Venice

Definitely a place that makes you want to return.

Yesterday started off with a rainy gray bleak morning that was beautiful on the lake. My guide Carlotta and I were driven in our sleek Mercedes-Benz into Milan, where we took a high speed train to Venice. From there we were met by another swoopy Mercedes and our driver Fabian who was definitely a polite, helpful and kind Italian driver. I never felt unsafe, but I did raise an eyebrow here and there.

We drove out to see the shadow tour hotel which was lovely and had an exceptional staff, but was out in the countryside and didn’t quite fit what I felt the parents expectations would be. So we pushed on to Padua and looked at a hotel there along with a church for a possible performance, the name of which is currently escaping my memory.

From there we drove to Este to the duomo of Saint Tecla. Carlotta was talking to me about Italian painters and different styles and it made me realize that I would really like to take an art appreciation class as I know so very little about fine artwork.

The duomo is beautiful and I think would make a wonderful performance space. The town of Este is quintessentially, a walkable Italian town. I wish there was a way my families could stay there, but I think the budget allows for them to be in Padua and Padua is a walking city that will allow them to do some additional things if they choose to.

After leaving the town of Este, we drove back to Venice and caught our vaporetto over to the island. During my ride I got numerous beautiful photos because the sun was just setting and dusk lit the canals in a wonderful way. We checked into our hotel, Fenice de la Artistes, which is historically significant to the Fenise teatro and was the place that performers and audiences would gather for drinks as is just around the corner from the theater.

We had a lovely glass of wine and comfy chairs while we waited for our table to be ready and then had a leisurely dinner with wonderful conversations about growing up.

This morning we will meet for breakfast and head off to San Rocco to see the performance space there. I’ve been told that it is quite an honor to perform at San Rocco, so I’m excited to see it.