This quote is from Peggy Guggenheim the art collector, and I think it is a perfect way to start this blog. One- because the Guggenheim Museum was the first stop on my trip last weekend, and two- because I think it is incredible true. Venice was absolutely beautiful. I went once before for Carnival, but that was a whole different experience. I did not really see the beauty of the city, I saw more of the beauty of the costumes and the culture. Both great, but I liked this trip much better. It is a different kind of beautiful in Venice- different than the beautiful scenery I saw when I went on the wine tasting. So it is hard for me to say that this is the most beautiful place I have been because they are so different, but defiantly one of my favorites! We had the perfect weekend to be on the water. There was not one cloud in the sky- my pale skin was just soaking up all the sun! I got a little sun burn on my face but I did not even mind because it was so nice to just sit next to the water and just soak up the sun!
Anyway- I went on this trip with my school so there was a big group of us which was really fun. Our first stop (like I said) was at the Guggenheim Museum. Its really interesting because it was Peggy Guggenheim's home and her personal collection of art. It is also where she and her many dogs are buried. I learned that before she passed away she made rules for her home and the collection and that the collection must always stay there in Venice and always together- it must never be separated. And the only time it can be taken out of Venice is when it sinks (because Venice is sinking, they call it the next Atlantis). When this happens, it will move to Rome.
This kind of art was a lot different than the art I have been seeing around Italy, the abstract/more modern art I would say? Where it is more about the artists feelings and what you interpret that piece to be than an actual known subject of the piece. It was hard for me to see/ understand most of the art there haha but it was still a very interesting thought that other people do see deeper into squiggles, circles, and squares all together and different colors… Maybe one day I will understand!
Here are a few pieces that I liked the most.
This one was interesting to me because it is one that I understood. It is a person in a bike race and it is transparent to represent how fast he is moving.
This is one that I had the most trouble with. Apparently… this is a picture of a dancer? With her leg kicked up? I don't see it but I think the colors are really pretty and it is really cool how it almost jumps out at you because they painted on the frame as well.
This was probably my favorite out of all of them, it is an impossible picture because it is night and day at the same time.. and the house does not have any doors so it makes you feel like it would be impossible to actually enter the house. I also really like it because this kinda reminded me of the my cottage in PA:) It might just remind me of there because I can not wait to get there this summer!!
Anyway… back to Venice:)
After that, we had a free evening and we had dinner along the water and went for a long walk. This takes me to why the title of this post is "Wonderfully Lost In Venice"- you can get lost there very easily- I mean the streets are pretty much alleyways with stores and apartments and they open up to big Piazzas and then lead to bridges that go over water, which is the main way the people that live and work there get around besides walking. It is beautiful but you do get lost very easily. Wonderfully Lost:)
Saturday we started our day with a visit of Palazzo Ducale. Very interesting and big! It was where Venice political offices were. There were huge murals on the walls and decorations on the ceilings, I would have loved to see it when it was actually being used because the rooms are all just empty now.
This mailbox was funny to me:) People use to write letters tattletaling on others when they've done something wrong and then the worker would read them and then send for the people that the letter is written for and they would be punished and put in the jail cell that is this next picture.
Next we went on a tour of the Basilica of San Marco. This Basilica was very different from the others that I have seen, it was very dark and had mosaic art work instead of the normal murals. Mosaic art is made by tiny pieces of colored glass that is about the size of teeth and they place them one by one to make the art work. This is one!
We got to go up to the top and take pictures from the balcony:)
After this, we had the rest of the day free, we went and sat next to the water for a few hours talking and just enjoying the sun and the view before we had dinner and headed back to the hotel. Oh yeah! and a Gondola ride:)
Sunday we went to the Church of I Frari and Scuola di San Rosso, we weren't allowed to take pictures unfortunately because the paintings here were really amazing!
Then we went to the Accademia and that was really amazing too, these paintings were the ones I have gotten use to seeing here in Italy!
We got some gelato and then headed back to Florence.
Until next time Venice :)
Aside from my trip to Venice, some other things happened this past week!
- There was a 4.2 magnitude earthquake that woke me up around 1am! I had no idea what happened, it sounded like a big crash and my entire apartment shook! Found out the next morning that it was an earthquake! I was actually excited I got to feel one haha
-I took a tour through the Gucci Museum. Seeing the dresses that celebrities wore was probably my favorite part.. I was kind of annoyed that there was a clothing trunk that costs more than the Gucci Cadillac car that was in there… CRAZY!
-I went to a piano concert last week that was apart of the lecture series that is going on through this semester for my school. It was really interesting, they linked extreme sports and piano music- like how you need timing for both and breathing/concentration is an important part of both. Then they would play a few pieces of music, it was very nice.
-A few friends have been going to a trivia night just about every Tuesday, a travel company puts them on and if you win you can win a trip and a few other prizes. Our team name is Trivia Newton- John:) But last night we WON! Finally!! We have been sooo close the past few times so its about time we won! I am not sure where we are going yet, but it is very exciting :)
Spring break is coming up next weekend and I am headed to Madrid, Spain! I will be able to get the Sal de Ibiza for you, Aunt Laura!!
Well, that is all for now:)
Ciao Ragazzi!
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