Two old broads and a boat

Ciao, tutti!

We're officially into summer, and while everyone in Venice is making fast exit plans to head for either the mountains or the beaches for the next 2 months, I'm staying here. Besides my Italian lessons, writing courses, my English student and the usual "stuff" of life, I've picked up a new project. 

 Since even my rowing group The Lionesses will be away, I have been looking for some other opportunities to row for the next few months. My wishes were granted, with one  little, teensy tiny  caveat. The boat offered to me has to be finished being built before it can get in the water. 

So instead of heading off to the beach, I head to the old salt warehouses to go to work. (Think salt mines). Currently we are sanding.

 The salt warehouses are cavernous old storehouses where Venice kept its inventory of salt beginning as far back as the 1400's. Venice was a trading center in those days, and had built up a considerable spice trade selling salt.

 I'm working at the very back of warehouse #5, where it's nice and dark. We turn work lights on so we can see what we're up to back there. Walking into the warehouses is a bit of an eery feeling, but despite the spookiness, I love being in there. Makes me wonder about what went on in there all those years ago. Oh if only these walls could talk!!

I had hoped to try my hand at rowing a canottaggio, what in English we would refer to as crew or skull rowing  The boat we're working on, a whitehall ( caiccio in Italian), has seats for two rowers very similar to the skull boats but is bigger.  According to wikipedia, the whitehall is "considered one of the most refined rowboats of the 19th century". The whitehall, first built in New York City at the foot of Whitehall Street, was used to ferry goods and sailors on and off boats in the New York harbor.  

 For more info on the Whitehall, click here

 Our whitehall,  constructed mostly of mahogany, was built by Marco, an elderly member of the Bucintoro rowing club which is housed in several of the salt warehouses. Isn't she a beauty?

My partner in crime on this project  is Paula, originally a Canadian who spent 30 some years working in Rome and has now transplanted to Venice. She rows Voga Veneto style (standing up just like the gondoliers do) and sails. When she asked if I would like to row the whitehall with her, I didn't think twice. My hand was up in a second. Yes, even if there was some work involved.

I've sanded two afternoons this week. I also rowed one day. My shoulders are currently killing me.  We thought we'd be on to the varnishing by now, however, Sebastiano, the guy who maintains all of Bucintoro's boats, has declared that he wants more sanding done. Sebastiano can be very, hmm, what's the word....demanding?   And so we sand. By hand. With little bits of fine sandpaper. I now have some pretty nicked up knuckles!

In the meantime, Paula and I are making grand plans (in our heads) for early evening rows over to Lido and Malamocco. With some luck, and perhaps a few bribes to Sebastiano so we can speed up and get to the varnishing,  it won't be too long before I will be able to write "two old broads IN a boat".

Oh, to actually be in that boat on the water. Dreaming!!

Photos will be forthcoming as the work progresses. Stay tuned.

(P.S. It's not all work and no play this summer. I'm still sneaking off to the beach for a bit a few mornings each week. )

Think Pink

A big "Grazie mille" to everyone who lit candles, sent up a prayer to the heavens and/or extended positive energy on my behalf yesterday.  Your efforts were very much appreciated.  Many of you have sent emails and messages asking if I had received any word on how the voting went. Again, thanks so much for keeping me in your thoughts. I spent a very anxious day yesterday waiting to hear something.

I mentioned that I had zero expectations. I take that back. I fully expected the results of the vote to be a big resounding rejection. They had no good reason that I could think of to take me into the group. I had not had breast cancer surgery. Even though according to the by-laws they could vote in "supporting members", in my opinion I didn't cast a compelling reason to grant me that status either. I am not Venetian. Why in the world would they need to have an outsider in their midst?  And, I am not fluent in Italian, nor in Venetian.  Why bother to deal with someone who can't readily communicate with you?  If I were them- seriously- I would have cast a negative vote. So you can see I had convinced myself there was not going to be a  happy ending out of this for me.

Late yesterday afternoon, I received an email from Donatella.  I almost had a heart attack when I read it. Donatella's note announced that  the ladies had voted to  welcome me into their squad. That's right. I am now Venice's newest Pink Lioness. We celebrated last night.

This morning, there was another email from Donatella, this time she opened the message with "Ciao, Lionessa".  That's me- a lionessa!

I need to buy something pink.

Panevin and La Befana

Today, January 5, is Epiphany Eve. It's an important day for observing some old Italian traditions- Panevin also known as Pirola Parola, and La Befana.

Panevin is a  huge bonfire lit up on the night of January 5, in celebration of the winter solstice. On the top of the bonfire is a figure of an old woman, called Vecia or "old lady". She is supposedly guilty all the bad things that have happened during the past year, and because of that she is burned.

While the bonfire is burning, people near the fire read the smoke and sparks of flames as a prediction of the coming year's harvest. If the smoke and sparks are going to the south and west directions, this means a good harvest. Obviously, smoke going in the opposite directions, the north and east, bring a bad harvest.

Tonight, in areas around Venice, such as Jesolo and Malamocco on the Lido, the Panevin will take place.

(Photos courtesy VeneziaToday)

La Befana, derived from the word epifania, Italian for Epipany, is an Italian children's tradition based on an old legend.  There was an old widow, back in the time of the birth of Jesus, who is known for sweeping, cleaning and baking. One night she notices a bright light in the sky, and later, a group of wise men leading a caravan stop at her house. They invite her to join them on their journey to Bethlehem, but she declines their invitation. Later, she decides she should catch up with them, because she also wanted to visit the special child the wise men were headed to.  She places some baked goods in a bag as a gift for the child, grabbed her broom, and went off after the wise men.  Not long after, she got lost. Angels appearing from this bright light, the magic star, caused la Befana's broom to fly, sending her off into the night looking for Baby Jesus. La Befana still searches the night sky every January 5, dropping in at all the homes of children to see if they might be the child she is looking for, and leaves a gift for any good child.

All over Italy tonight, stockings will be hung for La Befana to fill with candies.  There is a traditional poem for La Befana children sing :

La Befana vien di notte

con le scarpe tutte rotte

col cappello alla romano

Viva, viva, la Befana!

Translation: 

The befana comes at night with her shoes all tattered and torn, she comes dressed in the Roman way, 

Long life to the Befana!

Tomorrow, here in Venice, La Befana is celebrated with a regatta down the Grand Canal, from Palazzo Bilbo  at San Toma to the Rialto Bridge. The race is sponsored by the Canotierri Bucintoro, one of the rowing clubs of Venice. Five of the club's male members over 55 yrs old dress up in La Befana costumes and row down the Grand Canal.  Hot chocolate and vin brule are served by the rowing club on the banks of Fondamenta del Vin. Tomorrow around 10:30 events will begin at Rialto, the race starting at 11. 

Per usual, I will be at my post near the traghetto stop at San Silvestro tomorrow morning, watching the Befana regatta. See you there!