Another day in Venezia

Rain was predicted so we went out prepared but apart from a ten minute downpour when we were at San Marco the weather was lovely.  The rain was great because it cleared the dust and the air was fresh.  Our cousins in Mestre didn't fare so well, they got absolutely soaked when they were walking home from a computer class and the rain lasted longer there as well.

 We just spent the day wandering around and loved it.

We'll have to stop taking photos here -I try to but the light always makes it look a bit different

We also haven't taken enough photos of gondolas from the Rialto :)

We reciprocated in taking photos for another couple of tourists

A gondoliere with his telefonino - Italians are as bad as Australians with mobile phones, though maybe not in restaurants.

The downpour cleared San Marco

Except for this guy who was enjoying being the centre of attention.  Not the right body shape for the wet Tshirt look

Gondolas in their raincoats

Hope the tourists managed to get out before the gondoliere covered the seats

From the Accademia bridge -di nuovo :)

e un altro :)

This guy was very brave paddling down the Grand Canal in a kayak.  The boats are all much slower now -except for the occasional taxi.  Some German tourists died in a gondola/vaporetto accident near Rialto in the summer and as a result the Commune has more tightly regulated traffic, speeds etc

After a slow start we're settled in.

We're in beautiful Venezia and settled into a beautiful apartment near Campo San Barnaba, one of our favourite locations in Venice. We've done lots of walking, caught up with lovely family and have started to work our way through the cakes and pastries at Pasticceria Tonolo - the best in Venice secondo noi :)

Rob is out running, getting ready for the Venice marathon on Sunday, while I'm sitting in the apartment eating Buranei biscuits from Tonolo. We hope that he will go ok but he has had a rotten lead up with injuries and the flu. No big storms predicted this year and it could be much warmer -it should be around 20C max.

We still haven't adjusted to the time difference though this morning slept in until around 5.00am so we're getting better.
The weather has been perfect for walking around and taking photos and we've only had one really rainy day so far.  I love Venice at this time of the year.

With doors like this you know you're in Venice

Even the corrosion has an artistic touch here

We're managing to have conversations in Italian and even though we know that we make heaps of mistakes, people are very patient and it is good to be able to talk about everyday stuff.

From Accademia bridge

Sculpture in garden next to the Accademia Bridge

A florist preparing his flowers in a campo

How it looks in the day light.  Will post more when I know more about it,

Another lazy day in Venice

We went to the Accademia gallery  (Gallerie dell'Accademia) yesterday and enjoyed wandering around looking at the fabulous collection. In the afternoon we walked around the St Marco/ Rialto side of the canal and went to a few favourite shops and bars.
We ended up in San Marco around 4.00pm so sat in the warm sunshine at Gran Caffe Quadri and enjoyed the beautiful view.  The light from the setting sun was perfect and the light/shadow contrasts were amazing. A very pleasant break. The photos are a mixture taken with our fuji by Rob, Jules and me.

The antique market in Campo S Barnaba. I really wanted to buy some of the glass lamps hanging on the right but getting them home in one piece is a bit problematic.

Next to Accademia bridge

It was impossible to get this shot without a tourist in the way

From Accademia bridge

From Accademia bridge

This one as well - there is a reason there are always heaps of people on the Accademia bridge, the views are always fantastic

Another one of my favourite spots

Looking in a shop selling beautiful paper and pens

Gondola traffic- tutto era bloccato

Ammonite in Piazza San Marco

and another one

Blue skies and a prime spot at Gran Caffe Quadri

I was busily checking my phone - just for a short while, I did take in my surroundings :)
 Sarah enjoyed just being there -as  you should

The contrast between the light and shadows was stunning

San Marco

Heaps of tourists

It was good to relax in the sun

Sardine tourists all crammed into the one spot -it's good for us because other areas are easy to walk around.

The pink lights are great

Jules took this photo -with much direction, neither of us will ever make it in TV :)