Buon compleanno, Mom

Today we're celebrating my mother's 89th birthday. She lives at the New Jersey shore, and she (knock  on wood) is healthy as a horse. We're hoping we're still doing birthday celebrations for her when she turns 100.  Happy Birthday, Mom!!

This blog post is in response to Natalie Sisson's 10 Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge Day 4.  My challenge today is to identify 2-3 things I am good at, things Natalie calls my "Super Powers".  She says not to be humble about it.

I had to really struggle with this one. My first thought was to just chuck the whole thing. I don't have super powers. I don't even have any sort-of powers, let alone super ones.  I got the challenge email this morning, while I was at the beach, enjoying my last day of the season.  As I mulled over today's assignment, I was reminded of one of my Cabana-mates, Luca.  (Everyone rents a cabana for the season. I share one with about 18 other people). I promise this is all going somewhere. Just give me a minute.

 Luca is the 4 yr old son of one of the 18.  One morning as I was just arriving at our cabana, Luca and his family had already arrived. We said our hellos, and I went inside to change and gather up my stuff.  On my way out of the cabana, Luca stopped me. He opened his little mouth and started singing a song at the top of his lungs. His mother explained he was singing me a favorite song he had learned at his nursery school. She went on to further explain that he went to a Catholic school, thus all the references to God in the song, just in case I needed that information.  At the end of his song, he stood there with the biggest smile on his face.  Squeaky little 4 yr old voice and all, he stood and belted out that song for me, and then asked me to please wait one minute, he had something to show me. He ran into the cabana. One minute later he reappeared, dressed from head to toe in a Spiderman suit. It isn't Halloween. It's August. And Luca has transformed into "Speeder-Maan" (the correct pronunciation if you are speaking Italian).

These little huts are cabanas

Now back to my task for today's Blog Challenge.  Luca actually believed he was Spiderman. Once in that costume, he wasn't just little Luca anymore. He was a superhero.

I'm thinking I need a costume. If it works for Luca, maybe it will work for me.

I've tossed this around all day. Honestly, I don't possess any super powers. I have a couple of things I'm pretty good at, but I'm not setting the world on fire over here.

So here's what I'm good at. 1) I'm a good teacher, and 2) I'm not a quitter.

Now I better go make myself a costume.

                                     

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. )

Beginning 2014 with a plunge!

January 1, 2014 couldn't have started off with any better weather. It was sunny, crystal clear, and warm with temperatures in the upper 50's- the perfect day for the annual Polar Bear Plunge into the Adriatic Sea. Here in Venice,  a group called "gli ibernisti" take a swim at the public beach on the Lido, followed by a lively celebration to bring in the New Year right! 

Although I've known about this event, this was the first year I attended. No, I did not participate- a bit too cold for me to be jumping into the Adriatic. However, I will admit, it was such a warm day and everyone out there in the water was having such a good time, I was truly very tempted to join them.

Music, clowns and lots of bubbles kept the crowd happy while waiting for the swimmers to arrive.
                           
The sea was peaceful and calm. It would have been a wonderful morning for a long walk along the coast.

   

 At 12 noon, these brave souls donned in bathing suits parted the crowds as they made their way to the beach front.

 The actual swim didn't last long, under 10 minutes. 

 Everyone made their way back to the shore where there was lots of photo taking.

 Unusual footwear! 

 These lovely ladies were adorned with sparkly necklaces just right for the occassion.

 You can tell who the "regulars" are!

 After the plunge, the celebration turned up a notch. The band entertained the crowds with familiar selections of both Italian and American tunes. Many were dancing and singing along.

 Even the dogs were taking advantage of the warm mid-day sun!

 The entire crowd lined up for a bowl of lentils and cotechino, a traditional New Year's day meal in this part of Italy. Eating lentils on New Years is said to bring good luck, similar to eating pinto beans in the USA.  Panettone, pandoro  (traditional holiday sweets) and local wine (sfuso) siphoned from a vat for everyone was an added treat.  The fantastic weather only aided in helping all of us get in the spirit of the celebration. I can imagine in other years taking the swim or being an observer might not be so pleasant depending on how frigid the day is.

Here's to 2014!  I hope this coming year is filled with good health, love, laughter, and dreams fulfilled for all of you.  Buon Anno Nuovo!

Wrapping up summer....

August being the month of the Ferragosto holiday celebrated all over Italy, I decided I too would partake of a bit of holiday and do what the Italians do- go to la spiaggia , the beach.  With a month's pass to my favorite little private beach on the Lido tucked into my beach bag, along with a few other essentials (sunscreen, beach towels and a Donna Leon book), I was set. I left my beach bag near the front door, poised at the ready for any day I could make a quick getaway and grab a few hours on the Lido.  

During the early weeks of August, the beach was packed. And I do mean packed!  Now I was experiencing first hand where everyone headed when they closed their shops and cafes for the month!!  They must have all been here at the Lido with me.  However, when I took up my beach chair the other day on one of the last days of the month, I had the place to myself. Everyone had gone back to work! This was a little bit of heaven on the Adriatic. 

This is my new office on the Lido !!!  See you all in about 2 weeks when the beaches close

for the season. 

Ferragosto !!!!

Today, August 15, is officially Ferragosto.  This Italian holiday started centuries ago by Emperor Augustus when he declared the whole month, named after himself,  as a holiday filled with all sorts of merriment to celebrate the summer harvest.  Later, August 15 became a religious holiday celebrating the assumption of Mary into heaven.

Italians celebate Ferrogosto in a big way- they close shops and restaurants the end of July and head off to the beaches and the mountains for the month. Great way to escape the heat!

As an American living in Italy, I've had some difficulty wrapping my head around how the whole country can take the whole month off when it is the height of tourist season. Isn't there money to be made??  Who cares, it's vacation time.

This week, I imposed my own Ferragosto and took off for the Lido each day. Surprised even myself- I seem to be a little more Italian this summer! Finally, I get it.

Here's a view from my chaise lounge at B.each on the Lido.  In a few minutes, my beach bag and I will be headed to Piazzale Roma to catch the #6 boat to Lido.  Upon arriving, I'll make the walk down S.M. Elisabetta, past all the shops selling beach necessities along with all the other beach goers and take up my spot on the sand for the day.

Happy Ferrogosto, tutti!

Americas Cup- Venice 2012

The weather was perfect Friday afternoon, I had a few hours free, and the Americas Cup quarter finals were being held in the lagoon between St. Mark's and Lido that afternoon. Sounded like the ideal convergence of essential elements to me, so off we went, fully expecting to have to battle the crowds at San Marco all the way.

My friend Caterina and I disembarked the vaporetto at Valleresso only to be pleasantly surprised- no mobs!  Walking further, still no mobs.  Our plan was to  grab a light lunch in the vicinity of Giardini, then find a spot along the water to catch the race.

It's always an incredible sight to see the lagoon completely void of boat traffic.  The whole area was empty, then all of a sudden from off to the left between Sant' Elena and Lido came the boats. The New Zealand team was first, quite a bit in the lead, then 4 more close together. Breathtaking!

Here are a few shots of the action -

The Italian boat, Luna Rossa came in first in Friday afternoon's events. Unfortunately Team Oracle did  not do so well.

I was also eager to spend a little time inside the Arsenale, at the Americas Cup Village. In all my time in Venice, I had not yet been inside there. The place is enormous! I can only imagine what this area was like bustling with people making galleys in Venice's heyday. During the Americas Cup, this is the team base and also open to the public, with many displays and food booths. In the evenings, other special events are being held here.

 Rising out of the large basin was this enormous stand where  the race was being shown on a large screen.  There is a row of stalls set up selling beer, wine, champagne, panini's, pizza and fritto misto. I wished we had known about this, because it was relatively empty, no crowds, it would have been the perfect viewing spot for Mike to enjoy some of the race also!

I'm thinking that perhaps this was a once in my lifetime event to be able to view the Americas cup in person. Another perfect day in Venice!

Ferragosto!!

Today, August 15, is Ferragosto. It's a national holiday in Italy. Basically what that means is just about everything will be closed, and Italians will be heading to either the beach or the mountains for a long weekend. Ferrogosto is a celebration of the harvest, and also a celebration of the Assumption of Mary into heaven, and dates back to Emperor Augustus. I haven't quite figured out how they mixed a religious holiday with a pagan festival, but, they did.

What we've noticed is that around the first week in August, we start to see signs on shops, caffes and restaurants indicating they are closed for FERIE- holiday. Return dates are somewhere around the last week in August. Looks to me like everyone plans their annual summer vacation to include Ferragosto.

Shops that weren't closed already for the holiday are certainly closed for Ferrogosto. Today Venice seemed empty, at least it was in my neighborhood. We live close to the train station and Piazzale Roma, so we normally see a fair amount of foot traffic coming and going from these areas past our street. Today was particularly quiet. Even the grocery stores were only open half a day. Everyone else must have headed for the Lido.

Happy Ferragosto!