View from the bell tower of the San Giorgio church. Do visit the church, actually the access to the bell tower is inside the church. There are some magnificent paintings, among which a last supper by Tintoretto. We’re overlooking the Giudecca canal, with on the top right the church of Santa Maria della Salute, in scaffolding.

Statue of San Giorgio, before the restauration (the arm with the lance has been put back in place recently). San Giorgio (George, Jordi) is the patron saint of England and Catalonia, especially known for slaying the poor little dragon with that lance. Besides the church the island houses the Cini institute with a wonderful library.

San Marco square seen from the belfry of San Giorgio.

The San Marco belfry and the Doge’s palace seen from San Giorgio’s island. The usual suspects are obstructing the view. Teeming with tourists? Oh no, we are not tourists, we come for the culture.

Some more of those suspects. Different configuration. Half-baked perhaps but not very dangerous.

The magnificent Doge’s palace. Doges (< latin dux = leader) were elected heads of state, but the electorate were a select committee, not exactly our idea of democratic government.

The basilica of San Marco, some parts are very old. St Mark the evangelist went to Egypt but his remains supposedly were brought to Venice. The basilica is a byzantine style building, rather unusual.

San Marco square, on location. It gets flooded sometimes in the winter months.

Why do all those tourists insist on packing themselves together on those bridges. You can’t move back or forth. The telelens brings the Cini Palace in the background very close by, but that is really on San Giorgio’s island.

Shopping is ridiculous in Venice. They sell virtually anything that you don’t want and need. But since you have to get rid of your money anyway…

The striped shirts are not escaped convicts, they are actually the boatsmen, or oarsmen as it happens. Expensive rides. Obviously the one on the right is a fake—no stripes! Low fare?

The area between San Marco square and Campo San Zaccaria is quite touristy but there are some places that still are wonderful. Trattoria Rivetta is one of them. And the Zaccaria church cannot be missed, because it has the most beautiful painting this side of the Bosporus, the sacred family of Giovanni Bellini.

The campanile of the San Marco is the most important landmark in Venice. It was built and rebuilt many times. In 1902 it just collapsed! Where have I heard that kind of story before? Working with cheap materials and charging full price. It is a form of corruption. Anyway, it was rebuilt of course.

Another angle, another atmosphere.

To the right of the dome of Santa Maria della Salute we see the mouth of the Canal Grande. Taking the vaporetto from San Marco to the Rialto bridge.

Back to Salute, as we are reaching the end of the trip to Venice we do the sunset ride. By vaporetto of course.

From the San Marco quay.

Now looking backward to the Santa Maria della Salute, with the bell tower of San Marco just visible. The “Salute” (health, salvation), as it is called, was built to appease the outbreak of the plague in 1630.

On the left the gothic Palazzo da Mula Morosini, one of the oldest of Venice, the first floor being ready in 1340. The palace has been in the distinguished Venetian Mula family for more than 600 years. On the right the Palazzo Barbarigo, with mosaics in Murano glass.

Paddling on we come to the Rialto waterbusstop. The houses lining the Canal Grande are mostly very old and very beautiful.

Last year some terrorists planned to blow up the bridge, but they were apprehended in time.

Passing under the Rialto bridge.

On the left the Rialto bridge again.

Hanging out from the veranda of the Ca’ d’Oro (Palazzo Santa Sofia). It was built in 1428-30, by the Contarini family who counted many Doges amongst them. It is now housing a museum with some of the most beautiful paintings in Venice. Unfortunately last year it was closed for restauration.

The fish market in Venice is very beautiful, with a tremendous variety of fish. The mediterranean has been depleted of fish and hence most of the products here come from different seas, like these Argentinian shrimp.

The cappesante. So called (holy mantle) because the pilgrims that went to Santiago de Compostella wore a Jacob’s shell on their mantle. Now frankly I still don’t know why. But I suppose so. Anyway, a preparation with saffron sauce is recommended.

Can’t do Venice without deep water image. Fontamenta Ognisanti, for what it’s worth.

The shipyard at fondamenta Nani, where gondola’s are made and repaired. Last year I was in Nova Veneza, in southern Brazil, and they had a gondola in a pond, a gift from the city of Venice. Next day I met a young Dutch lady who has built a gondola in Amsterdam (yeah yeah, the Venice of the north) as part of her boat building studies. Crazy world. Excellent wine bar on this fondamenta.

Zattere, the boulevard along the Giudecca canal on the south side of Dorsoduro. Good to stay nearby. We rented an apartment right on Zattere, but also stayed in Dorsuduro. Though tourists are everywhere, they are less overwhelming here than in San Marco.

Sunset at Zattere. Gelateria Nico is here, supposedly the best Gianduiotto in the world. Perhaps. Several restaurants too, lots of tourists, but still pretty good. La Calcina is the best. Bit expensive though.

The ‘other’ side of Venice, corner of fonadamenta mendicanti and fondamente nova, looking to the island of San Michele. No tourists here, the laundry must belong to a bunch of recent inhabitants. Old inhabitants leave Venice. Fed up with the tourists and floods.

When the atmosphere is clear you can see how close Venice is to the Alpi.