Posted by Elizabeth. After the first day of rain in Venice the sun came out and the water sparkled in full glory. We stayed in a sweet apartment next to the Giardini Bienielle (thank you Anna!) and enjoyed the neighborhood which was free of tourists and has a fun main street lined with shops, restaurants and bars full of locals.
Venice has a familiar feeling. The water and air feel the same as Seattle. But the architecture, cobblestone streets and meandering canals are magical.
The boys and I spent an afternoon at the Guggenheim (you can read Leo's post for his opinion of modern art). I love the museum for it's big open rooms and light filled spaces. It doesn't have the heavy feeling of the other palazzos. Yesterday we explored the city. The Jewish ghetto is fascinating. The Jewish people were kept within the small neighborhood for 200 years with guards at the two bridges. There are four or five synoguogues within a couple blocks. It appears to still be home to an active Hasidic population who were enjoying the sabbath at the fantastic kosher eatery, Gam Gam (we, unfortunately had cranky kids so couldn't stay).
This morning Griffin and I strolled along the water to the Doges Palace to see the Henri Rousseau exhibit. A very well done collection of his art and others influenced by his style. Frida Khalo, Diego Rivera, Cezanne, Picasso, and Klee were just some of the artists who admired his work. As we were leaving at noon a cacophony of church bells in St Mark's Square surrounded us. We topped the morning off with Italian cappuccino on a sidewalk looking out to the water.
On the train to Rome now and looking forward to sandal weather.
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