Music and Markets - - Following the Music: Venice from on High

Monday, May 16, 2011

Venice from on High

Thursday, May 12, 2011
Venice, Italy

Interested in a Music and Markets Tour? We'd love to hear from you!

C

ould it be any more beautiful in Venice? We start the day with breakfast in the garden of Hotel Flo ra (where the staff, each one, are delightfully friendly and helpful)

As we get to know "our" neighborhood a little better, connecting the dots between the hotel, nearby bridges, vaporetto (water bus) stops, and major sights, we pass the trumpeting angel atop Santa Maria del Giglio

then stop atop the Accademia bridge to take in a Canaletto veduta (view).

All aboard the vaporetto - next stop, San Giorgio Maggiore, a Palladio-designed church on its own little island across from Piazz

a San Marco.

Up, up, up the belltower for a fantastic panorama of Venice. The best way to see the "big picture" of a place is from on high, and we gaze over the water from each side of the tower, savoring the views.

Oh my - we happen to be here at noon, and those dozen gongs are LOUD.... and unexpectedly followed by - Kirk counts them - NINETY-SIX more from the biggest bell! Listen, if you dare, and en

joy the view.

A few more Visions of Venice,
and we hop the bus over to Zattere, the broad path running along the Giudeca Canal on the edge of the Dorsoduro sestiere (district)

La Piscina serves us a fabulous lunch on their terrace hovering over the canal

and we all choose seaside flavors - a plateful of lagoon creatur

es

and silky smooth scallops topped with fresh tomatoes were a couple of photo-worthy standouts.

The view atop the Accademia bridge calls out for a photo again

as does a picturesque canal.

Our first concert of the tour is in the awe- inspiring Frari church

with a glorious Titian Assumption that grabs the eye right from the entry.

The voices of the Flemish Radio Chorus, accompanied by instrumentalists from the Brussels Philharmonic, soar to the vaulted arches above, the echoes lingering even after the voices stop - heavenly!

As we walk home, a softly lit courtyard catches our attention... Candice sees that this was Goldoni's home. A much-loved Venetian playwright, his "insider" Venetian wit is still enjoyed today.

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Slip into the window seat in our aisle and join us on our search for a symphony of views, flavors, culture, sounds, and friends. We'll let you know when we hear the harmony we seek - whether in a WOW classical concert, an awesome night of jazz, a magical vineyard or olive farm, or an outstanding bistro, trattoria, wine, garden, or experience. From our delightful maison de village near a Languedoc beach* to a canal-side string ensemble in Amsterdam, you'll read and feel like a real local.

: Name: Anne and Kirk

Contact us: tours@musicetc.us The best way to describe us (Kirk and Anne Woodyard) is that we're interested in the stories that make the places we visit come alive. We've visited Europe more times than we can count, learned some entertaining stories there, and met some warm and helpful people who also enjoy the wonders of music and life in Europe. Between our music-related travels, we split our time between our homes near Washington DC and in the the south of France. We look forward to sharing these stories and friends and experiences with you. While both of us have experience in organizing travel and music groups Kirk's background is in project management and competitive writing, and Anne is an accomplished pianist with over thirty years of teaching experience, and a travel and food writer specializing in France and Italy.

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Music and Markets - - Following the Music

Monday, May 16, 2011

Venice from on High

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