James Gaston

Biennale basics

Home again

Arrivederci Italia 8 Nov 2019 Arrivederci Italia 8 Nov 2019 Venice Italy --

Our last full day in Venice and the tides are high, an aqua alta. The waves are crashing over the sidewalks so in places raised walkways are available. Some doorways have water barriers. Locals are sporting high rubber boots and some tourists are walking with funny-looking plastic bags on their feet. We'll have breakfast then head out as the tide is receding.

High water or no, Venice is beautiful. We spent the day wandering the city's maze of streets. Maze is really the only name for it. We wandered with no destination, along the way we sampled pastries and took a few more photos.

High tide can mean wet sidewalks

The people in yellow are collecting the garbage..

High tide can mean wet sidewalks

The people in yellow are collecting the garbage..

High tide can mean wet sidewalks

The people in yellow are collecting the garbage..

Looks abandoned

Vaporetto

If only I knew Italian

Elena Ferrante's new book was delivered to Italian book stores just yesterday. Damn it, I'll have to wait until next year for the English translation.

If only I knew Italian

Elena Ferrante's new book was delivered to Italian book stores just yesterday. Damn it, I'll have to wait until next year for the English translation.

If only I knew Italian

Elena Ferrante's new book was delivered to Italian book stores just yesterday. Damn it, I'll have to wait until next year for the English translation.

Fishmonger

Fruits and vegetables

Picking up the trash

Garbage collection is pretty aggressive in Venice, reminds me of the daily pickups in Merida. Note the curious carts, the small wheels sticking out on the right ease the leveraging of the carts up stairs and over bridges. Of which there are many.

Picking up the trash

No large ships

Cruise ship, Giudecca

This is not peak cruise season but we still see one or two per day. In the early morning they head to the left, towards the port, and in the evening they head to the right, out to sea, like the ship in the photo. The cruise ships are controversial: their scale is visually overwhelming and their passengers don't stay long enough to add much to the economy.