Venice - Part 2

It is the city of mirrors, the city of mirages, at once solid and liquid, at once air and stone.
~ Erica Jong

Someone recently asked me about Venice - if I would recommend it to visit, how do I compare it to other cities in Italy. 

Venice is unique.  "Hauntingly Beautiful" was the description I used.  Nothing else in Italy compares.  You won't get the best food of Italy (although if you know where to look, true Venetian cuisine is very good).  There are too many tourists.  And it can get a little smelly (all that water, with relatively no movement).  But it's one of my favorite places to just walk and reflect, and think about Venice's place in history.

Chiesa de San Moise, right next to our hotel.  Initially built in the 8th Century, the current façade is from the 1600's

Piazza San Marco (St. Mark's Square).  This is the North side of the square - these buildings are known as the Procuratie Vecchie, or "old procuracies". They were formerly the homes and offices of the Procurators of St. Mark, who were high officers of state in the days of the republic of Venice. Built in the early 16th century, they are now primarily shops and restaurants at the ground level, with offices above.

The Clock Tower (built in 1499) and the South side of the square.  The buildings on this side are known as the Procuratie Nuove, or "new procuracies".  Built in the mid 17th Century.

St. Mark's Basilica.  Under indefinite construction.

So many interesting alleys and hidden corners.

A quick lunch, near St. Mark's square.  I love how they made a simple sandwich (and afternoon cocktail) look so elegant.

Cocktail of choice for a warm afternoon?  An Aperol Spritz

A quiet morning..... My favorite time. 

I love that nothing looks (or is) new.  No mishmash of architectural styles. 

Near Rialto Bridge and market

 

Checking out the goods!

 

Rialto Market is primarily a fish market, and they are open until everything is sold, which is usually by 1PM.  So you need to get there early!

Finally, a few very blurry nighttime shots.  Pat on the left, our friend Dave on the right

 

Dave and Marie...........

The canals of Venice

If you read a lot, nothing is as great as you've imagined. Venice is - Venice is better." ~ Fran Lebowitz

It's very grey and drab here in St Petersburg, so today let's go to a happier place.  They call St. Petersburg the "Venice of the North" because we have a few canals.  And in a way it is (although I would give that title to Amsterdam).  But it's sort of like comparing a red wine from Ohio to French Burgundy.  Or calling monkfish "poor man's lobster".  Nice try, but it's not REALLY the same!

So without too many comments, here's the canals of Venice, taken two weeks ago on a beautiful Friday afternoon when I was playing hooky from work :)))

From the Rialto Bridge

The building on the right was our hotel, the Westin Europe & Regina

View from the OTHER side of the Rialto Bridge.  Stop Mafia!

A few blurry nighttime pictures from a gondola ride with my guy

 

More on Venice coming soon.........

It's London!

'It is my belief, Watson, founded upon my experience, that the lowest and vilest alleys in London do not present a more dreadful record of sin than does the smiling and beautiful countryside' - Sherlock Holmes

I am a BIG Sherlock Holmes fan.  Especially of the books, but also of the old movies, and definitely (I must admit) of the current BBC series.  I love Benedict Cumberbatch!  I'm anxiously awaiting Season 4, but I sadly will have a long wait (late 2015 or early 2016)

Anyway, onto my update on our weekend trip to London.  One of the greatest cities if you ask me.  And no, we didn't spend the entire weekend inside one of these

We walked around a lot.  One of my 1st big walking trips since I broke my ankle.

Big Ben!

I have to say, that phone was really slimy

Lots of walks through the parks.  It was perfect Autumn weather.  Below is St. James Park

A scene while walking through Green Park

Buckingham Palace - we just missed the changing of the guard

That kid just wouldn't move

A great view of the city in the back, also from St. James Park

Birds

Check out those feet!

A few more shots of Westminister Hall (the Parliament building) and the Big Ben clock tower

Westminister Abbey

The Wellington Arch, in Hyde Park Corner.  A victory arch to commemorate Britian's victory over Napoleon 

 

Carnaby Street.  Great for shopping and......

 

 Near one of our favorite restaurants - Wright Brothers.  A great raw bar and seafood place!

We didn't mess around.  The large platter and a large bottle of Norman Cidre.  That scampi was a large as my hand!

But no challenge for Pat & I

 

Another park.  Lincoln's Inn Fields, which is said to be the largest public square in the city of London (In Holburn, in the Borough of Camden)

It was a 70F afternoon - lots of people hanging out in the park (and playing hooky I would imagine)

Blah bah blah......Conference call time!

So I amused myself taking pictures

Lincoln's Inn is one of 4 Inns of Court in London.  The barristers of England and Wales must belong to one.  These inns have supervisory and disciplinary responsibility over their members. They also provide libraries, dining facilities, professional accommodation, a church or chapel, and a self-contained precinct for training & practice

At one time, many of the city's barristers lived nearby.  The homes and apartments are still very striking 

I couldn't resist.  Doesn't everyone have a fascination with Scotland Yard?

Christmas????  Yes, we saw many signs of Christmas already.  Here at Covent Garden Market

Real bacon for breakfast.  A Bacon Butty for Pat, and Eggs Benedict for me

On Saturday morning, we walked to Borough Market, near Tower Bridge.  A LONG walk (the Underground was closed for the weekend)

We didn't visit it this time..... The Tower of London

Because we were more focused on the market!  We shared a sandwich with greens and apple chutney (as well as the creature below).  Cracklings included!

Borough Market was enormous & extremely busy.  On a Saturday, I'm not sure how people could effectively buy groceries.  But the selection was amazing

 

Lunch on this day was a Sherry & Cheese tasting, at Neal's Yard Dairy.  Outstanding!

We smuggled home a few our favorites in our luggage

And finally, drinks at the Savoy

Great weekend!