A jet lag day so the spring in my step was was a little on the low-key-side. At breakfast, I chose to sit where I could soak up that same view I had upon my arrival the day before. No boat shot but a naval/navigational uniformed man, as I think I saw a nearby building housing business offices where he might work.

Heading out through the courtyard and into the artsy Dorsoduro neighborhood…limited steps were taken and Whammo! A couple of painters already settled in…

When I paint, I lose track of time. It is such an intensely focused yet soothing meditative time for me. Of course, my painting has been done in a beginner’s class…you know, Watercolor 101 and then, guess what… 5 years or 10 years later…Watercolor 101 again…OH! and then Watercolor 101 yet again with Drawing 101 in-between Watercolor 101. I can’t tell you how many times I have done the exercise with the color wheel. One of these days, I will make progress!

Extending out a bit further afield got my foodie juices going…If I compare these bakery goods to Parisian patisseries, I would say this Italian supply is more rustic-hearty looking. What do you think?

More…Venice is made up of 118 islands with 150 canals, with the count down to 400 gondolas, and 400 bridges- give or take a few. As far as the population goes, I saw figures in the 50,000 to 60,000 range for year-round residents but then a number of 250,000-280,000 which must include part-time residents?

Here is an article about other questions you might have so you can understand more about Venice: https://veneziaautentica.com/things-about-venice-italy/

I found this article interesting. Scroll through to see and read about the various types of boats in Venice: https://rossiwrites.com/italy/the-surprising-italy/venice-italy-boats/

And yet another article briefly describing each district of Venice and what it has to offer: https://www.thebrokebackpacker.com/where-to-stay-in-venice-italy/

Walking is their primary mode of transportation in Venice. Boats are like cars to the Venetians. By the end of my stay, I think I saw all 400 of the gondolas!

I wanted to walk this ‘void of tourists’ portion of the neighborhood because it enabled me to see the normal daily life of the Venetians, yet later it gave me easy walking access to the more famous sights I wanted to experience too over the next few days.

The photo below is my favorite. I had asked the young locally living man working at the hotel desk to recommend a local restaurant that served fish.

This classic ‘live with a local’ photo was taken there. These women were dressed for their ‘ladies who lunch’ meet-up. Their conversation was in a hushed tone but in full flow while they methodically managed a number of courses. Sigh…wishing for a leisurely time in Venice right now.

The restaurant is called Osteria Ai 4 Feri. Here is their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Osteria-Ai-4-Feri-218589824878435/ and you can find them on TripAdvisor, for instance.

At the day’s end, the sky dimmed in color and energy, yet the electrical lighting began to aid in showing the opposite bank of the wide canal from my hotel room window entertaining me with the various boats periodically gliding by.

Jet lag already waning, which is not usual for me but welcome. On to the Peggy Guggenheim Museum and San Marco Square...#3 AND #4 in this Venice Series.

I chose this hotel to be near the Peggy Guggenheim Museum and to try a location a bit outside of the hustle and bustle of the Grand Canal/San Marco Square district.

Being an interior designer, the hotel’s design attracted me as it a combination of contemporary style yet they preserved some of the historic nature of the building as well as threw in some playful elements which turned out to flatter and fit the artsy Venice district, the Dorsoduro. “It’s name derives from the Italian for “hard ridge”, due to its comparatively high, stable land.”

Il Palazzo Experimental Hotel information: https://www.palazzoexperimental.com