James Gaston

Arrival in Venice

Two ways of looking at li..

Art³ 2 Nov 2019 Art³ 2 Nov 2019 Biennale, Venice Italy --

On arrival yesterday we took vaporetto No. 2 to Giudecca where we'd rented an apartment for eight nights. It was dark, the weather stormy, and the water in the wide canal, also called Giudecca, was choppy. It was atmospheric.

We were early to meet the property manager.

Soon a small boat pulled up, just off the sidewalk, which has no railing, the Italians trusting pedestrians to avoid falling in like they also trust drivers not to mow down pedestrians when they share a ferry ramp, anyway this small boat pulled up with a young fellow at the controls. He was to let us into the apartment but he couldn't get out of the boat, he said, something about a problem with the engine, if he turned it off it'd be hard to restart. So, he said, here are the keys, and he tossed them to us. He added, the instructions are in the apartment. Then he disappeared into the dark canal. Ciao.

The key opened a nondescript door opposite the vaporetto stop. In the morning we'll discover a patisserie next door. It became my first destination each morning, for a cappuccino and a pastry. Past the door was a long and narrow hallway, so narrow the plaster walls were hard to miss. They'd leave their evidence, powdery white remains, on your shoulders when you brush by. At the end of the hall was two flights of stairs and then there was a door into a wonderful, almost perfect, a tiny demerit as the patio wasn't waterfront, apartment. How nice.

The apartment was large, modern, light-filled, quiet, and supplied with every amenity we needed. A detailed instruction book was sitting on the dining table. Bonus points for great waterfront views, a shower that doesn't leak, plenty of electrical outlets, and that nearby vaporetto stop (Giudecca Palanca if you're looking at a map) that gets us quickly to the heart of Venice.

Oh, and points for the next door patisserie!

First thing was to acquaint ourselves with the immediate neighborhood and stock the fridge with the results from a run to the nearby Coop grocery so that the next morning, the morning of this post, we could take vaporetto No. 2 across the canal to Dorsoduro to begin our explorations. And that's what we did, we wandered a tiny bit of Venice where we ran into three exhibits, hence the title of this post, one from Azerbaijan and two from Iran, each a part of the Biennale. Along the way my attitude towards Venice changed. I'm really glad we're here.

Reflection on Giudecca

Butcher shop, Giudecca

Estonia's exhibit for the Biennale

This is just down the street, err, sidewalk from here but we have yet to see the exhibit.

Estonia's exhibit for the Biennale

This is just down the street, err, sidewalk from here but we have yet to see the exhibit.

Estonia's exhibit for the Biennale

This is just down the street, err, sidewalk from here but we have yet to see the exhibit.

Gondola dry dock, Giudecca

Boat storage

Garbage collection

Venice uses boats where we use cars. Ambulance, bus, taxi, police, UPS, personal transport, it's all done by boat.

Garbage collection

Venice uses boats where we use cars. Ambulance, bus, taxi, police, UPS, personal transport, it's all done by boat.

Garbage collection

Venice uses boats where we use cars. Ambulance, bus, taxi, police, UPS, personal transport, it's all done by boat.

Our street on Giudecca

Giudecca only draws tourists for sleeping, otherwise it's pretty quiet, more a place for locals and a few businesses.

Our street on Giudecca

Giudecca only draws tourists for sleeping, otherwise it's pretty quiet, more a place for locals and a few businesses.

Our street on Giudecca

Giudecca only draws tourists for sleeping, otherwise it's pretty quiet, more a place for locals and a few businesses.

Weaving through traffic, Giudecca canal

The Giudecca canal is busy all day, the different boats weaving in and out. Early in the morning the cruise ships, accompanied by several tugs, cruise up the canal, right outside our windows, and then in the evening they cruise the other way, heading for their next port of call.

Weaving through traffic, Giudecca canal

Azerbaijan exhibit at the Biennale

Azerbaijan exhibit, Biennale

Of the three exhibits we visited today Azerbaijan's was our favorite. Named "Virtual Reality", it focuses on fake news as one of the greatest threats to democracy, free debate, and progress.

Azerbaijan exhibit, Biennale

Of the three exhibits we visited today Azerbaijan's was our favorite. Named "Virtual Reality", it focuses on fake news as one of the greatest threats to democracy, free debate, and progress.

Azerbaijan exhibit, Biennale

Of the three exhibits we visited today Azerbaijan's was our favorite. Named "Virtual Reality", it focuses on fake news as one of the greatest threats to democracy, free debate, and progress.