Italy 2006-3.2

The folks at the hotel were correct, the flooding lasts about 2 hours, and then the tide recedes to the point where the vast majority of the city is once again accessible. A word about the Residence Corte Grimani and the staff. They are fantastic. Everyone was very friendly and helpful, and pleasant to speak with. They gave us great advice on where to make train reservations, eat, etc. The rooms are very comfortable, and the cleaning staff is the most efficient I have ever seen. There is a very complete breakfast every morning for 20 Euros, which is a deal in Venice; although, as in the rest of Italy, one should not expect eggs and bacon. Cereal, yogurt, cheese and salami, bread, fruit and the best croissant known to man are the standard fare. I believe I had already sung the praises of the cappuccino. The only downside to the hotel is the lack of in-room internet access. There is a station in the lobby for use by the guests, however it was a little difficult to blog there, as they ask that you keep your sessions to 15 minutes. Oh, and the beams on the ceiling are real. I forgot to ask how old the buildings were, however I would assume that they are several hundred years at least, just like everything else in Venice.

Once the waters receded, we went out and explored the city some more, this time focusing on the eastern part of San Marco. Venice is its own museum, and Jene and I had a great time just wandering around, window shopping, eating from the stand up snack bars and being sickeningly cute. We decided that the cream cannoli is much better than the chocolate, and the Coke light is much too sweet even for diet.

We did visit the basilica, which is my favorite great church in Italy. The stonework, as well as the really obvious ancient tile work, etc. makes it a breathtaking site both inside and out. The Byzantine architecture also makes it unique. Although the altar is in the east as in most of the great churches, everything else seems to orbit around the center dome. This appeals to my architectural and religious sensibilities.

We went on the restaurant tour to figure out where to have dinner, and ended up a trattoria across the pizza from the Anticho Martini where we ate the evening before. Great risotto, although the rest was good but basic. We then did the touristy thing and had gelato at the Café Quadri on Piazza San Marco. Mine was drenched in amoretto, which appealed to my gastronomic sensibilities. It was a great evening.