant which features local produce. The view out my window is to die for. I sat out on the balcony for a little while, but although it is sunny, it is in the mountains and it was a bit chilly.

(this last just to prove that it is literally out my window).

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Success and Failure in Padova

Well, I managed to successfully return to the airport, pick up the hire car and drive to Padova (Padua) via a trip through the Euganean Hills to the south. They are ancient volcanoes, now hills which are very picturesque and have some very old towns with medieval castles, city walls and the like as well as the odd Roman ruins, thermal spas, etc.

 This is the castle/city walls at Este.

I arrived at my accommodation in Padova and it is pretty amazing. I am sleeping in the third storey of a tower (Torre del Suggorso or Tower of Refuge) which forms part of the ancient defensive walls of Padua, dating from the rule of the Carraresi family from 1318 to 1405. To reach the third floor, you have to climb stairs to the second floor then walk out along the battlements and around to reach the stairs to the third floor. The whole tower has been restored and is now three “suites” for guests. There is also a big house on the same property which is all private apartments. The tower is beside the Bacchiglione River and looks out over beautiful gardens.

 

After arriving yesterday I had a siesta and then couldn’t actually be bothered to go out for dinner, so I snacked on dry biscuits instead.

This morning I headed off for the sights of Padova – a mere five minutes walk to the Prato della Valle where I found there was some sort of festival with a running race, a cycle race and stalls and whatnot everywhere. I managed to find the Orto Botanica – the botanical gardens which are amongst the oldest in Europe and have some important collections. They were the first place in Europe to plant/grow the potato, sesame, lilac and sunflower. There is also a palm here which is called Goethe’s palm because he visited the very same plant and was inspired by its form and growth habit to write his treatise on the evolution and development of plants in 1575. As well as the old bit, which has been preserved in its original design, they have developed a new garden of biodiversity which is a huge building divided into sections of different climatic zones from around the world and has collections of plants from each area. It was pretty impressive and the info-guides along the way were also interesting.

 

After several hours there I headed towards the northern part of town where the Scrovegni Chapel is with all the Giotto frescoes. I ran into the autumn tastes festival with all the regional producers of meats and cheeses and fruit and veg and etc which was interesting and I had a bite to eat here. When I got to the Scrovegni Chapel, alas it was completely booked out for the rest of the day!!! I am really disappointed as this was one of the reasons I included Padova in my trip ☹. I could have gone there first thing this morning if I had realized but I think being a weekend and having whatever the festivals were, there are extra people in town. I bought the guide book as a small consolation.

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Arrivederci Venezia

(sorry to those who have been waiting for new posts, I have been unable to access internet for a couple of days so now you will get a bunch of posts all at once)

The final two days of the course flew by with more blowing of glass and a gradual improvement in skills. Of course, it’s not something you can learn in five short days but I could certainly tell that I had improved.

Here are some pics of Thursday’s efforts from the whole of our group, unfortunately Friday’s work wont come out of the oven until Monday and so will have to be sent to me.

Mine are the furthest right and furthest left. We were all pretty amazed that all these shapes started from the same basic beginning and roughly the same amount of glass.

And here is a picture of the whole gang.

And yes, that’s me in front with the three maestros Roberto, Mauro and Giovanni. Second row (L-R) is Zeng, Alice, Bernardo and Joachim, back row Ittay and Olivia.

On Thursday afternoon I spent an enjoyable couple of hours at the Peggy Gugenheim Museum (modern art) and managed to buy a new suitcase to pack all the glasswork in. I took it to Murano on Friday and packed everything up. I probably should have got a bigger one as it only just fit with all the bubblewrap etc. and I struggled to get everything into the suitcase. Fortunately I didn’t have to go straight to a plane but have the next week to sort myself out from the boot of a car.

Friday afternoon I spent on Murano with some final things to see and a last minute purchase (I couldn’t come home without a champagne/prosecco glass, now, could I?).

So, leaving Venice was sad, I do love it and definitely, definitely want to come back to spend more time. I will also definitely do this sort of holiday/learning thing again as I have found it incredibly rewarding and really good for me.

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Blown Away

Today was the first true experience of “blowing” glass and it was pretty cool. We worked again in the two teams as yesterday – our team all really enjoying and appreciating Giovanni’s approach.

One of my classmates took a series of photos of me through the whole process – there are 79 of them, and I won’t inflict them on anyone who wasn’t there at the time, but I will post a few. Maestro Giovanni is the one guiding me through the process.

It was pretty amazing and I created a glass (a large beer or water glass) or a vase depending on your point of view (I think for me it will be a glass), and in a later attempt another one decorated with pieces of murrine (cut glass rods with pretty patterns – think the sort of thing you see in the Suga candy shops).

I’m not sure what else to say about the process except that it was difficult, hot, tricky and extremely exhilarating.

This afternoon, I went to the Basilica in Piazzo San Marco and my decision to hold out from Monday turned out to be a good one as I encountered no queues at all today. Nevertheless, the large numbers of tourists going through the Basilica leads to a certain feeling/mentality of shovel them through. I resisted this (although there was no opportunity to sit and contemplate) and made sure I stopped to absorb the sights. I have to say that it is pretty awesome and I was blown away by the sheer volume of the amazing mosaics. Interestingly, there are virtually no paintings here (which is unusual compared to every other church in Venice that I have visited) but they would be entirely superfluous. I’m sure other people will understand when I say that the sheer number of amazing mosaics almost detracts from being impressed with them in the way that you would with a single one in any other place.

I really liked the tessellation of the marble floors. The museum above the basilica has some amazing tapestries and documents and the view from the balcony over St Mark’s square was pretty impressive. I really enjoyed taking my time and soaking it all in.

Walking back from there with a gelato in hand, I resisted the temptation to buy a very beautiful, but rather expensive, piece from one of the designers of glass, Venini. I did not, however, resist buying some beautiful Venetian fabrics …. watch this space.

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Tre synagogi

Three Synagogues

Today was another beautiful, beautiful autumn day and it was a pleasure to get up and travel out across the lagoon to Murano.

Today at the course, we divided into two groups; the other three girls who all have some Italian worked with Mauro, and myself and the three guys worked with Giovanni who has pretty good English. In our group we focussed on some basic techniques of picking up the molten glass from the furnace and controlling and manipulating it, reheating when necessary and just making some basic shapes and movements. We did this over and over (having said that, in the four hours, we probably each only had six turns but watched and learned also from what the others were doing). This was really good as it looks easy when the maestros do it, but learning the difference between forcing the glass and encouraging it, when it is too hot and when it is too cold, how to hold and turn enough so that gravity doesn’t pull it off the rod but not too fast so that centrifugal force doesn’t pull it off the rod, is all a matter of getting the feel of the molten glass.

I said yesterday how I has enjoyed having a teacher all to myself, and that was true, but I confess that I don’t think I could do this constantly as the only student. The heat from the furnace is so intense that to be near it is really hard and my eyes were stinging and running with tears every time it was my turn. Maybe I will get more used to it. It wasn’t prohibitively painful or anything, but I was glad to step away a little when my turn was done.

Our little group of four plus Giovanni was fun, everyone encouraging each other and discussing how things felt and what worked and what didn’t. It is really good. The four of us were also glad (and congratulating ourselves slightly) on being in this group as the others working with Mauro were working more on making animals. I don’t doubt that they were learning useful techniques, but we were all glad to be learning some really basic glass handling stuff which was also directed at making us self-sufficient in the studio rather than sitting and having someone else re-heat and hand us the glass.

Our pieces from yesterday have come out of the cooling oven (muffalo) and I am pleased with the flower but a little disappointed that the heart is not as good a shape as it could be – not that I am complaining for a first day’s work.

After class I was heading back to the main island on the vaporetto and one of the other students Itay from Israel joined me. He is in Venice with his wife who is attending a conference. I planned today to visit the Ghetto and he decided to come with me and it was actually really cool having his insight and perspective, being an Israeli and Jewish in heritage although not particularly religious. We took a guided tour which included visits to three synagogues and the museum in the Ghetto.

Perhaps the most interesting thing was learning that ghetto, of which this is the original, is a germanified version of the italian ‘geto’ which means ‘foundry’ and was the pre-existing name of the area of Venice that was designated for Jews to live in the 1500s. It is a word that has come to be so associated with Judaism but its origins are totally unrelated to anything religious.

Anyway the synagogues were really interesting and, as I said, having Itay’s input was very interesting. After we had done the tour, he headed back to meet up with his wife and I did a little more shopping, resisting the impulse to buy a pair of handmade brocade period Venetian shoes (only E280), and had a lovely evening Prosecco to finish the day (at least the outside part of it, I still have to do some handwashing or I will have no clean socks tomorrow).

Here are a couple of pics of yesterday’s work.