We took off early on the vaporetto to meet Amy and Larry at the Arsenale part of the Biennale.  First things first, we went for coffee at the Puppa bar and then to the vaporetto docks.  The boat that came before ours took a whole bunch of kids, maybe from a summer camp, on board.  It was funny because there were tons of them boarding and everyone was smiling except for the priest with the bullhorn trying to get them all together.

I didn’t love this part of the Bienanale as much as I did the other  exhibits in the Giardini.  There was a whole, long hallway of individual artists’ works and it was an enormous amount to take in.  After we finished that part we took a little sitting/bathroom break.  I realized I was sitting on the edge of the bathroom window thus–“She came in through the bathroom window”

shot by Larry

Phoenix in silhouette

We really spent a long time looking at two humongous dragons/phoenixes made of recycled tools and construction materials.

This shot doesn’t really do it justice.  They were in a huge hangar, I imagine had been for ships.

One of the dangers of going to museums with friends is that I get more involved in conversation than the art and I think that’s what was happening to me most of the morning.

We finally made it to the Italy pavilion which had some really incredible stuff in it.  Afterwards we all went outside to sit in an art installation of huge fishing poles arcing over an area and little stools–thus the sitting.  Here’s Larry and Amy.  From there we went to Via Garibaldi for the worst lunch I’ve ever had in Venice.  Don’t go to Trattoria della Rampa!

nobody’s having any fun, at all.

I really wanted to go to the Palazzo Tiepolo Passi to see the exhibit there.  Many Slow Travel friends have stayed in the apartments on the ground floor there but never have seen the upper floors.  The whole exhibit, called the Dialogue of Fire, was comprised of contemporary glass and ceramic works.

Amy and me on the balcony of Palazzo Tiepolo, 2nd floor.

I loved the art and being at the palazzo was a real treat. We hung out on the balcony for a while letting our imaginations run about really living in a palace like that.

We parted ways and I really wanted to get home and take a nap. And of course, about a block from home we ran into our friends from North Carolina and we had to sit and talk with them for a while. We finally had our rest time and then went back out to meet Nan and  Larry and Amy for dinner at Estro.  I really love that place!  We had terrific wine, one Franciacorta and one German Reisling, Nan’s pick.  We all shared a spinach, lardo and asparagus cream foccacia for an app.  I got a plate of mixed raw seafood that was divine!  Except the oyster was not as good as at home. We didn’t get home until midnight!

glass pillows

cobalt bowl with glass egg on the original furniture

detail on the balcony