Art History 101 followed by Gastronomy

Okay, so I'm two days' behind but it’s hard keeping up a blog when you’re packing so much into each day, so I’m writing this on the high-speed train to Rome.

Forget the art (okay, don't forget it), Florence is a gastronomic feast! I had the most unbelievable spaghetti (Spaghetti a Pomodoro ... very basic with tomato, garlic, olive oil, parmesan cheese, much like the pizza here) as my first course (pasta is normally first course in Italy) with a very tender steak for my main. The steak was bursting with flavour! All washed down with some delicious local Chianti - the house wine. Unlike Australia, house wine here is generally very good. It was so filling I could not manage dessert!

Earlier, I started the day (my birthday) with a walking tour of Florence, which included a lot of the major sights such as the Ponte Vecchio (the “old bridge” across the Arno with shops built along it, the only bridge not destroyed in World War II), Piazza della Signora (the beautiful square featuring the fountain of Neptune, lots of impressive sculptures including a copy of Il David, and the old palace, Palazzo Vecchio), a number of churches and the city’s famous cathedral, the Duomo. Following this I climbed Giotto’s bell tower for fantastic views of Florence and the Duomo’s dome.

From Florence

From Florence

In the afternoon I joined another guided tour (it was part of a package) to Italy’s most famous art gallery, the Uffizi. The Uffizi is one of the most amazing galleries I’ve visited and I think forking out for the tour was worthwhile, both to avoid the queues and for the insights the guide gave us into how art progressed through the centuries (the Uffizi is set out in chronological order). It was sort of like Art History 101! I think the Uffizi was one of the most, if not THE most, impressive art galleries I have visited. Taking a guided tour made a big difference, as the guide was able to take us on a journey into the age of the Renaissance and explain the progression of art as she took as to masterpiece after masterpiece. It gave me a new found appetite for the subject.

Despite being on my own, it was a wonderful birthday!

Fabulous Firenze

Italians really know how to enjoy life, and boy am I enjoying it! I have just returned to my B&B from a nearby pizzeria recommended by the B&B owner. A huge and delicious mushroom pizza with half a litre of vino blanco (I couldn't drink it all), sitting in the square listening to the conversations of fellow patrons (which I couldn't understand because they were all in Italian!). But it was a wonderful atmosphere on a balmy evening. And all for 10 Euros! Bargain!

I am glad I decided to stay in a residential area of Florence (a decision motivated by accommodation costs more than ingenuity), as it is more relaxed and populated by locals rather than tourists.

Earlier today I took my last vaporetto ride through Venice to the train station, where I caught an Italian Eurostar. A comfortable, high speed train. I was sitting with a group of nuns on their way to Rome! I enjoyed the Italian countryside, particularly the Apennine Mountains between Bologna and Firenze (although there were a lot of very long tunnels).

In Florence, the B&B owner Danilo helpfully explained all the recommended sights and good, local restaurants (including the pizzeria and gelateria). I then headed into town to Santa Maria Novella Basilica, which has some amazing works by Masaccio and Giotto, but I particularly liked the depictions of Gregory the Great (so no making fun of my middle name!).

From Florence

Next stop, the Basilica of San Lorenzo, the largest church in Florence and burial place of one of the city's oldest families, the Medicis. And finally I was booked onto a tour of the Accademia Gallery to see Michelangelo's David. It is hard to describe the beauty of this sculpture. I recommend going late in the afternoon (the gallery doesn't close until 6:50pm) so you have a bit of peace to admire the masterpiece.

Ultimo giorno a Venezia (last day in Venice)

Too tired to write a proper blog tonight. So will recap in brief.

Walked to Piazza San Marco (St Mark's Square) quite early. Great to see a lot of locals headed to work, felt more real, and there were less tourists about.

From Venice

Started with the Doge's Palace Secret Itineraries Tour. A wonderful guided tour that takes you to parts of the palace most visitors don't see. Was particularly fascinating to see the cells where Giacomo Casanova was imprisoned and eventually escaped from. Fascinating insight into how the Venetian Republic was a very advanced democracy for its time, but conversely had a torture chamber (which the tour visits) and a most suspect secret service. Following the tour I went through the rest of the palace, which is huge and very impressive, containing more works by Venice's best artists. But there are so many rooms by the end you cannot take any more in!

After a bite to eat was St Mark's Basilica, with its remarkable Byzantine architecture and dazzling gilded mosaics. Although it's free to enter the Basilica, you have to pay to see the Treasury, golden altar screen and museum, but these sights are more than worth the cost, and in most cases get you away from the river of tourists winding through the main part of the church. You get an amazing view of St Mark's Square from the museum.

By this time I wanted to escape the crowds and so headed to San Giorgio Maggiore, an island just a five-minute vaporetto ride from St Mark's, but almost deserted by comparison. Wonderful to find such a serene setting so close to the centre of Venice. The main sight here is the Church of San Giorgio Maggiore, and while the church is worthy, it is the view from the bell tower that dazzles. Photos to follow.

As is my way, rather than call it a day I was determined to fit another sight in. This one was a 40-minute ferry ride away on the island of Burano, best known for lace-making and it's brightly-painted houses. I am so glad I made the trip, as it was a wonderful and relaxing way to end the day. A lovely island to stroll around, with lots of locals talking in the streets and children playing. The day was capped off with a stunning sunset on the ferry ride back to Venice. I hope the photos do it justice

From Italian sunset

I haven't done a good job of recapping in brief, but it pains me to leave all the great details out (mainly in case I forget them!). Tomorrow: Florence!

Venezia: parte due (part two)

Enchanting, captivating, beautiful ... even on my second day, Venice has maintained her hold over me. It's been one of those days in which I've tried to cram a lot in, just so I don't miss out on anything! Sometimes this can be self-defeating, as the constant activity can wear you out and artistic masterpieces can become a blur. Thankfully, I managed to stay on the right side of sanity!

I kicked the day off with my first Italian cappuccino. Quite good and certainly better than the burnt dishwater they serve in old London town! From here it was on a vaporetto to the city's premier art gallery, L'Accademia. A most impressive gallery filled with works by Venetian artists, and definitely worth paying the extra for the audioguide, which explained a lot of the pieces. One of the best known is Paolo Veronese's Feast in the House of Levi. There were also some wonderful works by Giorgione and Gentile Bellini.

From here I headed to the Jewish Ghetto, in fact the world's first ghetto. It was established in 1516, allowing Jews to reside in Venice, but only in the restricted area (the gates to the island were locked at night) of a former copper foundry. The word ghetto is derived from the Italian word for foundry, gettare. I joined a guided tour from the Museum of the Jewish Community, visiting three of the five Jewish synagogues (German, Italian and Canton). It was one of the highlights of the day, particularly learning about the history of Venetian Jews over the centuries, including the Spanish Inquisition, Mussolini and World War II.

From Venice

Venice did lose some of her charm when I came up against the flood of tourists along the main thoroughfares between the train station, Rialto Bridge and San Marco. So many tourists I almost lost my patience! However, I got over it once I was off the beaten track. After an average calzone for lunch, I headed to my first church (no shorts today, as you have to cover up in church), Chiesa di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, mostly shortened to Frari. This is an amazing church, not just for its architecture and intricate wooden choir, but particularly for its art. Titian's 1518 Madonna of the Assumption draws visitors into the apse. Frari certainly has the edge over galleries, because the artwork has been designed for the building's architecture. I should also give (grudging) praise to Rick Steve at this point. I downloaded a few of his free audioguides (podcasts), including for Frari and the Grand Canal, and they made these sights a lot more meaningful. I'm sure the fellow tourists on the vaporetto thought I was missing out on the atmosphere by listening to music, when in fact I was noticing all the sights they missed!

After dropping into nearby Chiesa di San Rocco (Church of St Roch) to see a few masterpieces by Tintoretto, I resolved to fit in another museum ... Ca' Rezzonico, a palazzo on the Grand Canal. I am so glad I did, as it was probably my favourite museum of the day! The rooms bring to life 18th century grandeur and I preferred much of the art to that found in L'Accademia. The only downside is that the palace is huge, and the many artworks and salons can be a lot to take in late in the afternoon. For this reason I decided this was to be my last museum of the day. I caught another vaporetto for a relaxing trip to Lido, a 12km long barrier island where the Venice Film Festival is held. I strolled along the waterfront before returning to my hotel.

Final stop for the night was dinner. I found a cute little bar/restaurant facing onto the water, lights twinkling on the distant island of Murano. I had a lovely prawn, tuna, corn and tomato salad (I needed something light after eating lots of heavy pasta, breads and meat in my short time in Venice), washed down with some white wine. And good value too (comparatively speaking, as Venice is expensive) ... a third of the cost of my dinner the night before! Mind you, I did have two courses on my first night, because I made the mistake of wandering for too long hoping I'd find somewhere better (and less touristy) and ended up getting so hungry I had a headache and was starving! On top of that the restaurant I picked had reasonable food, but the slowest service. One waiter for dozens of patrons. It took 20 minutes to take an order, another 20 minutes for bread, and another 20 minutes for the first course. So I (eventually) appreciated every morsel!

Although I have mentioned some of my favourite museums, none of these have been the best thing about Venice. The highlight (in addition to travelling down the Grand Canal) has been putting my map away, wandering off and getting lost in the streets and passageways. This feels like the real Venice (although just 60,000 Venetians live in the city nowadays), as you cross canals and walk beneath washing hung from windows high above. Magical!

From Venice

Venezia giorno uno ... Venice, day one!

So today this becomes a travel blog rather than one about life in London. I have just started a two-week holiday to Italy, my first visit. I departed Heathrow this morning on BMI, along with a few angry passengers. A late change in the aircraft meant a lot of seats were reallocated and couples could no longer sit together. Some people got quite agitated with the staff. I benefited from the switch, as my choice of seat near the front did not change but it became a premium economy seat instead of a regular one, which gave me more space than I've ever had when flying. Unfortunately there were no free meals or other extras! I was seated next to an older American woman who first visited Venice in 1958 and who was quite demanding of the patient flight crew. There's no way I could be a flight attendant, I would end up losing my cool very quickly.

My decision to check which side of the plane to sit on (the right when facing forward) paid off as I was rewarded with a wonderful vista of Venice and the lagoon (as well as all the gigantic cruise ships) as our plane landed.

Venice is everything it's cracked up to be. Quite magical! Photos cannot do it justice. It's one of those remarkable places to see and experience, and travelling up the canal on a vaporetto (water bus) is an enchanting introduction to the city. It feels like it's still summer here (25C), so I changed into shorts, grabbed a bite to eat and headed to my first museum (the only one for the day as it was already 4:30pm). The Ca' D'Oro, which is one minute away from my hotel. Ca' D'Oro is an art museum featuring paintings, reliefs and sculpture taken from Veneto during Napoleon's conquest of Italy. It is also a lovely palazzo (palace) facing onto the Grand Canal.

After my fill of art, I jumped on another vaporetto and headed to Piazza San Marco. Despite being filled with tourists, it is breathtaking. I would even go so far to say it felt romantic (or perhaps that was just because of the band playing Memory! Not exactly Italian, but never mind). From here I wandered the streets (lots of lovely but expensive shops) and crossed the Rialto Bridge and eventually made it back to my hotel. So here I am, watching X-Factor, the Italian version. A bit sad, but being a tourist is quite tiring. Anyhow, I need to find something for dinner! Everyone at work has been telling me how amazing the food is. Hope it lives up to expectations. : )

From Venice

Anyone for a lolly? (aka Words Part II)

Another strange encounter with words ... one of my work colleagues seems to have an endless supply of snacks at her desk. The other day I mentioned her lollies were yummy and she gave me a strange look. I repeated - again a strange look.

Eventually we established that by her (British) definition, she didn't have any lollies ... she thought I was talking about a lollipop, as a lollipop is called a lolly in the UK.

Confectionery, on the other hand, is known as sweeties! Hence you have sweet shops, not lolly shops in Britain.

Another difference: What Australians call an iceblock is called an ice lolly in England. Strange!

London - a city like no other

London never ceases to surprise and astound me. Despite it's many flaws, it has so much to offer, and it only takes a little effort to reap its rewards. Today I decided to hop on my bike and head somewhere new - Eltham in the city's south east. My destination: Eltham Palace, combining the remains of a medieval royal palace (where Henry VIII spent much of his childhood) with the glamorous Art Deco home of textile magnates Stephen and Virginia Courtauld. But, as I have discovered is often the way in London, the journey was as rewarding as the destination!

Travelling by bike gives you a real feel for suburbs you pass, perhaps more so than speeding through in a car, train or bus. It was my first time traversing the Isle of Dogs (other than on the DLR) before descending into the Greenwich foot tunnel ... what a cool, little tunnel ... like something out of the war! In fact it was built before either of the Great Wars, opening in 1902.

Emerging at Greenwich, one is presented with a plethora of appetising smells, with cuisines from across the world at the local markets. I went for a Peruvian chicken and rice dish. Very tasty! Meantime one gets a superb view across the river to Canary Wharf.

From London and Paris

From Greenwich I tackled a very steep hill (on top of which sits Greenwich Observatory) before heading through Black Heath and a wide range of suburbs, eventually reaching Eltham (almost 15km from Mile End). Eltham is a somewhat grim suburb, with nothing particular to distinguish it, which makes arriving at Eltham Palace all the more remarkable. It's like stumbling upon a little oasis! Luscious green gardens, a moat and a bridge from the 1400s provide an enchanting welcome.

From Eltham Palace, London

From Eltham Palace, London

From Eltham Palace, London

The Art Deco interior of the Courtauld's home is also remarkable, but unfortunately photography is not allowed. However, you can see some photos on the English Heritage website.

After touring the residence and gardens, I hopped back on my bike and headed towards Woolwich ... grateful for the downward slope towards the river. I took the (free) Woolwich Ferry, which gives a good view of the Thames Barrier. Then it was through the industrialised district of Silvertown - lots of dirty and smelly factories, some now desolate. After cruising through more of the Docklands I arrived at East India Dock and then the more familiar surroundings at Limehouse, just a suburb away from home. All up a 30km ride! And all in one afternoon!

One thing is certain, no-one can say there's nothing to do in London!