We got a nice early start and headed towards Castello.  It was hard to leave the apartment with the views of the snow topped Dolomites geaming in the distance. I really wanted to see Lorenzp Quinn’s hands exhibit. Google maps told us to take the vap but I was sure we could walk there.  It turned out we could and we did! It was exciting for Ken and me because we walked into an area we had never previouly visited.  All along the back of the Arsenale there is a long, metal walkway raised about 6 feet off of the water and about 1,600 feet long.  Intrepid explorers that we are, we went on.  Over there we found some modern buildings inclucing a small bar and what looked to be like offices.  I was convinced that we had to take a shuttle boat to see the display but in looking for the boat, we found it.  I’m having difficulty decribing it sussinctly so here is a quote from the web site:

“”Building Bridges is contemporary Italian artist Lorenzo Quinn’s (b. 1966) most ambitious project to date. Six pairs of monumental hands bridge the basin of the Arsenale as both a symbol of our commonality and an expression of human aspiration. The project depicts six of humanity’s universal values – ‘Friendship’, ‘Faith’, ‘Help’, ‘Love’, ‘Hope’ and ‘Wisdom’ – each symbolised by human hands coming together to overcome differences and build a better world.”

We stayed for quite a while, taking tons of pictures and talking about the various meanings of each pair of hands.  

Steve and Ken were exploring this ofd structure nearby. 

Finally we decided to walk back around to the front of Arsenale and the Biennale related sculpture garden in the front.

We walked all along the gorgeous (did I forget to say we had pitch-perfect weather) Riva just until the turn off at Calle Pescaria for Al Covo for lunch. 

We got a really nice “welcome back”  and had another wonderful meal.  I got to taste something I hadn’t tried before.  The first was in the amuse.  The tiny brown shrimp called schie were quickly fried and served over a little bowl of hot polenta. They were little crunchy bits of the salty sea.  Loved it.  We all shared the apps, cured ham with burratta as well as 3 crostini: pumpkin bread with house smoked red mullet and some very special kind of butter.  Think a super soqhisticated bagels and lox.  I had a mixed seafood app for my entree so I got to tast sea snails and anothe kind of crab.  Ken got linguini with clams and chicory sprouts which he enjoyed but was nothing special.  Linda and steve shared the best dish of the day which was monk fish wrapped in ham and grilled.  Great flavors from the salty ham and the sweey and subtle monk fish.  We shared 2 desserts, the gappa semifreddo was nobody’s favorite—too much alcohol.  but the little cookies which came with the sweet wine were fantastic.

Ken and I headed home from there passing by this view of the Greek church all dcorated with a fall-colored vine.

We took it easy the rest of the day.  Steve and Linda found the energy to put together a great dinner with all of the stuff we had in our pantry.  

Some deep dark secret stories were told.  What happens in Venice, stays in Venice.  😉