Saint Mark's Basilica and other adventures

Today our first stop was Saint Mark's Basilica - we joined the throngs of people going inside for the hour that the interior is lit, between 11:30 and 12:30.  We had made sure we were dressed modestly - no bare shoulders or bare knees, according to the rules for visiting churches in Italy.

The interior is truly breathtaking, with gold mosaics, inlaid marble floors, carved columns, Byzantine icons and towering domes. A lot of what adorns both the outside and inside is from the time when Venice was a maritime power and fleets brought back the spoils of war, often from Constantinople (now Istanbul).  The style of the basilica has been called "Early Ransack."

Taken from upstairs, looking towards the altar

The four bronze (97% copper) horses from about 175 BC were moved inside to protect them from the elements.

Gold leaf was baked onto small glass cubes to make the mosaic tiles, then they were pressed into the plaster.   They capture and reflect light; the glow given off symbolizes the Devine light of heaven.

Time for a snack and coffee

Entering Cafe Florian is like stepping back in time.  It opened on St. Mark's Square in 1720 and claims to be the oldest cafe in the world.

We took a vaporetto across the Grand Canal to go up the church tower there, as guidebooks say it lacks the long lineups for other towers and provides a view of Venice and St. Mark's square from across the water.  But alas, the tower was closed for renovation!  So much of Venice is old and crumbling and in need of renovation.

We went instead into an art gallery close by, and found a free and delightful exhibit of altered texts, maps and even globes, plus other art.  All done by Emilio Isgro, an Italian artist and writer.

Altered globes, map and text on the wall behind

A day on Murano

We arrived in Venice by train yesterday afternoon, walked to our accommodation, then took a vaporetto to St. Mark's Square, just in time to see it in the golden, late afternoon sun.

We stepped out of the train station and got our first look at the Grand Canal 

The four horses on the front of St. Mark's Basilica - these are replicas - we hope to see the copper ones inside tomorrow

Today was the last day of Venice Glass Week, so we took a vaporetto over to the island of Murano, where all the glass factories are located.

We found the street art exhibit, which was amazing: glass + street art takes it to a whole other level... the sign said "8 street artists, 14 glass artisans reinterpret the magic of colour."

Girl with a pearl, no, wait -- GLASS earring

This mural (above) on the wall was incredible - the glass earring was about 3" x 2" and attached...

Mural on the wall; glass on the ground, including glass "balloons"

Then it was on to the Murano Glass Museum; organized chronologically, telling the history of glass.  It was fascinating, and we were quite captivated with the delicate pieces, as well as the modern ones.

A horse's head, but if you look closely, you'll see a small horse as well

This popular fellow is on postcards in the museum gift shop

A large glass squid hangs over the staircase

A great day!  We're thankful for the sunny weather and our vaporetto pass - like a transit pass at home - you tap to get on.  It's like a bus system but using boats, and we're using the app called Chebateo? to find out which line to get on and when the next vaporetto will arrive - they usually go every 10 minutes.  We have a stop right outside our B&B which is very convenient.

A vaporetto coming to a stop right outside our door this morning

Train to Venice

Today is a travel day, so we leave Riccione, and the comforts of Hotel Dory with all meals provided, go an hour and a half to Bologna, change trains, and head north to Venice.

Here are a few more photos from our week at the bike hotel:

The road bike Brad used

White grapes on the vine

At the farm on Monday, the owner showed us the hut where the balsamic vinegar ages in barrels.  They use these white grapes - it takes about three days to boil up all the grapes, then they go into barrels - every year they're moved to a barrel made of a different wood.  He let us each taste a few drops of 26 year old Balsamic vinegar, which was sweet!  It's used on strawberries, cheese, fish and meat - never on bread or salad - it's too good for that!

The Roman arch and gate into the city of Rimini; the road from Rome leads right here and through the town

Bike & boat

It was warmer today than it's been all week; it got up to 26C, so it was great to get on a boat and feel the ocean breezes.

My small group of 10 non-cyclists set off in the van to the next town,  to get on a boat, motor along the coast and pick up the folks on their bikes.  The cyclists had set off earlier and would meet us for the trip back.

We get on the boat around noon

Brad's group stops to admire the view

They stopped for coffee at a bike cafe

And look who was inside - what's Rusty doing here?

The bikes are loaded onto the boat

Bikes on the front

Bikes at the stern

Almost everyone sat up top - we were served chilled white wine and grilled sardines

The wine was great, the sardines... hmmm not so much!  It was a great outing though, and a short 65 km ride for the cyclists.  A great last day!

Pasta lesson + wine tasting

A group of us went to a pasta making lesson at the hotel this morning.  It was fun!  The chef had mixed the dough already, and first showed us how to roll out the gnocchi.  Then we each got to try rolling pieces into long strands with the flat of our hands, and cut it into one inch pieces.

Next we were shown how to form strozzapreti - it looks quite simple and to make the dough you just combine flour, water, salt and pepper.  Our chef used a big rolling pin to get the dough quite thin, then he cut inch wide strips, which we first pulled thinner, then twisted and pulled off three inch pieces.  We came away with recipes.  Now to try it at home!

Twisting the dough to make strozzapreti

At noon six of us went by van to a farmhouse and winery to meet the cyclists for a wine tasting and lunch.  We sat outside at long tables.  Afterwards the owner and vintner showed us where they process the grapes and talked about the stages of winemaking.

The long tables set for our lunch 

We learn about the process

Brad moves back to take a picture of the group and I take one of him

A visit to Rimini

We were a group of six: two Canadians (us) and four people from South Africa, visiting the ancient town of Rimini.  Ancient as in it was occupied by Romans in 268 BC, and there's evidence of Etruscans living there before that.  There's a good Encyclopedia Britannica article HERE if you're interested in more detail.

Our guide, Giovani, was born in the area and knows a lot of the history.  We went into several churches, and in one I saw something different: no little candles!

Put your coin in the slot, then flick the switch to turn on the electric light!

The old Roman bridge built in the first century AD

Giovani points to a Fellini mural

Italian film director Federico Fellini was born in Rimini, and scenes from his films are painted on the sides of buildings in one area of the city.  The Rimini tourism website has a list of places in the city with a connection to Fellini or his films, and has included the murals.

Then it was time for gelato... - delizioso!

City bike ride / road bike hill climb

Brad is in the second fastest group called Cappuccino (the really fast group is Cappuccino Super which is intense).  Today they did a long ride, so left an hour earlier than usual.

I borrowed a city bike from the hotel and rode along the waterfront bike path.

Hotels and beach umbrellas as far as the eye can see

Some hotels have their own patch of sand; sadly ours doesn't but we can get into one for a fee

Meanwhile Brad and his group were on narrow, winding and steep mountain roads, watching for hazards such as cracks and holes in the pavement.  They did a total of 102 kms and from Riccione, which is at sea level, they climbed to an elevation of 1293 meters.

Today's route for B's group; it's posted every evening above the signup sheet in the bike room

This poor fellow had 3 flats in one day

The rest of the group waits while the flat tire is fixed