Nikki, a fashionable pirate, was the provina of our sandolo, and Gabriella was at the helm; Adele won the I Dream of Jeanne double prize as we followed the big, red peata up the Canal.

A proposito, for the corteo on Sunday, look for 4 women in sandolo. Io sono mora - they’re all blonde except me!

This Sunday, January 27th, to do their part to inaugurate Carnevale, the area remiere will form a Corteo (procession) of traditional Venetian rowing craft, from caorline to mascarete, cruising up the Grand Canal. The procession will commence at 10:15 at the Punta della Dogana, and will have at its center una peata, one of the largest barche a remo there are (see the video of the frozen canals in the post below). For the procession, the peata will serve as a floating stage for acrobats, musicians, and even flamethowers. As is the tradition, all us vogatori will be in costume and si fermeranno along the way for refreshments, at the Salute or the Accademia or the Rialto, until they reach the Fondamenta Cannaregio around midday, where they’ll halt public transport for the festivities. There’ll be bancarelle serving traditional Venetian Carnevale fare. (Fritelle, anyone?) Head that way yourself to take part in the festivities, boat or no boat, it will be as Venetian as you can get these days, and a great contrast to the subsequent 17th century reenactments to follow as Carnevale progresses.

On a recent Sunday morning I rowed on the Canal with friends (no corteo), and it was perfect: few taxis and no transport boats, only the normal vaporetti and other vogatori taking advantage of Canal quiet.) In contrast, this should be quite a spectacle; keep your fingers crossed that the weather holds.

Do take lots of photos (I’ll be the one in the costume).

A footnote: Out of respect for the families of the two workers that suffocated in the hold of a freighter in Porto Marghera a few days ago, the Saturday morning festivities that normally launch Carnevale in Piazza San Marco have been rescheduled. I understand that the volo del Angelo (which won’t be an angel at all, as you may have heard) will fly instead on Sunday. Mi par giusto.

For official Venice Carnival 2008 info, check the official Venezia Carnevale 2008 website.

I have the most resourceful friends. Two of them live in Florence, and are a “set,” even though they are not married (to each other or anyone else), and live in case separate. If you met them, you’d think they’d been sposati for eons; and although they’ve been a couple for some time now, it has seemed that way to me from the second day of their relationship. When you think as much as I do of Gabriella and Roberto, you’re happy not only that they’re friends of yours, but that two such extraordinary people managed, however it occurred, to find each other.

Aside from being resourceful, these two are also curious and exuberant travelers. Sicilia, Zanzibar, Istanbul, Cuba, China, Greece, Denmark? was it? and all over Europe, anywhere, independent, group if necessary, whenever they can manage it. Even in this they are well matched: when she can escape the demands of her position as the long-time owner of a translation/interpretation business, Gabriella is willing to go anywhere, and Roberto is perfectly happy even to drive her there (while she naps, usually), at least for destinations not too far afield. They’re economical travelers as well, characteristically, as they feel it’s a way to get a truer feel for the culture — that being a primary reason for their traveling in the first place.

(more…)

Actually, they will be Line 1, Line 2, and the new Line 3, with Line 3 being reserved for use by those in possession of a CartaVenezia or Tessera di Abbonamento. Either of these will now set you back a healthy €40 for a new issue, with tickets and passes to be purchased in addition to that. If you hadn’t picked up yours for the original €10, you have unfortunately missed the boat. I wonder whether this is in reaction to too many tourists opting for the Abbonamento instead of the VeniceCard or regular hourly passes (I’m just gossiping, of course; I have nothing remotely official to support my suspicions). With this rate hike, though, it’s certainly no longer economical to opt for an Abbonamento unless you are truly a frequent visitor or here for a long stay.

There was a ridiculous lamentation for “the poor tourist” over this new line recently in the London Herald Trib. Macchè. The “poor tourist” will have at least one vaporetto departing Piazzale Roma every ten minutes, certainly enough to get them where they want to go. It’s just that now, when a group of travelers’ enormous luggage blocks the front seats that are meant for the elderly, the former will be spared the disapproving looks of the Venetian vecie (and perhaps an accompanying schiaffo or two delivered by same. Manca mal).

Don’t forget, if you have any questions about the vaporetto, lines, tickets, and All Things ACTV during your visit, never hesitate to call HelloVenezia at +39 041 2424.

I was afraid this footage that Marisa passed along wasn’t getting enough visibility…although looking closer, this youtube user has a begun posting a series of Venetian archival film, and it’s just marvelous (just look how calm that water is). This is from when vaporetti were vapor-powered?

For post-Epiphany, we’re repeating the Britten Ceremony of Carols with harp accompaniment and additional vocal solos. The free concert is offered by the Scuola di Musica Giuseppe Verdi, and will be held in Venice:

• 6p, this Wednesday, January 9
• at the modest venue of the Foresteria Valdese, which is housed in the Palazzo Cavagnis (the Valdese Cultural Center)

The address is Castello 5170 it’s just over the bridge at the end of the Calle Santa Maria Formosa just off the Campo (not far from the famosa Mascareta).

I’d forgotten to mention the harpist in the previous announcement. Lei è bravissima, and it would be worth attending if only to enjoy her performance.

Although our harpist is professional, we are not; what we lack in polish…oh, we just love to sing. (Yesterday’s rehearsal went quite well, I would say…)