Dowd adventures in Bologna: Venice, Padua

giovedì 1 settembre 2011

Venice, Padua

The weather this summer has been quite polite, but the week we decided to go to Venice and Padua it got bloody hot, everyday over 100.
So we drove, and the same story as before occurred, Jayne kindly reminded me that a big yellow truck was in-front of me, or that l was too close to a distant wall, or that l didn't have both hands on the wheel, l am sure her seat arms are going to have depressions in where she grips for dear life. Anyway it helps pass the time as the boys and l make light of her fearful manner.
We arrived again safely, Jayne had booked us in to a quaint hotel with garden in a town called Mira, near Dolo, about 30 minutes from Padua and 30 minutes to Venice, so a great location, and a lovely surround. These towns follow the river, and have some amazing mansion, villas, palaces along them where people used to have weekend retreats. One villa, which was more like a palace of ridiculous dimensions is Villa Pisani, just out of Padua, it must be visited. Napoleon once owned it, his Italian retreat, it is full of the most amazing art by Tiepolo, in particular the ceiling of the ballroom. The garden is incredible with the most impressive horse stables you could imagine, water features, a pond that the French would like to have at Versailles and statues galore. Some of you will know by belief on mazes, in particular the Avenel maze, a complete waste of time, but the maze at Villa Pisani is a monument of perfection. Anyway enough of that, just visit the place one day, it is a hidden treasure.
Now the hotel we stayed at in Mira is Villa Alberti, not a villa in the same league, but comfortable and worth staying at, friendly family run it, though the mosquitoes drove us mad. The towns of Mira, and especially Dolo are great, good food, one place we went to had a photo of Russell Crowe, George Clooney, and he told us Nicole Kidman was there as well, though l think they may have been taken elsewhere, a seafood place, but really did not live up to Sydney.
Now the reason to going to Venice is obvious, but the reason l wanted to go to Padua (Padova) is the Scrovegni Chapel , where the greatest pieces of art are. I speak of Giotto. No one should come to Italy and not visit Padua (Giotto) and Arezzo (Pierro Della Francesca), it should be in the visa requirement. Mind you the fact most don't, does allow me to see the works in rather uncrowded fashion.
Padua as a town is very delightful, infact Jayne and l said we could have lived there if not Bologna, it is probably a bit like Melbourne, more open than Bologna which allows some air flow, but no parks, the shopping is great and much cheaper than Bologna and better quality. But as l said earlier it was over 100 and l was happy to get in the car or visit a air conditioned shop.
Now Venice, well the biennale is on, so that is a major reason to go, but this was a family trip, so l could not spend the whole 2 days in the biennale, l only spent 1 and a half. The other half was quality family time, a gondolier trip, which l swore l would never do, but it was actually wonderful and very quiet, we asked to keep to the side streets, didn't want to mix with the rats in the grand canal. Visited a church with some more Tiepolo's and got a beautiful water colour hand made book, one that Martin King would use, l hope to emulate his skill.
Saw a major Schnabel show, of works from the last 30 years, hugh and impressive. The latest craze in Venice is the attempted selling of liquid rubber balls that you throw to the ground and they make a splat shape, absolute crap, the poor blokes who seem to be every 20 meters flogging them, cant make a living, l nearly felt sorry and bought one, but l didn't!
Ohh nearly forgot, we got to Venice by boat, that leaves 20 minutes from Mira at a place called Fusina, crossing the water through the wooden stumped markers, takes about 20 minutes, the trick is to not sit upstairs in the sun at 100 degrees, and downstairs is closer to 120 degrees, we just stood at the gang plank until it was about to go and then just lent over the side with the breeze and shade, port side there, starboard side back in the afternoon. Now this was Jaynes idea, and a very good one, she explained to me after l yelled at her for the fact that we are always running late, that if we were not late we would not have got this position on the boat, somehow l am always wrong, and have to apologise.