What a difference a year makes!

Ciao, tutti!

I'm thinking I need to dedicate this blog to my Italian teacher, Francesca, who works with me tirelessly every week.  

One year ago, I had a conversation on the beach at Lido with the woman I have nicknamed La Contessa. Looking back on that conversation I am mighty embarrassed, because my ability to get a decent conversation out of my mouth was nearly non-existent. I was talking Italian baby talk!

Flash forward to this morning.  

My morning ritual on days when I get to the beach is to set up my chair, spend a few hours enjoying the sun and surf relaxing, then pack up to head home. On my way off the beach I stop for a coffee at the bar at our beach. 

Today, I reversed my routine, stopping first for that coffee.  I carried my cup to my usual table and discovered La Contessa and a group of friends were also having coffee at the next table. I hadn't been there in a few weeks due to a nasty cold, so hadn't seen La Contessa since the last visit. She introduced me to her friends, and we proceeded to get into a lively conversation about a variety of topics. 

Just thinking about the range of topics has me laughing still now, hours after having come back from the beach. La Contessa had recently read a book in Italian called A Brief History of America, or something like that, in which she learned about the settlement at Jamestown, and the war of 1812, and the Civil War. She commented that of all the American presidents, she likes Lincoln. So we talked about Lincoln. And Jamestown. Jamestown, of all things!

The Lido coffee bunch had an assortment of questions for me. Tops on the list, of course, were all things Trump. Seems I can not avoid that topic anywhere these days, although I would love to. I got asked about food in New Orleans, the weather in Seattle, and the mafia in New Jersey.  Cracks me up.

But what amazes me even more than the choice of topics is that I am holding my own in these conversations this year. Not bumbling, but actually getting  information shared, thoughts conveyed, opinions expressed.

Language-wise, it's a whole different year. Karen is happy.

 So, thanks Francesca, for tolerating me, pushing me, encouraging me and never giving up on me.

Another visit to the doctor, or an ape in Venice

Yes, there is a hospital in Venice.  It's even possible you may have walked by this building, stopped to take photos and never knew you were snapping a shot of the  Ospedale Civile.  This magnificent marble facade on the front of the Scuola Grande di San Marco is home to some of Venice's grandest lions. And inside the doorway is the home of Venice's medical department, including the Emergency Ward.  This is where I normally go when I have an appointment with my Orthopedic surgeon.  Notice I wrote normally.

Scuola Grande di San Marco, in Campo San Giovanni e Paolo

A few months ago I experienced some unusual pains in my left knee, the one that already has a titanium joint. Sensing something weird was going on, I made an appointment with the Orthopedic doctor. The earliest appointment I could get was not at Ospedale Civile. I'd have to go over to the Lido instead.  

Getting myself to Ospedale al Mare was a whole new experience. Vaporetto to Lido, then the bus to Piazzale Rava (Piazzale what??? Lido is way out of my comfort zone, I had no idea where or what this is).  After asking a few questions at the bus stop, I was assured I was headed in the right direction.  Where should I get off?  I should have known.  Just follow the crowd. Everyone headed to Piazzale Rava is going to Ospedale al Mare.

 Ospedale al Mare, at Piazzale Rava, Lido

The Ospedale complex at Lido is huge, and mostly unusable- old, in ruins.  This far end of it has been  getting some restoration, in fact a brand new radiography department has just opened. Now you can go to Ospedale al Mare for blood work and x-rays, among other things.

I've been out to Ospedale al Mare three times since that first appointment,  including yesterday. I'm a pro by now. And, I have to say, I really like this place. It's fairly easy to get to, and far less crowded than it is at Ospedale Civile. I get in and out of there in way less time than it normally takes to visit the specialist.  And the Orthopedic doctor is one I really like.  I'd been to him several years before when he used to have an office in Dorsoduro.  And, as he recently pointed out, he and I share the same birthday. Not the reason I like him, but it is another factor in the plus column! All things considered, having to go to Ospedale al Mare is a win-win. 

Yesterday I had to return to the dr. for "controllo", which in English is equivalent to a follow up visit. He was going to take a look at the current x-rays and make a diagnosis as to what is causing the pains in my knee.  Thankfully, the verdict was not the dire prediction he had made on my first visit. He was talking a whole new knee replacement then. Fortunately, it is not the joint. Yahoo. Happy Dance time.  He prescribed physical therapy over at FateBeneFratelli. (if you've read some of my earlier posts, you might recall this place).  Ok, thanks, Dr. I'll take that!

Before leaving his office, I mentioned that I need to have another series of Hyaluronic acid injections in my other knee.  He reminded me that he is retiring at the end of this month, that won't be possible.  "Yes, I remember you are retiring, Dr., but can't I make an appointment anyway. Won't there be another doctor here? "  He laughed.   Non so and non mi interessa! "I don't know and I don't care."

I totally get his point. He's counting days to retirement. I wouldn't care either!  Then he adds, "Look, in a while, after a few weeks, just call my house.  You can come after 6pm and I can give you the injections there. You live close to the Lido, that will work fine. But not in July. I'm spending time with my grandson at the beach. "

I'm pretty sure I won't be interrupting his long deserved retirement by popping in for those shots. But...who knows. If I have to go back to Ospedale Civile and can't get an appointment any time soon, I just might. 

Happy retirement, Dr!  I will miss this guy! 

Oh, and there's one more thing I really like about the trip to Ospedale al Mare.  There are these little sidewalk shacks/cafes along the street where the bus drops off and picks up.  Perfect for a coffee (or spritz for all you spritz drinkers) and a cornetto.

Oops. Make that two more things I really like. I get to see an ape or two while I'm out there. Ape. A-P-E. Ah-pey.  The Piaggio Ape is this tiny little truck you see all over Italy, even here on the Lido.  The name ape, which in Italian means bee, refers to the work ethic of this little gem.    I want one.

My new transportation

I've surprised myself once again, I've gone and done something I didn't think I would ever do. 

I have been content to use my feet to get me from Point A to Point B -and sometimes C most days, supplementing with the vaporetto depending on where I need to get to. Until we moved to Sant'Elena, I rarely ever went over to the Lido. And if I did, I walked once I arrived there. 

This year I find myself on the Lido often. If I need to go to a grocery store, it's actually easier to do it there at the large Coop or the new Conad store (formerly Billa, which, for the record, I miss terribly).  I make it a weekly ritual on Tuesday mornings to go to the mercatino there, and now I've added on Friday mornings as well. Some of our new favorite restaurants are there.  And it won't be long before the beaches are open again for the season. 

Recently at lunch with some friends, who all live on the Lido, I was asked if I kept a bicycle there. No, I don't have one.  One of the women immediately suggested that she give me her old one, which was sitting in the garage now that she had a new one, and her husband was urging her to get rid of it. The only problem was it had a flat tire. I didn't think that was an issue, I was happy to figure out how to get the tire fixed.  I didn't even need to do that, she took it to her local bike shop for me! She'd warned me it was old, and had lots of rust. In my opinion that would be just perfect for the Lido and me! 

The next week we made arrangements for me to come over and pick it up from the bike shop. For 9 euros I had a brand new inner tube, filled with air, and a lovely set of new wheels for me.  

This baby has a bell, 2 baskets, a mirror, a light, a brand new seat, and a fender!  And it's blue, my favorite color even.  I have hit the lottery on this one! 

The bike came home to Sant'Elena so I could have Mike adjust the seat for me. 

I've purchased a brand new bike lock, I'm ready to take it back over to the Lido where it will take up residence in one of the several bike lots in and around the area by the vaporetto stop. My bike will fit right in with it's neighbors- old rusty beach bikes, just perfect for getting around when I want to explore the seawalls along Malamocco or make a trip to the mercatino, or pedal on down to the spiaggia ( beach).  The only thing I need to do is break a bottle of prosecco over the handle bars to christen it!

It's been years since I've biked much, I must admit I'm a bit leery, but with practice I am confident I'll be fine.  I'll be just like Miss Gulch in the Wizard of Oz , except I'll be sporting a huge smile. 

If it's Tuesday, it must be Mercatino Day on the Lido!

Recently I discovered the weekly market (mercatino) on the Lido.  While I love shopping at the Rialto market, this is something completely different. Vendors bring their trucks over to the Lido on the ferry boat early every Tuesday morning and set up outdoors along the lagoon.  Some of the trucks are designed to somehow magically unfold to become a shop, and other vendors set up tables alongside the truck and unpack everything onto the tables.  At the end of the morning ,every thing is packed back up again and the trucks leave the Lido.  It kind of reminds me of the circus coming to town!

There's no fish sold at the weekly mercatino, but there is plenty of just about everything else you can think of. It's become my go-to happy place now.  Besides the variety of merchandise to choose from, I am surrounded by only locals. No tour groups milling through the Lido mercatino!

I thought I'd give you a taste of what my Tuesday mornings are like.

I buy my fresh eggs from this guy now. I love that I can buy any number of eggs I want, even just one.  Large size eggs are 20 cents per egg. Well, 20 centesimi.

The linens truck sells towels, rugs, sheets, pillowcases, pillows.

There are several shoe stalls, with tables full of shoes for men, women and children.  Now you know where to find those green wellies at a good price if you need them when we have high water.

We're right smack in the middle of mushroom season here in Italy, and there has been a great selection to choose from at the mercatino. 

Candy! 

This is zucca (pumpkin), which is just about a staple in local vegetables. In Venice you will find pumpkin soup, pumpkin lasagna, pumpkin ravioli, pumpkin with pasta, even roast pumpkin. It's all delicious, something you should add to your "must try" list next time you are here.

The olive guy is one of my favorite stalls. 

Tomatoes was the focus of this photo, but look at the view behind the tomatoes. It's the lagoon, looking back towards Venice.  Who gets to shop in a place like this?  It's heavenly.

One of the more popular stalls are the flower vendors.  They sell not only potted plants but also a huge variety of vegetable plants.  My shopping cart always has some new plants in it to bring home each week.

The rosticceria is another of my favorites.  I have a tough time not overspending when I get to this stall. He sells  roast chicken,  roast pork, turkey, chicken legs, sausage, lots of varieties of lasagnas, fried shrimp, fried calamari, roasted potatoes, bacala and tons of other things. Locals are queued up at this truck all morning long. waiting to take home their Tuesday lunch.

Yes, this is the sock truck. They just sell socks. Kids socks, mens socks, womens socks, winter socks, hunting socks.  Socks. I love it.

While Venice is overrun with trinket shops selling 2 Euro masks and 1 Euro glass souvenirs, a little bit of the old traditional Venice still exists, just a few minutes away on a vaporetto. Tuesdays are one of my favorite days of the week.