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Venice, Day 2: The Doge's Palace
2007.12.31
Piazzetta San Marco ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piazza_San_Marco ) -- the piazzetta is the smaller part of the square near the water) from vaporetto route #1. Mostly I just put this up because I think the finger looks cool. ;)
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Piazzetta San Marco ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piazza_San_Marco ) -- the piazzetta is the smaller part of the square near the water) from vaporetto route #1. Mostly I just put this up because I think the finger looks cool. ;)
1
L- R: Campanile, the Doge's Palace (undergoing some restoration), and in the shadow, the Bridge of Sighs. When our tour guide mentioned the bridge the previous day, I was confused about why she thought it was such a large bridge. "OH! Bridge of SIGHS, not SIZE..." Fortunately that was an internal dialog, so no one but you, dear readers, need know of my secret shame!
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L- R: Campanile, the Doge's Palace (undergoing some restoration), and in the shadow, the Bridge of Sighs. When our tour guide mentioned the bridge the previous day, I was confused about why she thought it was such a large bridge. "OH! Bridge of SIGHS, not SIZE..." Fortunately that was an internal dialog, so no one but you, dear readers, need know of my secret shame!
2
Umm... nifty statue?
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Umm... nifty statue?
3
San Giorgio Maggiore and the Campanile at Piazza San Marco seen from across the lagoon. I think we were just leaving Lido at that point.
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San Giorgio Maggiore and the Campanile at Piazza San Marco seen from across the lagoon. I think we were just leaving Lido at that point.
4
(Why couldn't I get a more obscure tourist in the foreground? Say, one dressed in black toting a black bag?) Wikipedia on the piazzetta: "It is open to the lagoon at the mouth of the Grand Canal, and is known for the columns of Venice's two patrons, Marco and Todaro, that stand by the water's edge: on them are the lion of Saint Mark and the statue of Saint Teodoro of Amasea, 'Santodaro' to the Venetians, who is standing on the sacred crocodile of Egypt."
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(Why couldn't I get a more obscure tourist in the foreground? Say, one dressed in black toting a black bag?) Wikipedia on the piazzetta: "It is open to the lagoon at the mouth of the Grand Canal, and is known for the columns of Venice's two patrons, Marco and Todaro, that stand by the water's edge: on them are the lion of Saint Mark and the statue of Saint Teodoro of Amasea, 'Santodaro' to the Venetians, who is standing on the sacred crocodile of Egypt."
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The previous picture was for a bit of context. This one is just to get a slightly better look at the columns. Yesterday the tour guide told us that if we were superstitious we should not go between the two columns, as that is where beheadings were carried out in the past. Passing between them is believed by Venetians to bring bad luck. (I carefully avoided walking between them!)
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The previous picture was for a bit of context. This one is just to get a slightly better look at the columns. Yesterday the tour guide told us that if we were superstitious we should not go between the two columns, as that is where beheadings were carried out in the past. Passing between them is believed by Venetians to bring bad luck. (I carefully avoided walking between them!)
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I wonder how many pigeons they arrest each year for "soiling."
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I wonder how many pigeons they arrest each year for "soiling."
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Side of Basilica San Marco. Doge's (Duke's) Palace on the right. They shared a few walls to symbolize the intersection of church and state. I imagine this also added a bit more "oomph" to the Doge's rule, making him seem a bit more divine. Nowadays, there are lots and lots of pigeons in the piazzetta. You can buy food to feed them, if you like. They'll even eat out of your hand. According to Rick Steves, the city puts birdy birth control in the food.
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Side of Basilica San Marco. Doge's (Duke's) Palace on the right. They shared a few walls to symbolize the intersection of church and state. I imagine this also added a bit more "oomph" to the Doge's rule, making him seem a bit more divine. Nowadays, there are lots and lots of pigeons in the piazzetta. You can buy food to feed them, if you like. They'll even eat out of your hand. According to Rick Steves, the city puts birdy birth control in the food.
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The clock tower, Torre dell'Orologio. Time is accurate! (I keep mentioning this because, oddly, later that night, it was not.) You can see the automatons at the top. Per the guidebook, they are Moors.
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The clock tower, Torre dell'Orologio. Time is accurate! (I keep mentioning this because, oddly, later that night, it was not.) You can see the automatons at the top. Per the guidebook, they are Moors.
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Indeed it is!
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Indeed it is!
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I can't remember the name of what I ordered, but it translated to "herby dumplings." No meat, but as you can see in the foreground, green olives were present. The cream sauce had walnuts in it, too. Mmm!
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I can't remember the name of what I ordered, but it translated to "herby dumplings." No meat, but as you can see in the foreground, green olives were present. The cream sauce had walnuts in it, too. Mmm!
11
Inside the Doge's Palace, Neptune and Mars at the top of the stairs. The doge and his aides would wait for you at the top of the stairs. No coming down for anyone, no matter who you were.
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Inside the Doge's Palace, Neptune and Mars at the top of the stairs. The doge and his aides would wait for you at the top of the stairs. No coming down for anyone, no matter who you were.
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Mouth of Truth. Here you could drop anonymous notes accusing people of various wicked things like corruption.
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Mouth of Truth. Here you could drop anonymous notes accusing people of various wicked things like corruption.
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Scala d'Oro. Bunches of gold up in the top. Much like the design of Caserta controlled your entrance into the palace (pace, route, wonders revealed), this was all about filling the visitors with awe.
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Scala d'Oro. Bunches of gold up in the top. Much like the design of Caserta controlled your entrance into the palace (pace, route, wonders revealed), this was all about filling the visitors with awe.
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Lighting was patchy, but here is a sample of what you might see.
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Lighting was patchy, but here is a sample of what you might see.
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Close up.
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Close up.
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Stealth photo. From Rick Steves: "This fresco of St. Christopher carrying the Christ child across the lagoon was made for a doge who believed that if you looked at St. Christopher, you wouldn't die that day." According to this website, it was more about being a talisman against assassination: http://www.wga.hu/frames-e.html?/html/t/tiziano/index.html (On a side note, I thought frescos were part of plaster. This looks like a painting on canvas...? The guidebook from the museum shop, however, also calls it a fresco.) The artist is Titian ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titian ) and he completed the piece in just 3 days.
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Stealth photo. From Rick Steves: "This fresco of St. Christopher carrying the Christ child across the lagoon was made for a doge who believed that if you looked at St. Christopher, you wouldn't die that day." According to this website, it was more about being a talisman against assassination: http://www.wga.hu/frames-e.html?/html/t/tiziano/index.html (On a side note, I thought frescos were part of plaster. This looks like a painting on canvas...? The guidebook from the museum shop, however, also calls it a fresco.) The artist is Titian ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titian ) and he completed the piece in just 3 days.
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Mysterious key. No signs, nothing near it that seemed to fit.
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Mysterious key. No signs, nothing near it that seemed to fit.
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Mysterious key in context.
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Mysterious key in context.
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More of the Scala d'Oro.
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More of the Scala d'Oro.
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Ugly American not-so-stealthy flash photography shot. But look! It's pointing at CAPRICORN, fercryinoutloud!
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Ugly American not-so-stealthy flash photography shot. But look! It's pointing at CAPRICORN, fercryinoutloud!
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Condemned's last view of Venice on the way to prison, as seen from within the Bridge of Sighs.
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Condemned's last view of Venice on the way to prison, as seen from within the Bridge of Sighs.
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San Giorgio Maggiore, across the lagoon from Piazzetta San Marco. Interestingly, Elton John has a giant home over there. Rumor has it that he was out partying with the plebes in the Piazza later that night.
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San Giorgio Maggiore, across the lagoon from Piazzetta San Marco. Interestingly, Elton John has a giant home over there. Rumor has it that he was out partying with the plebes in the Piazza later that night.
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Bridge of Sighs exterior. Tad out of focus.
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Bridge of Sighs exterior. Tad out of focus.
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I'm out of focus, but look at San Giorgio Maggiore! And the gondolas! Woot! ;)
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I'm out of focus, but look at San Giorgio Maggiore! And the gondolas! Woot! ;)
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New Year's Eve in Venice. These are the things I did during the day time. I'm saving the shots of the actual festivities for tomorrow's entry, as there is simply too much to squeeze in, not to mention that the point of the festivities is to carry over into the next day and year!
I didn't spend any time at all with the tour group. Slept in a little, took the train to Venice (we were staying in Mestre), took the slow vaporetto (water bus) route along the Canal Grande and across the lagoon, circled back, had lunch, and toured the Doge's (Duke's) Palace. I had my Rick Steves' Venice 2008 book in hand as I cruised the Canal looking at palaces on the water. No pics from that portion, as I was just enjoying soaking it all in.
The Doge's Palace has signs saying no photographs, so I only have some exteriors, shots of things where EVERYBODY had cameras out (hallways and such), and a couple of stealth photos. I did ok with the stealth photos until once where my flash went off. All I got was a startled look from another tourist, though, thank goodness no museum attendants. No being dragged downstairs, across the Bridge of Sighs, and locked in the prison to be displayed for years to come as How Not To Be A Tourist. Pfft. Americans!
Some day I may need to forget all this computer business and find a way to just travel and take pictures professionally. Then I'll be able to wave a magic pass and shout loudly and with much self-importance, "GET OUT OF THE WAY! CAMERA COMING THROUGH! EMPTY THE ROOM -- I NEED A CLEAR SHOT!" ...or something. ;)
