Europe Trip Part 3

Yes! I'm breaking this up in small pieces.  That way I can include more photos without everyone getting worn out.  See how nice I am?

Basel Switzerland train station

We went from Switzerland to Venice (Venezia in Italian) by train with a brief stop in Milan.  Again, I love train travel.  The trip through the alps was gorgeous, but the photos never work well...we move too fast and the glass dulls the light.  We also had a great visit with a seatmate from Italy.

 Our host in Venice was so very kind as to pick us up from the train station, since the local train and bus service is limited on Sundays.  We got a whole apartment to ourselves here because we chose a place that wasn't in Venice proper but about a 1/2 hour away, in the country side.  It was wonderful....with air conditioning.  Plus there was a bakery just around the corner for breakfast. Bus and train tickets were available at the tobacco shop....that's where one finds them in Europe.  We easily navigated to the city it's self.  It is a beautiful city to just walk around.

I was fascinated with a boat based 'crane' to move cargo on and off the vessel.

This is a water taxi...like a bus,  for visitors and  residents.

The delivery 'trucks' for Venice.

 We were just walking past and I had to take a photo...modern art lives here too!

  I love the mystery of the first work and the whimsy of the second.

I think they used propane tanks for the faces.

  Here is a true 24hr clock.

I think they're trying to confuse me!

The Rialto bridge.  The first bridge over the grand canal, built in the 1500s

 Saint Marks Cathedral.  We didn't wait in the long line to enter. 

He wanted a detail of the  Horses of St Marks,  Roman bronze statues that have gotten around ..you'll have to look it up.

 

 

Winged lion...symbol of Venice...since the 1100s

They will sell anything to tourists.

Musicians playing excellent Jazz in St Marks square.  The ancient and modern!

 Before our trip, I checked out some travel guides from the online library.  They came due but because I kept my phone off (I brought it for emergencies but didn't want to pay the $10 a day for foreign use needlessly) the books weren't returned so I read about a small church I wanted to see but I didn't pay attention to the directions.  Well, by the time I got there the book had disappeared and I was so disappointed.  Luckily, my husband has truly amazing powers of 'finding the way'.  We wandered right to the church of St Zaccaria!  I Loved it!  We typically see 'art' displayed in museums with special lighting and settings.  Much of it was meant for churches though and I loved seeing these pieces  as they were meant to be seen.  It is a smaller church, no crowds, calm and reverent.  Plus I could take photos!

 If I were really good, I would tell you the names and painters for these.  I don't remember though and my research skills aren't up to the task.  I did feel like I was inside an art history book.

This was in a small chapel

This was down stairs in the crypt.  The walk way where Rod is walking was dry, but on the bricks next to it, the water was about 8 inches deep...the city is sinking.

 We wandered into this shop and bought a book of drawings...by this gentleman.  So cool.

Like lots of Europe...laundry hangs across the street, back streets only though.



Ferocious lion there!

Seemed very appropriate.

Lunch was delicious!

 

The weather got windy and the water got rough so we didn't take a gondola ride after all.



I thought it was fun to see the train station cleaner.

Getting 'home' was an adventure.  We got the wrong destination in our heads took the wrong train and had to return to Venice and then try again, but we made it!  Such a relief.