Thursday October 20 Venice

Today we experienced the miserable weather day we'd been dreading; steady heavy rain all morning. Yes the venetians do use umbrellas on their narrow streets. And yes I wished I'd brought my new galoshes as I approached large puddles in the uneven pavers. Soon my sneakers and socks were wet. I'd worn my long underwear top plus a sweater and was freezing. But to hear Ferris tell it, it was steamy and hot all day so you can't learn anything about weather from just two data points. At 10am went back to Micromega to pick up glasses we'd ordered. I finally got a pair of prescription reading glasses and they are marvelous. Had no idea how poorly I was seeing before. And I have the RX to take home. Despite the winds and driving rain, we headed through St. Marks to catch the #1 vaporetto to Salute across the Grand Canal.

Our destination was Francois Pinault's museum Punta della Dogana designed by Tadao Ando. Can't remember how many times my umbrella turned inside out. Collection inside was marvelous. Donald Judd room, Sigmar Polke, a centerpiece room designed around two Julie Mehretu paintings that work perfectly with with tones of the Ando building and the lines of traditional Venetian architecture. There are many more wonderful works but I can't list them all.

Interior of the Punta della Dogana; this room features Donald Judd.

Commuters on the Vaporetto.

Our home away from home, the Rialto Bridge.

Certainly not because at any minute a water taxi will arrive to take us to the airport for our departure. (it is now Friday morning as I write.) Tried to visit the Prada Foundation but when we arrived it was closed! And only after 11 stops on the vaporetto. But by the afternoon the rain ended and the sun tried bravely to peek through the clouds. Nothing warmed my wet feet however until we returned to the hotel late afternoon to pack our bags. Ate locally in the evening. Had a meal of pasta and red wine to say farewell to Venice.