Saturday, August 27th and Sunday August 28th, 2022 - Oh, Venice, How Lovely You Are!

 

Rio del Gesulti, Venice

My decision to visit Venice as the last destination of this long journey, was inspired as a re-visit from many years ago when I was here with my family as a teenager in 1968. I had loved my brief sortie through the maze of narrow pedestrian streets and alleys at that time, and I wanted to see how it was holding up and if I would still like it.

Rio Terà Barba Frutariol Bridge Over Rio del Gesulti

 I had heard that the crowds can be bad here, so I chose an AirBNB on a little canal, with the thought that I could at least watch the boat traffic if the streets were unpleasant. Our apartment was on the right hand side of this bridge. The first photo was taken from our window.

Sarah and I Enjoy Cynar (Photo by Sarah Lamp)

I was really pleased that Sarah could continue her travels here with me . She was also here before, in October 2009. In fact, it was the blog that she created for her travels at that time, which inspired me to start this blog back in 2017. In case you want to read about her day in Venice, here is a link. https://likealightbulb.blogspot.com/2009/10/venice.html 

Happily, we had numerous great food experiences, unlike her previous trip and we did find that the cynar made a nice drink to whet our appetites (although mine rarely needs any enticement!).

Gondolas

Although they are only functional for tourism, the gondolas truly add a grace to the Venetian waterways that is unmatched elsewhere in my experience. I imagine it is a tedious job, repeating the same narrative day after day to stunned tourists, but it looks as if it pays well.

The Kick!

Sarah and I were curious about how they steered these boats, as the oar is always on the same side of the vessel. I expect they use some kind of J-Stroke, but never-the-less we noticed that the stern tended to veer to the left. We delighted in discovering that they use a kick off the wall to get back on track. I was happy to capture a decent photograph of the strategy for you. But I did wonder if the centuries of that 'kick', might be leading to damage to the buildings.

Double Oar Action

The canals are the roads of Venice. There are no cars, no bicycles, nothing mechanical on the pedestrian streets. Anything that comes in or out  has to be moved by boat or hand cart. The waterways become congested with utilitarian boats of all kinds. Perhaps this man was off to do some fishing. I really liked the way he rowed with the two oars while standing. It was very graceful and looked as it it would be easier on the back than the single oar.

Grace Among the Motorboats.

Owning a motor-boat looked like our equivalent of having a car for the residents of Venice. They were parked along many of the canals.

Reflections

When the water is still, the reflections are lovely, even with the motor boats along the walls.

 

Narrow Alleys

As I had found in Lucca, the very narrow and tall buildings made sweeping photography in most places impossible.

Cleaning Up Rio Terà Barba Frutariol After a Wedding

This street was a little wider than others, so it had been the site of a wedding party the previous night. There had been tables set up under the arbor and guests were gathered in the street to celebrate. Note, however, the absence of anything mechanical here to help with cleaning up. The brooms looked very similar to the ones I had seen in Thailand and the only way to carry anything away is with the hand cart.

Wheels Must be Appreciated!

We noticed the little wheels sticking out of the back of hand carts and wondered what they were for.

Leverage on the Bridge Steps

Many of the bridges have steps, (which we discovered to our dismay when getting from the ferry to our AirBNB). The people using these carts are able to use the small wheels (whether they be on the front, or the back) to leverage the weight of the load up, then slide it to the back of the step, then move the the big wheels to take the load fully, before negotiating the next step. 

Getting the Produce for the Frutterria

 Every morning we heard the clunk of this process across the bridge under our window, as the people from the frutteria down the street carried their produce from the canal to their store. I wished I had wheels like these on my suitcases! They set up their stand every day and took it down each night. Their produce was delicious.

Visually Rich Spaces (Photo by Sarah Lamp)

Whenever there we came across a little square, we could see the buildings more clearly.

Alley Bridges

 With access to land so tight, it made sense for people to build across the alley ways, providing more living space above the streets. We liked the cozy feel that they had during the daylight, but I thought they were a little creepy at night. As I moved through the narrow walkways, I pictured days of yore when it might have been easy for someone to hide in a doorway and attack a passersby. I never felt unsafe, but in the past, I think I would have stayed home at night. There were no streetlights, so it got quite dark along some of the alleys at night.

Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta detta I Gesuita

There were, of course, many churches and the bells could be heard frequently. They were difficult to see from a distance to represent them fully in a photograph. Many of them were not open, or charged a fee to enter, so we didn't go into any churches here.

A Mottled Facade

So, what do people like me do when we can't photograph the big picture? ...... 

Porch and Windows

.....we hone in on the details.

Anchor to Hold the Plaster

We notice the beauty of decay .....even though it threatens Venice. We notice it in the iron grating over the 'window' but also in the bricks and plaster. I noticed many of the diagonally placed pieces of metal, such as you see at the top left, which probably anchor the bricks.

Locks of Love

We notice locks of love on bridges ....... the symmetry of the ironwork, along with the weathered filigree and rusty loops almost gives a gem-like quality to these locks.

Graffiti

We notice graffiti and rust ..... that renders an unremarkable shutters and door to become something of interest.

Laundry

But, if you're me, you derive joy from seeing colorful clean laundry flapping in the wind, with all its different designs, textures and lengths. 

Torre dell'Orologio in Piazza San Marco

Yes, we did get to the popular spots. They were crowded - I tried to photograph over people's heads.

Astrological Clock Face of Torre dell'Orologio

It took us a while to figure out this was no ordinary clock - There were twenty four hours and all the signs of the zodiac. It was a very lovely piece of work built in 1496. It displays the hour, the phase of the moon and the dominant sign of the zodiac. There is a rather gruesome story that when it was unveiled, the Doge (Mayor) was so struck by its beauty that he had its creator blinded so he would never make another one like it! Nice guy, eh! 

The 'Moors' Striking the Bells at St. Marks Clocktower

We watched the statues that strike the bells on the hour on the clocktower - Torre dell'Orologia. I remembered seeing that from my previous visit. They date from the late 1400's, so they must have been quite a 'thing' at that time.

St. Mark's Museum

We were disappointed that the beautiful St. Mark' Museum was under repair, so you just get a glimpse of some of its elaborate domes.

Grand Canal From the Rialto Bridge

We visited the Rialto Bridge. It was very congested with people, so instead I give the the view of the canal.

Selfie at the Rialto Bridge. (Photo by Sarah Lamp)

We waited in line to get the 'spot' where we could take a selfie with the famous bridge in the background.

Gondola Ferry

We chose not to spend our money on a tourist gondola ride, but enjoyed the experience on this ferry ride across the Grand Canal between the Santa Sofia Gondola Stations. It was enough. Notice that there was another gondolier at the front of the boat - I imagine the weight of all the people was too much for just one person.

Restaurants on the streets

Even after just two days, I was satisfied with my answer to the question I started with. Yes, Venice was just as entrancing as it had been back in the 1960's and I was glad I had returned for a visit. In reality, I don't think it was any more crowded than it had been in the late 60's. As in the other crowded places we visited, getting off the main thoroughfares yielded even more charm than pushing through the crowds. 

Vecia Cavana Restaurant

Sarah and I had enjoyed our couple of days of wandering and on Sunday evening enjoyed the best meal we had in Venice at Vecia Cavana. It was just around the corner from our AirBNB. The service was superb and the food even better.

Our trip is nearly over. Tomorrow we head off to the island of Burano and then we have one more day together before each of us returns to our respective homes.

Thursday, August 25th 2022 - A Day in Malmö, Sweden

Triangeln St. Sation, Malmö,  Sweden

Copenhagen is only an hour away from Malmö, a Swedish city. Neither Sarah or I had been to Sweden, so we were interested in visiting. When Tom Bak (Sarah and Chuck's friend from Bangkok) also showed interest in visiting, plans were ON.

Central Station, Malmö

So, early Thursday morning, we headed off on the train across the Öresund Bridge. Passport Control was mentioned on the train announcement, but there was never a need to present them.

The trains were much larger than the local Danish Metro trains - very comfortable and clean. (And no, we did not start out at 5:20 am, this photo is from out return in the evening.) However, we were still able to swipe our Danish Rejsekort cards to pay our fare - the check in and check out machines were in the Swedish stations for these trains. Handy, eh! Especially as both Denmark and Sweden each have their own currency and do not use Euros.

S:t Johannes kyrka, Malmö

The English name for this church is simple - St. John's Church. The way I've written the name in the caption is correct, 'S:t Johannes kyrka'. I kept thinking I must have added the colon accidentally and left off the capital on kyrka, but this is how it's spelled there.

Books Inside S:t Johannes kyrka

When we walked inside, I was struck by seeing books. In all the Italian churches, there was no sign of books, or even pews. This felt very different. I presume they're Hymnals.

Södra Förstadsgatan

As was the case in Copenhagen, there were lovely pedestrian shopping streets.

Idoffcentrum from Östra Rönneholmsvägen

But, it did feel different. In addition to the older buildings, there was a slightly heavier industrial feel to some of the design and there was more evidence of corporate presence.

Neptunigaten, Looking Toward Deloitte and Clarion Hotel

It almost felt like being in an American city sometimes.

Lakritsroten - Malmö Södra Förstadsgatan 17

One thing I have never seen elsewhere, however, is an entire candy store devoted to selling nothing but licorice in one form or another! Everything you see here is some form of licorice confection!

Lakritsroten - Malmö Södra Förstadsgatan 17

 

I was in 7th heaven - I love licorice, but was reminded after consumption, why I gave it up years ago....consequential inflammation! However, I loved indulging in the excellent quality product available here. However, I was confused by labelling in another language. I was excited by a bar that looked as if it was a huge licorice allsort - turned out it was soap! I think this photo shows Tom helping me figure that out. It gave the store clerks a good laugh!

Admission Tickets to Disgusting Foods Museum

One of the reasons Sarah had wanted to visit Malmö was to visit this Disgusting Food Museum. My curiosity was also activated, but when we were presented with three barf bags upon our arrival, I thought they must be joking.

Are They Kidding?

I also thought this sign must be a joke, but by the end of our visit, it had been changed and they said it was legit! But the museum points out, that we are drawn to experiencing danger with safety parameter around it. In the same way as a roller coaster might upset stomachs, this museum is just way more open about that possibility.

Vegemite

I'm not going to try and disgust you here, any more than I have already. You can Google for more information if you want to 'go there'. I found only one other disgusting food museum in the world - in Berlin. The one here was begun by an American who has lived in Sweden for two decades. Many of the displays were about food practices that most of us would regard as repulsive, but there were others, like my beloved Vegemite, that are only repulsive to some of us!

Toxic Oil Syndrome

Another underlying theme was, not so much about the taste of things, but the industrial food practices that have led to people being legitimately hurt. This one told of a food scandal from Spain in 1981 when 20,000 people fell sick and 300 died in the first year and thousands more in subsequent years. In this particular case, the source of the toxin was never confirmed - one theory was that it was from a rapeseed oil with aniline added, and a later theory was that it was from tomatoes sprayed with pesticide. Doctors and scientists who posed the idea of is being pesticides were silenced, fired or threatened by the Spanish Government. This was not the only industrial example given others were the Austrian glycol in wine scandal from 1985, New Brunswick Tainted Tuna from 1985, swill milk from the 1860's and many more.

Kunga Cake

While it's not a pretty photo, I thought the Amelia Park Neighborhood Association might like to know about this one for the midges on Simmons Lake. It is a food that comes from Eastern Africa. When the midges are invading, entire villages work together to trap the flies by swinging dampened or oiled pots and plates through the swarm. The captured midges are then mushed together to form patties, which are cooked and eaten, much like a midge hamburger. The sign said it is very high in protein and has a slightly nutty, musty taste. It also can be dried and crumbled into other dishes for an umami flavor. Perhaps we can try it for the next July 4th picnic?

Industrial Pork Production - Antibiotic Use

One of the other underlying themes of this museum is to challenge our ideas of what is disgusting. In some cases, the suggestion is that we should develop a sense of disgust around some practices, like antibiotic use in pigs .......

Lobster

...... and in other cases to eliminate our ideas of disgust around foods that might be beneficial. They give the lobster as an example of a food that has changed people's perception of what is desirable to eat. Its abundance and low cost led it to be a food that was fed to animals, prisoners, apprentices, servants and the poor. In some places, there were contracts made that prevented them being served more than twice a week, as they were not considered appealing. This museum proposes the idea that some of our current food practices are hurting the environment and that we would be well served to change our ideas about eating some foods like insects or lab grown meats (for example) to create more environmentally sustainable sources of nutritious food.

Tasting Challenge

To provide such an opportunity, they offer a taste test before one leaves the museum. This is where things got tricky! I'm not going to say much more than the fact that both Tom and Sarah tried EVERYTHING that was offered. I was very prudent in my choices. Some of these things I've eaten already, so I just tried a few of the cheeses and the licorice. Let me say that it looked as if the last items - all hot sauces - were the ultimate undoing of most people. Beyond that I shall say no more!

Tom and Sarah Try the Mad Dog Plutonium Hot Sauce

After giving our adventurous tasters a chance to settle the extreme heat from the hot sauces, we continued our explorations.

Laundry? No, It's Art?

Generally speaking, I have not seen laundry hanging out of windows in this part of the world. I think they mostly dry on racks inside, like I do, so I think this is art. I tried looking on Google to see what it's about, but I didn't find an explanation. However, I love laundry, so here you have it!

'Way to Go', Shoes on Davidshalls Bridge

We were intrigued by these shoes on the edge of a bridge we crossed. It is an art installation by Åsa Maria Bengtsson which consists of 19 pairs of bronze shoes representing artists from different professions and ages.

 

Plaque Identifying the Artist Who Wore the Shoes

These shoes belonged to Carl-Gustaf Kruse af Verchou, who was a Swedish ballet master, choreographer and baron. He died in Malmö

 in 1964. All the people represented have a connection to Malmö.

Malmö Rådhus, Town Hall

The Town Hall, or Rådhus, was suitably splendid, especially with the fountain in front. It was built in 1546, so it looks as if it is holding up well. It must have been a very imposing building when first built, as it's still pretty impressive. At that time, it was not part of Sweden and its wealth came from herring fishing.

Malmö Lighthouse from Neptunigatan Bridge

 

Malmö is a harbor town. It is Sweden's third largest city and is a transportation and industrial hub. It has a population of 330,000 and city inhabitants come from around 180 countries and speak some 150 different languages. Many of the new residents are fleeing war in their homelands.

The Knotted Gun/Non Violence

This scupture was created by Swedish sculptor Carl Fredrick Rueterswärd in 1980 as a tribute to John Lennon, who he had known personally. It represents the gun of the shooter with the barrel twisted to stop it functioning. I thought it was an expressive, powerful work. It is not a unique piece, there are others around the world and there are now versions being produced from 'humanium metal', which is created from illegally owned guns that have been seized and melted down.

LantMånnen Grain Silos

The signs of industry are here, with these grain silos near the harbor. While these seem to be still operating, there are others that are no longer being used and there are efforts to find other uses. One idea created by university students was to turn them into vertical crematoriums. Hmmm, wonder how that might turn out!

Toward the Frans Suell Monument

I loved the waterways through the city. This little yellow building on the canal/river was so attractive, I thought is must be something important. In fact it's a Media Company, ProAd Sweden AB. However, in front of it you can just discern a statue - which ends up being the consequential focus of the photo. It depicts Frans Suell, who is the founder of the port of Malmö in the late-1700's. His success came from importing tobacco directly from North America during the disruption of the American Revolution.

People Out Boating

We were not the only people out enjoying the waterways in this delightful afternoon. There were lots of rental boats enjoying the perfect weather.

Well Stocked With Drinks and Food

As they went under the bridge, we found, that they were enjoying more than the boating - there were all the goodies needed to make the afternoon very enjoyable - including the dog!

Uh, Oh - Squirt Guns!

This group thought they would have a go at us with their squirt guns. I'm happy to report that we stayed dry!

Malmö Castle

We went to Malmö Castle, but didn't get terribly excited by it. It was the end of the day, we were weary, and so we headed home.

World Maritime University

It had been a good day. Now I can say I've been to Sweden.