Venice

My friend Don asked me if I found Venice overpriced, overcrowded with tourists and stinky. Yes, yes and no. It is a very expensive city, no doubt. And, OMG, the hordes of tourists! One could make a horror movie of just tourists milling about. The soundtrack could be only what the camera picked up. Example: "Is that the Domo?"

Ransom and I spent €74 -- a bit over $100 -- last night for a dinner that included Tagliatelle Bolognese and roast chicken for me, Tagliatelle with duck sauce and a fresh seafood plate for him, a glass of red wine and a large bottle of bubbly water. The pastas were excellent, the secondi piatti less so but the place was absolutely charming; we sat outside under a wisteria-covered arbor next to a side canal; it was delightful. We would have spent just about the same amount in a New York or New Haven restaurant, so it didn't seem a lot to me. I guess it depends on what you're used to.

And the gaggles of tourists didn't make me crazy partly because I'm used to them as well; I see them every time I go to a show in New York.

Stinky? No, not at all, at least not yesterday and the night before. It was a bit chillier than I expected, but during the day the sun shone brightly and the winds blew cordially and sweet. I loved being in Venice.

The highlight was not the Piazza San Marco, or the basilica or the Campanille but, rather, it was the short walk Jon, Ann and I took on the island where the church Santa Maria della Salute is situated. We only crossed three bridges  but in that short space we encountered a cellist playing inside a stone passageway -- incredible acoustics -- and a lutenist in a garden. We also discovered several nice shops, one of which sorely tempted me with hand blown water glasses.

I'm not sure I will come back to Venice, but if I do I will head for those quiet streets, alleys and canals far from the traffic jams on the Grand Canal. And I will love it.

And look what arrived while we were in Venice; what an added treat!