[Idyllchat] Venice

[Elsa Heald]

The recent discussion of getting lost in Venice brought to mind a quote 
from Richard Holmes'  autobiography called "Footsteps/ Adventures of a 
Romantic Biographer".   Holmes thought that "real travel was concerned 
with disorientation rather than merely distance.  It was losing 
yourself, then finding yourself again: casting yourself, at least for 
one moment, into the lap of the gods, and seeing what happened."  I 
think that Untours gives us that kind of opportunity.

Venice is a perfect city to lose yourself.  To experience the riches of 
Venice, time is needed. Time to stroll, to taste, to drink, to gaze, to 
dream.  It is the perfect city for spontaneity.

Our Venice Untour provided some unexpected delights.  The apartment was 
in the San Lorenzo area.  Readers of Donna Leon's mysteries will know 
that she used the San Lorenzo police station as Commissario Brunetti's 
work place.  I was amazed to find that our apartment looked down into 
the garden of that actual station.  Leon's descriptions of Brunetti's 
walks in the neighborhood were identifiable.

Another surprise was finding the spot at which Gentile Bellini stood to 
paint his Miracle of the Holy Cross some 500 years ago.  The bridge in 
the painting was the one we crossed daily and our neighborhood 
buildings are easily identified.

The San Lorenzo church has been deconsecrated, but at one time Marco 
Polo's bones resided here!

Do consider Venice for an Untour!

Elsa Heald