First thing–we saw a rainbow out over the lagoon and we knew it would be another great day.  Ken took a picture of me in my new hat:

After a slow Sunday kind of start, we went for a nice long walk heading for St. Alvise, an area with which we aren’t very familiar.  On our way, we noticed a church that’s never been open before and we went in.  I belielve it is the church or scuola of the Misercordia (mercy).  At any rate, it is on the Fondamenta Misercordia at the far eastern corner.  I had always thought that Misercordia meant misery but learning it is mercy just made me happy and made more sense.  There was no signage or information available, but there were lots of security men dressed in black suits, white shirts, and ties.  The ground floor is just a vast polished dark brown floor with the stone walls, columns, and magenta lighting in the windows.

Upstairs the walls are covered with faded frescoes, in some parts very faint, and more of the polished dark flooring.

The whole place was mysterious to me and I haven’t yet done the research to find out about it.

We went out the back and the light was getting so pretty, staring at the canal and this guy rowed by–just had to get a picture.

We walked farther into Cannaregio, noticing what a “happening” area it is all along the fondamenta.  We headed right to find the St. Alvise church and it was closed. Oh well…

clouds on the canal

Undaunted, we continued exploring new territory, through the largely residential neighborhood. So quiet! We found a big walled soccer field and a few blocks away, a nice little public park.

We walked back through the Ghetto and Strada Nuova–got some hot chestnuts on the way.

Home for lunch and rest. I started doing some dinner prep work and noticed the light changing.  We got dressed quickly and went out to try to catch the sunset.  Walking towards the hospital I thought maybe we would see it from one of the bridges but we never did.  We would have had to have gotten much higher, but we were out there to see the amazing sky and how the light changed on all these little spots we see daily and love.  

Came home and popped open our Prosecco to celebrate the day.   I  made dinner–onions, pancetta and mushroom ravioli (store bought at the Coop).  And I also made some bietola (Italian chard).

We are so lucky to be living this dream!