Ascension

A very strange art exhibition created by Anish Kapoor in Basilica di San Giorgio in Venice.

The occasion Collateral event of the 54th International Art Exhibition – la Biennale di Venezia.

Diversity in watercolour

Under the Clock, Guildford High Street

Peaceful Venice

An exhibition of watercolours by David Harmer at the Guildford Institute in Guildford.

Lack of presentational skills!

Framed paintings covered in glass, unable to see clearly due to reflections.

Unframed paintings even worse, covered in crumpled up plastic.

No information on artist, no contact details.

Only one copy of a sheet of paper giving minimal information on the paintings, nothing on the artist. I had to ask the Guildford Institute to run me off a copy, which they kindly did.

I was baffled why by each group of watercolours was a notice telling me these were original watercolours.

The bandcamp model: Guildford Institute provides free exhibition space. The artists pay commission for use of the space on the work they sell.

Synchronicity: My eye was caught by a painting of Venice, where I had recently been, a Swedish friend (who used to live just outside Guildford) more recently. Venice features in The Fire, the sequel to The Eight, which I am currently reading.

Synchronicity: A lady was sat beneath one of the paintings of Venice discussing the positional notation of numbers. This was introduced into Baghdad from India. It is discussed in The Fire, the sequel to The Eight, which I am currently reading.

European Vacation 2012

Grand Canal Venice — Canaletto

The Grand Canal and the Church of the Salute — Canaletto

Incredible film footage by Brian Wilson.

London, the Eurostar train, then Milan, then Venice.

I flew to Venice in March then train to Bassano del Grappa, then back to Venice, an hour, then left.

May, I flew over Venice, before that Istanbul, then over the Alps.

The architecture and mountain scenery of northern Italy is very much that I found in Bassano del Grappa.

Excellent the way Brian Wilson captures the spirit of Venice. Looking down the Grand Canal, the scene could be straight out of a painting by Canaletto.

It never occurred to me to travel Eurostar to Venice until I was in Venice and saw the Eurostar trains.

Top Story in Veni Vidi Vici (Sunday 17 June 2012).

Fleeting visit to Venice

Venice

Venice

Venice

sad farewell in Venice

I had flown in to Venice, was about to fly out. I had seen Venice from the air. Could I really pass through and not see Venice?

I was on the train from Bassano del Grappa with my Japanese friends on the way to Venice. Me to alight and catch a flight, they on to Venice.

I decided to risk it. I stayed on the train with them to Venice.

The train passed over a causeway across the lagoon to Venice.

We alighted from the train. Eurostar trains in the station.

Most unexpected sight, out of the station and there was a canal, there was Venice.

We walked along the canal dragging our luggage.

Then sad farewells, me to catch the airport bus, they to find their hotel.

But at least I saw Venice!

Venice to Bassano del Grappa by train

sunset Venezia Mestre

Venezia Mestre double deck train

train Venice to Bassano del Grappa

Walk out of Venice Marco Polo Airport and catch the No 15 Bus. Note not the airport bus (No 5) as this takes to Venice not the station.

Buses run every half an hour, xx15 and xx45.

Bus takes about half an hour from airport to station.

Need to buy ticket from machine before boarding the bus.

Choose Urban Routes, and select number of tickets required. Cost 1-30€ for single ticket.

Seats on the bus plastic bucket seats. Not as bad as they look.

It is about half an hour from the airport to the station.

The station is not obvious! No grand station building.

Look out for railway tracks on the right. Next stop, station.

A return ticket to Bassano del Grappa just under 10€.

Once purchased, you will need to validate the outward ticket in a machine.

Trains are around every hour.

A rather tedious journey through not very exciting countryside. Very flat.

Train overcrowded, hot, standing room only. Advantage of standing by door, cooler. Seats horrible plastic seats.

At Bassano del Grappa, catch a taxi to where staying.