Today we return to Venice, but for the first time together. The day is so much more comfortable than Monday, which was about 90F; today it's closer to 80F. It's also overcast and a touch humid, so at least the sun is not going to fry us, if anything it'll slowly steam us.
On the way into the station, I decide to sit on the other side of the train car to see what more I can see arriving to Santa Lucia down the causeway. The answer: not much more. I keep having to remind myself that the city is geared to the waters, and this is the side door - leave your trains, buses, cars, and motorbikes here and get ready to do it all by boat or by foot. This is like the motor vehicle "docks" of Venice, and it doesn't have to be attractive.
Today, we are going directly to the Peggy Guggenheim Collection. The maze-city still feels insane, but I'm prepared and accustomed, and can take it in stride. I have a chance, now, to capture some pictures of general, Venice-y scenes along our stroll. We are particularly struck by a floating produce market.
We are both deeply impressed with the Peggy Guggenheim Collection. It has a wonderful scale, and the art is presented in well-built groupings and in comfortable rooms; the viewers and the art never feel crowded. And the views out to the Grand Canal, well, they are to die for. It's just a well executed museum - like going to a top-rated restaurant and knowing that everything had been considered.
Back outside, we decide to head to the center of town and the Rialto Bridge. Along they way there are plenty of wonderful Venice vignettes to collect; yes the tower in the first picture of the small square is tilting.
I'm going to end tonight with a little food blogging. I thought to show-off the work of the chefs at Ristorante Perbacco - but something is just a skosh off tonight. Everything tastes amazing, but, well. Having stayed for almost week now, this is the second time for each of these plates, so this is kind of an all-star game. The anchovy, stracciata, and watermelon starter is crowded on one side of the plate (my previous plate was evenly spread with the fruit puree artfully dotted around the plate). The thin slice on the top tastes like a kind of Taiwanese fish-egg cake - yolky and a little salty, with a bit of a chew. The pasta is a fresh tagliatelle with duck ragu, just delicious. The dessert is a strawberry medley: chantilly and sorbet set in a syrup with fresh strawberry cubes, and topped with strawberry ice and fresh mint. Again, the quenelle on the sorbet is not as perfect as the last plate. But it all tastes "better than it looks". Scrumptious.
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