Nearly two weeks in Italy, one week total in Venice and I'm actually ready to head home to Canada. This is a great adventure but there is something to be said for being 'home'. :) The course time went really well all things considered. All things include: one student being hospitalized in Venice for 3 days due to a stomach hernia/ulcer condition that saw him whisked to Ospedale de S. Giovanni e Paulo by water ambulance. Thanks Chris for warning me that there would be a crisis - this was it. Luckily with meds and rest the student was able to join us before we left for Valle de Belluno and while a bit weak was ok to do the course activities. The hospital is well - across some 4 buildings including a church which all date to the 14th and 16th centuries. Never been in a hospital with a treed courtyard in the centre before...a therapeutic landscape?
Have seen SOOO much it is hard to relate in a quick blog entry from a wifi spot where I'm paying 5 euros for a half hour time. I did manage to get a cold/develop allergies which some great drugs from a 'farmacia' has made liveable bu man oh man up early and tromping around the countryside is exhausting!
The best thing by far, so far, has been seeing all the amazing art in the Accademia here in Venice, and visiting the lagoon islands of Burano, and especially Torcello. Torcello was the first place settled by the Veneti people escaping the Huns in the 9th century. The basilica there is approaching 1,000 yrs old, full of amazing Byzantine religious art. Just awe-inspiring. Apparently plague etc, wiped out many of the people, the rest relocated to the Rialto area of what is now Venice. Oh and also finding this amazing 'legatoria' Rivoaltus again- the family makes all their own paper and books and well - this place is a real find. Find it if you come here. Charming people and they wrap up every purchase like a gift :) Last 'great thing' - being here for the Marriage of the Sea ceremony and seeing a reinactment of the parade of the Doge and dignitaries and then the boats the next day filling the Grand Canal. Very cool!!
The worst thing? Aside from the allergies/cold - after awhile the crowds and constant selling of stuff gets to you. Oh and the mosquitoes in Venice which are a bit bad now after weeks of wet and rain and cool temperatures.
Today is my last day and I still need to pick up a gift for my son and see if I can find sandals. I'm too cheap I think - saw great shoes but can't stomach 260 euros! Going to S. Stae on the vaporetto and check out Ca'Pesaro and the art collection there and then taking it easy. Leave on a water taxi at 5:30AM tomorrow...arrivederci Venezia...
Have to seriously think about whether or not to do this again...the course that is...I would come to Venice again, but with hubby or sister.
Glad to hear that you survived - been watching the blog for news.
ReplyDeleteWell done on getting the student taken care of - as Chris says, there's always something
Best wishes for the journey home and for the book launch
Here our "big announcement" was really big - wow (and he's great - you'll like him)
Getting computer access was trickier than expected - internet down on San Servolo a lot and apparently VIU won't let you use their computers unless you are connected to a conference. This is something we need to address next time I think.
ReplyDeleteOnce we were in Cesiomaggiore, we didn't have a computer with us and well - we were too busy anyway. I think the students really got something valuable out of it. Eager to see the eval forms.
Now that I'm back in Canada, I think I would do it again, but be better prepared for my own health issues. Never expected to be so allergic...that's what I think it was now...just totally congested and sneezing like mad. I'm sure my sneezes are in somebody's sound map!
The real heroes of it all are the TAs. I could not have done this without them, that's for sure!